– FITUG to President Ramotar
The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has waited, strategically, for the reactionary dust to settle after polling day, last November 28, 2011. Now, some six weeks after his assumption to office and the swearing in of his Cabinet, FITUG is pleased to extend congratulations and sincere wishes for a successful, progressive Presidency to His Excellency President Donald Rabindranauth Ramotar.
The working-class son of Karia Karia, Essequibo, is now the symbol of great, legitimate, working-class and national expectations. That he is a product of Cheddi Jagan’s People’s Progressive Party (PPP), and a former executive of our leading affiliate, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), should make his working class, labour movement very credible.
As mentioned by one of FITUG’s affiliates, also, is President Ramotar’s qualification in Economics, his tenure as an analyst and journalist and his participation in the Corporate Business World. All these indicate his well-rounded capabilities, especially for those citizens who know or knew little of him outside of the PPP. But FITUG appreciates, that as President, he will now be tested at the highest national levels, as a leader of all Guyanese. The re-configuration of parliamentary authority when the National Assembly convenes soon, will test his national stewardship and will surely challenge his election campaign promise to promote the Constitution’s “inclusionary democracy”, as spelt out in Article 13 and Article 149 (c), especially.
FITUG notes that President Ramotar has chosen to retain those Cabinet members and parliamentarians he evidently considers as “tried and trusted”.
One of our affiliates has chosen to welcome the new Minister of Labour, Dr Nanda K Gopaul. FITUG recognizes the new Labour Minister to be an old, hands-on, one time trade unionist/activist. We temper our confidence in Minister Gopaul’s abilities with the patience we use to assess his handling of the current labour movement environment.
FITUG concludes this welcome with one respectful suggestion: that President Ramotar convenes an early meeting with the legitimate, verifiable, audited representatives of labour – the FITUG, the TUC – jointly or separately, and invites the Labour Movement to participate in an exploratory session with the ultimate objective of addressing both labour’s immediate concerns and promote that elusive trade union unity that Guyanese workers deserve.
FITUG again congratulates and welcomes President Ramotar and pledges its unstinted support for all initiatives he introduces to advance working-class welfare. A successful tenure Mr President.