THE following is a statement issued by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in celebration of Labour Day 2015, which is being observed today.The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) salutes the workers of Guyana on the occasion of International Workers Day, or what is commonly referred to as Labour Day, which is observed annually on May 1.

This is a good time to reflect on how far we have advanced in Guyana, especially in terms of gains made by the PPP/C administration both at the legislative level and in terms of the implementation of programmes and policies to protect workers against exploitation, unfair wages, and to bring about improvements to their living and working conditions.

The PPP is proud of its record as a pro-labour party which has, over the decades, defended the rights of workers not only in Guyana but throughout the world. It was the PPP which enacted the Trade Union Recognition Bill and the National Minimum Wages Bill both of which are landmark pieces of legislation to protect the rights of workers.

Regrettably, in Guyana today, the labour movement is fragmented by opportunistic elements who under the guise of representing the cause of workers are aligning themselves with the very forces that were responsible for the pauperization of the working class during the period of PNC dictatorial and anti-working class rule.

At the global level, despite advances in science and technology and the consequential increases in labour productivity, the gap in living standards between the rich and the poor continues to widen.

This is particularly evident in some of the more advanced capitalist countries including the United States and western Europe.

Millions of workers are finding it difficult to make ends meet, not to mention the millions more who cannot find work and who are unemployed and forced to live on handouts.

The PPP takes this opportunity to call on the workers of Guyana to be on guard against those who would make all manner of unrealistic promises, especially at this time when Guyanese will go to the polls on May 11 to elect a government of their choice.

The PPP wishes to re-affirm its commitment to a strong, stable and secure Guyana, one in which the working people would be the major beneficiary in the economic and social gains made by the collective efforts of the Guyanese  people.