–as $250,000 grant distribution begins

SOME $630 million was distributed to fired sugar workers on Saturday as the distribution of the $250,000 one-off cash grant commenced at the Enmore Estate Administration Office, East Coast Demerara and Wales Community Centre Ground, West Bank Demerara.

The grant, which will benefit over 7,000 sugars workers who were fired under the previous A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government, was announced by Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo in October 2021, while addressing sugar workers in Berbice.

Some $398 million was distributed to more than 1,500 severed sugar workers at Enmore while $232 million was distributed to over 900 severed sugar workers at Wales on Saturday, and the distribution exercise continues Sunday at the Rose Hall and Skeldon Community Centres in Berbice.

Spearheading the distribution exercise on Saturday were Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh and Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha.

The one-off cash grant, totalling approximately $1.8 billion, forms part of the government’s commitment to rebuilding and restructuring the sugar industry, and providing direct relief to the people of Guyana.

Dr. Singh shared that the closure of the sugar estates by the APNU+AFC administration was a most callous, cruel and unconscionable decision committed against workers, including thousands of persons in the industry, as well as tens of thousands living in communities that depend on the industry.

“When they flipped the switch and padlocked the gates and said these factories were not operating anymore, they were not just closing a factory, they were putting a noose around the neck of entire communities.

“You don’t have to be a genius to figure out what would happen to a family if you put the primary breadwinner out of work and there were 7,000 families like that across the country,” he said.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, he reasoned that the sugar industry still has an important contribution to make to Guyana, and noted that the government is committed to the revitalisation and restructuring of the industry to support a diversified and modernised sector to ensure its sustainability and economic viability.

Meanwhile, Minister Mustapha added that the distribution exercise represents another fulfilled commitment made by the government to improve the lives of people.

“When we were in Opposition, we said when we returned to government, we would ensure that the sugar workers who were severed would receive some form of assistance although they already received their severance pay. We are here today and, as a party, when we make promises we always deliver on those promises,” he said.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government, since assuming power just over a year ago, has been making good on its promise to reopen all the closed estates with the exception of the Wales Estate, which has been deemed inoperable, and hundreds of sacked sugar workers have been employed thus far.

Mustapha highlighted that, to date, approximately 1,200 workers who were fired, have been re-employed.