-Scott urges retrenched sugar workers, says industry being resuscitated

SUGAR workers who were not retained during the downsizing of the sugar industry, were urged to form cooperative societies as the ‘resuscitation’ of the industry takes its course.

While it would be realistically difficult for workers to get back on track, Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott, believes that cooperative societies would be the best way for them to get the push they need.

“I want to make an open appeal to sugar workers to cultivate a mindset towards getting involved in cooperative societies… the ministry is ready to educate you on how to have successful cooperatives,” said the minister during his remarks at a memorial ceremony for the Enmore Martyrs at Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD) on Saturday.

Just as the retrenched sugar workers face their challenges, the five martyrs had theirs, which was not a battle for themselves but one for the entire workforce of the sugar industry.

Lallabagee Kissoon, Pooran, Rambarran, Dookhie and Harry were remembered as national heroes who were killed while advocating for better working conditions for their colleagues in 1948 when colonialised “plantation life” still existed.
“We have not accepted that their cause died with them, they have not died. The quality of life which they sought has not been fully realized, but there have been improvements, however, not to the levels we would have liked to be,” said Minister Scott.

He made reference to the recent United Nations (UN) country programme which stated that human development in Guyana has improved, something that the martyrs had advocated for.

In 1948, living and working conditions were disgraceful and as a consequence of the martyrs, sugar workers could enjoy a better quality of life, Scott said.
Guyana had signed on to the second UN Decent Work country programme, which was designed to span from 2017 to 2021.

The terms of the programme include things that sugar workers advocated for back in 1948. Those are being addressed by the government through the decent work country programme, said the minister.

Some of those initiatives have led to improvement of the living and working conditions of not just sugar workers, but workers across the country.
Although sugar has been underperforming over the years, Scott promised that the industry is being rescued, resuscitated and re-energised by the government.

According to the minister, future plans for the industry include amalgamation of the estates, robust diversification programmes and the re-education of severed employees so that they could be gainfully employed.

Representatives of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) acknowledged that the industry has been underperforming and workers are out of jobs, but they promised that they will follow in the footsteps of the martyrs and continue to advocate for betterment.

Prior to the ceremony at Enmore, a wreath-laying ceremony was held at Le Repentir Cemetery.