By Kristen Macklingam
In light of Government sticking to its decision of shutting down the Wales Sugar Estate, West Bank Demerara (WBD) the three sugar workers’ Unions are calling on the Administration to publicly declare its plans, if any, for the future of those affected and to disclose what the thousands of acres of prime land will be used for.
The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the National Association of the Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) along with the Guyana Labour Union (GLU) in a joint press conference this morning stated that apart from the ‘painful effects on those workers’ who will be directly affected from such a move the issue also has far-reaching economic and social implications.
GAWU’s President Komal Chand and NAACIE’s General Secretary Kenneth Joseph stated that a meeting was held with personnel from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) on Wednesday last where the two Unions were informed that the plan was to absorb the workers at Uitvlugt Estate.
“Others to be made redundant and some others to be given jobs in a business venture they could not tell us about. Again, we formed the view that the hazy ideas were not thought out and, in all likelihood, cannot be realized. In effect, there is no worthwhile plan at this time but if they have a plan then let GuySuCo and the government make it public,” Joseph told reporters.
He reiterated that the lives of many, their future and their investments are now threatened with the prospect of closure in a matter of months.
According to Joseph the government has made a ‘suicidal decision’ to close the Wales Sugar Estate in circumstances where apparently there is no ‘considered or clear decision’ to follow regarding the utilization of the lands and the dislocation of hundreds of employees as well as other related questions.
Meanwhile General Secretary of GAWU Seepaul Narine posited that the decision to close the estate in question is ‘turning on to a wrong path’ since it can most likely affect the progress noted over the last year in terms of production.
“To some extent it will very well affect also the country’s treasury. It has grave implications for the workers, the residents, several communities, and Region Three. The government must now act wisely, sensibly and immediately to undo its decision for the consequences are too dire,” he said.
Aren’t you one of the APNU stooges why don’t you come up with some plans.
How CLEAN are these two PUPPETS of the PPP coming?Chand and Joseph.When Jagdeo CLOSED Diamond and Leanora estates as he did,where were these two?feathering their nests?not a word was said,but SUDDENLY they have AWAKEN from their DEEP SLUMBER.It will do these HYPOCRITES well to be sensible.What`s the sense trying to prop up an estate by the others,when it is not functioning as it should?The closure takes place as reported,at the end of this year 2016.I believe,they are more concerned about the dues they may lose,than putting the workers first.
Is there a comprehensive plan in place to get jobs for those men and women who are left jobless?
I thought that they have a lot of paku already. Look at the entire APNU SQUAD FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, PAKU ALL AROUND.
Are there any comprehensive solutions, suggestions, ideas that are meaningful and worthwhile from these goodly gentlemen of the Unions.
I hope you are king kong and look like king kong, because you surely think and write what you think like king kong
Perhaps Tony Viera will use the land for aquaculture and grow tilapia and pacu!
mr sour sop man will get a lot of land now i mean professor sour sop stop sugar to plant sour sop well said i wander where he get his ph from
Eight months and all we can see is disaster–with this gov there is no such thing as the “light at the end of the tunnel” blackout will rule the day–its coming .When you have fools like the ” political scientist” telling the gov to bring back national service ( never worked during 28yrs of dictatorship –it was used as a sex slave camp for the PNC supporters) that’s an indication of how bad things are and will get,these are the APNU advisers–the blind leading the blind –what a way to go.
Soon the rice mills will shut down, the government say they can’t depend on Guyana’s resources thats one of they budget plan, so by shutting down the sugar estate they will have less produce of sugar so thats one way of not depend on the sugar industries…. and now there is no market for rice so that’s next , so Tommy you are right they will make use of the land in other ways, to bring in money to the revenue because according to the government they can’t depend on there resources, and Guyana is so rich in its resources, great demand for all of Guyana’s main resources all over the world……what a way to take care of your people…..
They are going to rear pigs and plant weed in the land