…says young minds could lead GAWU

LEADER of the Opposition, Bharat Jagdeo, on Saturday said that the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU), has a number of “young minds” who could lead the union, virtually confirming reports last week that some sections of the PPP were out to oust Komal Chand.

The Guyana Times, the newspaper owned by Jagdeo’s best friend, last week carried multiple stories attacking Chand and at a Saturday news conference, he himself confirmed that he had personal issues with statements such as the one issued by Chand after recently meeting with President David Granger on the way forward for the sugar industry.

Subsequent to a recent meeting with high-level officials of the government, including President Granger and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Chand who headed the delegation of members from GAWU and the National Association of Agricultural Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), acknowledged that the meeting was fruitful.

A statement by the government recorded Chand as saying: “We have listened and are satisfied that you are concerned with the issues. We are ready to work along with the government to explore the options. We will give our best to see this situation out…you are right, there are no winners in this and we are willing to work with the government.
“We are pleased with the meeting, since this was the first meeting we had with the government and we believe it took place in a positive atmosphere and we recognise that the government pays attention.

This is an important ground rule that we dialogue, talk and try to find an answer to the way forward… We are pleased, we are very pleased and it spells out the future engagement on the interest of the workers, industry and the country.”
Jagdeo signalled his displeasure with that part of the statement during his press conference. “I have personal issues with these sorts of statements…if that is the case it means that all that has been done before didn’t make sense… how many times we have tried to engage this government and have been trying to ask for studies to be done,” he said.

Although he was not pleased with what was said by the President of the union, the opposition leader said he does not have anything against an individual of the union. “What I can say is, we support the union, but I will not defend individuals… the workers are the ones who pay the dues, so the workers determine their leadership… they are free to elect [a] leader, that is not the PPP’s business,” said Jagdeo.

The opposition leader went on to point out that the union and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) are allies, so they will continue to support GAWU; and he believes that there are “strong, young, bright” leaders within the union who will have a great future in building that union and keeping it well.

The Guyana Chronicle had reported that the PPP was divided over GAWU on the handling of the sugar industry restructuring programme, with top executives both praising and criticising the union’s leadership on the issue.

Sources told the Guyana Chronicle that the attack on Chand would widen the inner-party divisions. Chand is seen as one of the few Jaganites remaining in the PPP. The source said these divisions were caused by Jagdeo, who unilaterally dumped the long-standing policies of both the party and the union against privatisation of the sugar industry. “Jagdeo discarded a policy held sacred since Dr. Jagan was at the helm. He did so without the consent of the Central Committee or party congress,” one stalwart said, asking not to be identified by name.

Jagdeo had declared: “Now that the termination has been done … we were opposed to it — closure of these estates but we will push…we hope that we can get decent private investment into these estates. This is a position that we have changed, because we were saying ‘no closure,’ but now that there is closure, there is no job that we can… we can get decent investments into this,” Jagdeo was quoted as saying by Demerarawaves.

He said the PPP would support any initiative with “decent investors” to get jobs for sugar workers, adequate land, more cash for small loans and immediate payment of accurately calculated severance. On Wednesday, another subtle attack on Chand continued with PPP, MP Anil Nandlall declaring that GAWU should have taken a non-negotiable stance on the issue of payment of severance to sugar workers.

“Quite frankly, I believe that GAWU should have ensured, demanded and taken a non-negotiable position when it comes to severance that all must be paid…” Nandlall was quoted in the Guyana Times as saying.