By Tracey Khan – Drakes
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Sugar workers at the Skeldon Sugar Factory are continuing with their industrial action in solidarity with one of their colleagues – Steven Daniel – who was arbitrarily dismissed by the Estate Manager, Dave Kumar following an incident in the field between the two on Friday, September 19.
Workers both from the factory and field yesterday shut down the operations at the Estate.
It is reported that the Estate Manager and two of his colleagues were reportedly on a drinking spree on Friday when at 23:30hrs, several workers were on a bridge at the Dock Mill supervising the offloading of cane.
It is alleged that the Manager told them to move from the bridge, however, all but Daniel responded almost immediately and this reportedly made the Manager angry.
The Manager is accused of verbally abusing the employee, who continued his work but was later informed by a security guard that he has to be escorted off the Estate.
iNews understands that after Daniel refused to leave the compound, the Estate Manager arrived and attempted to hit him. He then informed Daniel that he was fired.
According to a source from the Estate, of the 2000 persons that took industrial action yesterday, only 90 odd workers turned up on the job, however, it is unclear if they are working.
The Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) will be meeting with the Estate management and the representatives of the workers as it continues its investigations into the incident.
It was made clear that for the Union to thoroughly and fairly investigate the matter, the worker who was dismissed would have to be reinstated or both the worker and the Estate Manager would be required to be off the job. The Union will be meeting at 13:00 hours today.
what skeldon estate becoming under dave kumar managment this guy get a long history in guysuco but seems he is on touch able because he always talk about his connection with the CEO an PPP big boys them dave has a history of issues in guysuco ,abusinging people ,his staff , an even when he drinking rum on the road ,he hit a shift manager ,an get off ,he fire punwah ,ivan an brown for negligence saying the CEO give him power to do it ,he get off ,he abuse daniel using the racial terms even wanna fight ,look like he going to get off too , because the manager an foreman an security that were present areafride to speak the true what happen because of fare of loosing their job ,the union (rep) can say what happen cause he know of it even he was abuse by dave .while the estate was striking dave was drinking an playing loud music at his house in the compound ,this guy is well known to all the cane farmers ,bogas an mary in cwc where he go to sport an collect his bribe ,one dragline owner of line path even buy a car for him because he give him contract at skeldon an albion . dave also drink hard an smoke drugs if proof is needed guysuco an GAWU should take him on a drugs test to prove it ,the question remain why is this guy so powerful an still after all these incident still on the job .we the observer need some justice from guysuco for why he fire those 3 senior field staff an daniel ,APNU an AFC need to step in to give the people so justice
Well said Charles….well said….we all know why the CEOis closely affiliated with Crackhead davekumar…he uses the estate’s money to host glamourous party and wo…… so now he is favourite on CEO list. The directors and all are fearful of Kumar, can you imagine that? Who has given such power to this drunken crackpot? The CEO….doesnt knkw anything about sugar and depends on kumzr to give such advices,,, what an irony? What happenex to Nariendat Seepersaud from Blairmont should happen to kumar. The guy was forced to resign because he cursed a security guard…what is taking the Ceo such a long time to fire kumar? We all know…..NOTHING.
well well all the comment hit the spot. The people at skeldon are very weak people because last night shift went in and grind out the cane that was in the dock. and soon the whole estate will turn out back to nornal . this will make the Dev a more powerful /powerdrunk man..Th ceo for guysuco is a very smart idiot he making boy like dev fool him . let me tell u how when the ceo come for a visit dev decide the route and window dress it and the smart ass follow the route. never ask to see nowhere else.
It would appear the CE for Guysuco don’t have a clue what is going on on the ground and accepts everything as gospel from the power drunk idiot,dave kumar. I am sure the CE will soon realize before it is too late that this individual is using his high connections to abuse employees and fired left, right and center. Guysuco natural justice is in desperate need for natural justice itself! So sad. Was the attitude of this idiot factor in the 2017 strategic plan? Well we will certainly be in for a surprise even before 2017.
Strip the Estate Manager portfolio away from Dave Kumar and the public will see him for what he is, a heavy drinking, marijuana smoking low life well known for public brawling. He drinks frequently and openly with a cane farmer called Mary and with whom he discusses confidential Estate business. Kumar is a stranger to ethics and professionalism. The outcome of any disciplinary matter over which he presides is often well known to the general public long before the matter is concluded. He is involved in a sexual harassment scandal and a well publicized affair with a field supervisor’s wife (daughter in law of Haseef Yusuf, an ex-AFC politician) but nothing is being done about these things. Everybody in the sugar belt is aware of these things except it seems, the CEO who is supporting him in his bid to create a fear based work environment. He will have to leave Skeldon soon just as the CEO will have to run from Guysuco for they have both taken on a formidable opponent;
GAWU.
It is good that the people of skeldon are getting to understand what is at stakes here. Dave kumar is one of the most crooked Estate Managers. Too bad that the CEO is his best friend so nothing will come out of the story. Watch and see. Dave kumar will continue with his atrocities. If it was someone else,,, bam! He would have been dismissed. Watch in the industry…..just the weak managers are left. Guysuco going down.
Who is this thug?my brother was one of the field that was fired this fool need to be fired himself,i used to work at skeldon estate many years ago sine this jackass took over its been going downhill.
Hope Dave kumar can give a good explaination for his words an action of this story an the recent one, where he used his power to fire those senior field staff that he fire a few weeks ago .the workers need to stand up for the rights dont let this power drunk guy run things .beat the iron when its hot workers ,dont let this corrupt guy take the bread out of your family mouth
once again mr dave a/k collie bakra of skeldon estate, has use his top of the line connection to abuse another worker an using his top words (about his contacts an good friendship with the CEO of guysuco) i think this guy has too much power so he using it, but hope the people an top brass an his goons see this is one of the main factors that skeldon estate is going down , mr kumar is known to take bride from privite dragline owners from skeldon to give him contract at skeldon an albion estate ,find out where did he get the car from he own who buy it for him ?,dave kumar has too much power an it has to cut down ,why would a manager be drunk on the job an show his anger to workers .find out why he fire those field staff ?