THE Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) has expressed deep grief over the passing of its treasurer and manager, Rooplall Persaud, who reportedly had complained about feeling unwell on Tuesday morning, and succumbed on his way to the hospital.A GAWU statement said Persaud’s family had immediately sought medical attention for the 60-year-old who hails from La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara (ECD), but he succumbed on his way to the hospital.

Persaud had been a member of the GAWU General Council, and Secretary of the GAWU Co-operative Credit Union Society Limited. He had graduated into the GAWU leadership from the position of a union activist and shop steward in one of the cane cutting gangs of the GuySuCo LBI Estate. The union said that, as treasurer, Persaud had strongly upheld strict and transparent accountability of the union’s finances and expenditure.

“GAWU, over the years, is proud of the fact that its financial records have been audited by the Office of the Auditor General, which observed that the Union’s finances have been managed in accordance with sound financial management and accountability procedures,” the statement noted.

GAWU, on behalf of its leadership and membership, has expressed its heartfelt condolences to Persaud’s wife, his two children, grandchildren, other relatives and friends.