-no rally again this year

WITH COVID-19 still restricting hosting of the customary “May Day” rally by trade unions in Guyana, the Guyana Trade Union Congress (GTUC) is planning to have a small ceremony at the Critchlow Labour College (CLC), while the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) will be having televised remarks by a few officials. Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton and President Irfaan Ali, are also tentatively expected to contribute to the GTUC and FITUG events, respectively.
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Friday, representatives from the two trade union bodies highlighted that notwithstanding the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic which limits social gatherings, today’s event still needs to be commemorated, given its significance.
In Guyana, May 1 is celebrated as Labour Day when workers parade through the streets of Georgetown donned in red and white in celebration of workers’ rights and trade unionism.

“It is very important for workers on a whole. Workers normally feel overjoyed when this day arrives every year, and they like to be at the rally to show their cooperation together. They like to come out together to show that we are free and are working,” commented Dawchan Nagasar, the General-Secretary of FITUG.
Nagasar is also the General-Secretary of the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), which is part of FITUG.
He explained that NAACIE and FITUG decided against a scaled-down event, where only a restricted number of persons would be able to attend. Televised messages will be done instead, he said. These will be aired on the National Communications Network (NCN), Channel 11.
“Our plans at FITUG and NAACIE is [sic] that we are going to have a taped presentation aired tomorrow. We cannot march, and we can’t gather up too much, and FITUG being the largest collection of members, we don’t want to bring some and others are left out, so we decided that we wouldn’t have a gathering due to the COVID,” Nagasar explained to this publication.

During the televised segment, remarks are expected from President of FITUG, Carvil Duncan; FITUG Treasurer, Seepaul Narine, and other officials.
However, GTUC President Coretta McDonald said since the union would be able to accommodate approximately 100 workers while observing COVID-19 protocols, it was decided that a small ceremony will be held at the CLC. “We are not going to have the usual march, but we are going to have them assemble in the auditorium and on the outskirts, where we will have tents and we are going to have four speakers making remarks. We are going to be catering for about 100 workers observing the safety protocols,” she explained to this publication. Speakers at this event are expected to include herself, GTUC General-Secretary, Lincoln Lewis and Roysdale Forde.
McDonald said it feels good to be able to host a ceremony this year, given that no celebration was held last year, given the advent of the virus in Guyana in March 2020.
She noted that thanks to improved measures and the ongoing vaccination campaign, persons are also more open to coming out.

“Last year because COVID came on the scene like that, everything was prohibited. But what we have seen from last year to now, is we would’ve had the vaccination, which makes it a little safer for persons to venture out there and also persons have a better idea to deal with safety. All of those measures are going to be in place at the college, so persons now feel a little safer to come out and be among work colleagues,” she said.
McDonald noted that the celebrations for GTUC had first started on Sunday, when some 11 members gathered in the compound of Parliament Buildings for the annual wreath-laying ceremony at the Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow monument located there. A lecture series was also done during the week at the CLC by Forde.
Critchlow is revered at the “father of trade unionism” in Guyana and the Caribbean, after he founded the British Guiana Labour Union (BGLU) in 1917, the first trade union to be established in the Caribbean.

Like Nagasar, McDonald highlighted that Labour Day remains a significant celebration for workers to continue to commemorate their freedom to ensure their labour rights are respected, as well as for workers to celebrate themselves as dedicated employees.
“May Day is about recognition of workers’ struggle and dedication. It is on this day that politicians, as well as labour leaders are expected to give to workers the kind of encouragement that they need to follow their careers, and to help them to make meaningful contributions to this land,” she added.