Finally after all the rumblings and grumblings there has been a most positive development for sugar workers as GUYSUCO has announced that their retroactive payments which will be made before Xmas.

Earlier, the corporation had indicated that because of the dire financial problems it is experiencing it would not have been in a position to make the payments until March next year and obviously this did not go down well with the GAWU and the workers. This disappointment was understandable because firstly the arbitral award was only a small one and secondly traditionally workers received whatever payments were due to them before the festive season so that their families would have some extra cash with which to make the usual preparations for the end of year celebrations.

If the payments would not have been made it would have been a very bleak occasion for sugar workers, especially for their children who anxiously await their gifts and goodies for the festive season.

The corporation said it could not have made a public confirmation earlier on fast tracking payments until it was in a position to access such funds.

It said that to facilitate the retroactive payment based on the 3% increase management has decided not to pay its creditors until late January next year, asking them for their continued understanding at this difficult time.

GuySuCo said it will also be discounting sales of its molasses at a significant cost.

The corporation said that Tate & Lyle, its UK customer, has agreed to advance it money on the basis of the next shipment of sugar to the firm.

“We do appreciate their support at this time (and this has not been the first occasion)”, it said.

And so GUYSUCO must be commended for going into overdrive to find a solution to the payment dilemma and it was successful in its pursuit which will result in bringing some amount of joy to thousands of workers and their families. it shows where there is the commitment and will a way can be chartered even out of the most troubled waters.

GuySuCo is also urging workers and their unions to engage in dialogue to address their concerns, rather than strikes and protests, which are only aggravating the problems that confront the industry.

“A responsible approach is needed not only to address the situation of workers but also the state of the company which provides the employment. An important objective for the corporation is to provide job security for its people.

“We do hope that our turnaround plan is given a chance to succeed so we can live up to our promise to workers and other stakeholders of a sustainable and viable Guyana sugar industry”, it said.

Now that the situation has taken a turn for the better it would be hoped that every effort will be made to maintain this momentum so that an amicable relation among all stakeholders within the industry could be restored.

But it is clear from all that has transpired in the last few months that there is urgent need for increased focus on industrial relations which is crucial for returning the entity profitability to ensure prosperity for the workers, the industry and the national economy.

This column earlier had stressed the need for greater attention to be paid to this aspect of the production cycle because workers unrest will only result in further harm to the industry which is in trouble but is the mainstay of the economy.

An International Labour Organisation (ILO) study has recommended that the promotion and nurturing of industrial democracy by means of consensus building between employers and workers has assumed growing importance for small societies.

It added that the imperatives of inclusion, genuine partnership and multi-partitism between various strata, classes and interests in society place a special responsibility for a culture in the workplace that facilitates the realisation of human potential.