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PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar yesterday joined hundreds of workers in a show of solidarity at the National Park as they celebrated another Labour Day. This year’s celebrations were held under the theme, ‘Workers Rights and Rewards’. 
Also present were Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, several Government ministers, union leaders from the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) and Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), and Chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes.
This year marks 55 years since Guyana began observing Labour Day or May Day, as a national holiday. In 1958, May 1 was designated a national holiday by an earlier PPP/C Administration; moreso by the then Minister of Labour, Health and Housing, the late Mrs. Janet Jagan.
President Ramotar said that May Day is not only a time to celebrate workers’ rights and gains of workers, but it is also a time to reflect on the future and directions in which focus must be placed. This, he said, is necessary in order for workers to be able to identify and remove the obstacles that affect the labour force.
“Our working people can be proud of the achievements we have made so far. One of the most important achievements is that we have established in our society, a democratic state and democratic freedom,” the President said.
The Head of State spoke of all the things that Guyana has today that characterise democracy, including free and fair elections, and the fact that Guyanese workers are free to align themselves to trade unions of their choice. The latter is provided under a legislation that was passed in the National Assembly a few years ago.
The President lamented that some of the problems that are encountered today in the labour force are the result of the trade union movement as a whole, being out of sync with the realities of the Guyanese society.
He made a call for union leaders to be organised and for the Guyana Trades Union Congress (TUC) to democratise its rules to rebuild the spirit of unity in the trade union movement, and among the working class.
“We have created the atmosphere and environment in Guyana so that you, the workers, can take control of your unions…our working class has achieved a lot over the years, but I know that there is always a cry for more increases in wages and salaries and we are constantly trying to improve the conditions of our workers,” the Head of State posited.
He spoke of his Government’s commitment to continue to invest heavily in the social sector, which now receives more than 30 percent of the overall expenditure compared to a mere eight percent in 1992. These investments, particularly the areas of health and education, have been leading to positive returns; successfully lifting people out of poverty.
Speaking to the $31B cuts meted out to the 2013 national budget by the parliamentary Opposition, President Ramotar reaffirmed his resolve to exhaust every possible avenue in ensuring that the funds are restored so that development is not halted.
According to the President, it is difficult to understand some of the arguments that have been used in the Parliament to justify the cuts to the budget, especially as they relate to key areas of development, such as the Amaila Falls Hydropower project and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project.
The President again made an appeal to the two main Opposition parties, the AFC and APNU to remove their prejudices and act in the interest of Guyanese. He also assured of his Government’s readiness to resume talks with them on any area of concern that they may have.
President of GAWU, Komal Chand, said that while Guyana has had many achievements, people must not become complacent and lose their militancy. He called on workers to come together with one voice and demand a bigger stake of the developments around them.
Meanwhile, FITUG’s President, Carvil Duncan spoke of the dire impact the budget cuts could have on the working class if the funds are not restored. He also called on workers to be vigilant and to ensure that the decisions made by the people they voted for are in the interest of national development.
He called on other trade union leaders to recognise the threat of the cuts to the job security of workers and to speak out against the Opposition’s actions.
Also present were Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, several Government ministers, union leaders from the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) and Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), and Chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes.This year marks 55 years since Guyana began observing Labour Day or May Day, as a national holiday. In 1958, May 1 was designated a national holiday by an earlier PPP/C Administration; moreso by the then Minister of Labour, Health and Housing, the late Mrs. Janet Jagan.
President Ramotar said that May Day is not only a time to celebrate workers’ rights and gains of workers, but it is also a time to reflect on the future and directions in which focus must be placed. This, he said, is necessary in order for workers to be able to identify and remove the obstacles that affect the labour force.
“Our working people can be proud of the achievements we have made so far. One of the most important achievements is that we have established in our society, a democratic state and democratic freedom,” the President said.
The Head of State spoke of all the things that Guyana has today that characterise democracy, including free and fair elections, and the fact that Guyanese workers are free to align themselves to trade unions of their choice. The latter is provided under a legislation that was passed in the National Assembly a few years ago.
The President lamented that some of the problems that are encountered today in the labour force are the result of the trade union movement as a whole, being out of sync with the realities of the Guyanese society.
He made a call for union leaders to be organised and for the Guyana Trades Union Congress (TUC) to democratise its rules to rebuild the spirit of unity in the trade union movement, and among the working class.
“We have created the atmosphere and environment in Guyana so that you, the workers, can take control of your unions…our working class has achieved a lot over the years, but I know that there is always a cry for more increases in wages and salaries and we are constantly trying to improve the conditions of our workers,” the Head of State posited.He spoke of his Government’s commitment to continue to invest heavily in the social sector, which now receives more than 30 percent of the overall expenditure compared to a mere eight percent in 1992. These investments, particularly the areas of health and education, have been leading to positive returns; successfully lifting people out of poverty.
Speaking to the $31B cuts meted out to the 2013 national budget by the parliamentary Opposition, President Ramotar reaffirmed his resolve to exhaust every possible avenue in ensuring that the funds are restored so that development is not halted.
According to the President, it is difficult to understand some of the arguments that have been used in the Parliament to justify the cuts to the budget, especially as they relate to key areas of development, such as the Amaila Falls Hydropower project and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project.
The President again made an appeal to the two main Opposition parties, the AFC and APNU to remove their prejudices and act in the interest of Guyanese. He also assured of his Government’s readiness to resume talks with them on any area of concern that they may have.
President of GAWU, Komal Chand, said that while Guyana has had many achievements, people must not become complacent and lose their militancy. He called on workers to come together with one voice and demand a bigger stake of the developments around them.
Meanwhile, FITUG’s President, Carvil Duncan spoke of the dire impact the budget cuts could have on the working class if the funds are not restored. He also called on workers to be vigilant and to ensure that the decisions made by the people they voted for are in the interest of national development.
He called on other trade union leaders to recognise the threat of the cuts to the job security of workers and to speak out against the Opposition’s actions.
