Dear Editor,
Mr Donald Ramotar, a former President, claimed in the Guyana Times (27/4/17) that the working class has nothing to celebrate in 2017.
He should know, as the working people are still reeling under the blows of his government and that of his political mentor and boss, Mr. Jagdeo. The culminated effects of the annual 5% wage increases had left the working people stunted. The sugar industry went bankrupt under his administration and depended on public bailouts to survive.

Before that Mr. Ramotar was a key member on the Guysuco board and helped to undermine the independence of Guysuco. Mr. Ramotar would know that, under the new government, in less than two years, public service wages increased by 38%. Old age pensions were twice increased, benefitting some 53,000 senior citizens. Single parents and the destitute were given increased public assistance. Besides that, many thousands benefit not only from an increased national minimum wage, but were removed from the income tax net. It is believed that some 3000 new jobs have been created in the public sector.

Mr. Ramotar is not factual when he said that the sugar industry will be closed. Both President Granger and Prime Minister Nagamootoo have repeatedly assured that there would be mergers, divestment and diversification, but the industry would not be shut down. They said that three sugar factories and five cane-producing sites would remain to produce some 150,000 tons of sugar. Many workers would be helped on the job.

Mr Ramotar must accept responsibility for the destruction of Skeldon estate and the waste of some $50 Billion. Not a drop of ethanol was produced, and co-generation of electricity was under-capacity. Sadly, Mr Ramotar was driven out of office and he left the working class and their unions divided. It was last year under the coalition that the labour movement started to unite.

Regards
Earl Hamilton