…say unfamiliar with cane harvesting
SEVENTY-five sugar workers are contemplating their next move after being left without canes to plant at the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuco) Enmore estate.
The men, who have been planting canes for years at Enmore and the defunct La Bonne Intention (LBI) Estate, were subsequently offered cane-planting jobs at the estate; however they requested other duties such as factory work, since they were not familiar with cane-cutting.
The men work on the estate lands both at LBI and Enmore, commonly referred to as the East Demerara Estates. General Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) , Seepaul Narine told the media on Tuesday during a press briefing at the union’s High Street offices that the workers were told by the management of the corporation that planting was suspended at the estate. Instead, only cane-cutting jobs were available and as such the men have been out of work for almost a month.
In addition, Narine said the “cane-tops”, which are used for replanting, were reaped and taken to the factory for grinding in mid-February a move which he noted may be a signal that the Enmore estate will be closed soon. He said the corporation has also indicated that planting was suspended at the two estates.
According to GAWU, on March 24, a delegation from the union met with members of the corporation’s Industrial Relations Department and the Estate Management. The body said GuySuCo’s assurance that the planters would be offered alternative work, such as engagement in the factory, rat baiting, infield weeding, and canal-cleaning was not realised.
When the men assumed work on March 27, 2017, the workers were advised by the management of the Estate that only cane-cutting tasks would be provided to them. GAWU said this was a violation of an understanding agreed upon in a matter of days since the new task,with which the men were unfamiliar , was forced –upon them.
According to GAWU, the men with the Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Keith Scott, on March 27, 2017 and at that meeting, the minister suggested that the union write the Agriculture Minister to seek an audience with him, since he is charged with responsibility for GuySuCo.” Our union and the workers having given consideration to Minister Scott’s suggestion subsequently wrote Minister Holder,” GAWU said. However, the union has received no acknowledgment from the subject minister.
GAWU said the ongoing situation at the East Demerara estates mirrors what occurred at the Wales Estate. The workers, several of whom flanked Narine and other officials of GAWU on Tuesday, called on Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, to intervene in the matter. They also called on GuySuCo to give them the required payment for the days they were denied work opportunities.
Narine said the union will decide on its next move if it does not receive any acknowledgment from the subject minister or GuySuco on the issue. Last month, during a protest activity outside the Ministry of the Presidency, GAWU President, Komal Chand, told this publication that Narine said that the workers at those two estates are worried about their future, since government has not denied that the two estates in question are slated for closure. He said an estimated 2000 workers, some of whom joined him in the protest, will be affected if that decision is made.
In 2016, Cabinet took the decision at its last sitting of the year, to have the consultations begin at the soonest possible time to ensure that the best interest of all stakeholders will be considered. In February, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, in accepting the proposals from GAWU at a final stakeholder meeting held at the Ministry of Agriculture, said that Cabinet felt that consultation was the best way to go in the interest of all stakeholders.
