PRESIDENT, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has described Guyana as the ‘epicentre of tolerance’, one that demonstrates unity in diversity. Guyanese, according to the Guyanese Leader, are ‘humble, tolerant, united and strong in their quest for peace’.

The remarks were made at a dinner hosted by the President in observance of Eid-ul-Fitr, which marked the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The month was characterised by a period of fasting, praying and the giving of ‘zakaat’ to the poor and needy. Only recently, President Ali hosted a Day of Fasting and Prayers to observe the convergence of the fasting periods of the three main religions in Guyana, namely Christianity, Hinduism and Islam.

As pointed out by President Ali, Guyanese are ready and willing to embrace development and the upliftment of all humanity. This commonality of purpose and the desire to create a society in which there is peace and plenty resulted historically from the shared aspirations of our fore parents, who by their sweat, tears and endurance, and in the face of unimaginable sufferings, laid a solid foundation for a future society in which there is enough room for the prosperity for all.

As noted by President Ali, “our only desire and that of the government is the upliftment of all the people of the country and to ensure that we implement programmes and policies that will enhance humanity; that will bring people together; that will create love among each other.”

This is exactly what the ‘One Guyana’ initiative as envisaged by President Ali is all about; it is about bringing all Guyanese regardless of ethnic, religious or political affiliation under a single Guyanese umbrella, characterised by a mutuality of respect, high levels of tolerance and shared prosperity.

On Thursday, Guyana observed Arrival Day, which is a celebration of our cultural diversity. As in the case of Emancipation, which saw the end of the obnoxious system of slavery, there is a common denominator, namely the labour of our ancestors designed to create maximum profits for the expatriate planter class. It is significant that Labour Day was observed just a few days ago in which President Ali re-asserted the primacy of labour and workers as “the backbone of our economy and the protagonists of our future society.”

Regrettably, the labour movement is today divided by the positions taken by some opposition elements with ulterior political motives who are using the working class movement to promote their own political agendas. This is certainly not in the best interest of workers and, as pointed out by President Ali, “the fissures in the trade union movement can only be mended by addressing their root causes.” In this regard, President Ali has committed himself and that of his government to working with the unions “in a spirit of respect rather than rancour, hope rather than hostility and cooperation instead of confrontation.”

As we celebrate yet another workers’ day, it is important for the labour movement to rise above partisan politics and embrace the cause of the workers and their best interests. Regrettably, some sections of the labour movement seem more inclined to identify themselves with attempts to derail the democratic processes in Guyana rather than with the struggle of workers for better working and living conditions.

It is time for the labour movement to rally behind the cause of a better Guyana. The working class environment is changing. Workers’ rights today are protected by the Constitution of Guyana. This is further facilitated by the pro-working class policies of the government aimed at increasing the disposable incomes of workers and the provision of wage and non-wage benefits. Under the previous APNU+AFC administration, the Ministry of Labour was scrapped, an indication of the disrespect the administration had for the working people. This ministry was promptly re-established when the PPP/C took office. In fact, the Ministry of Labour has been very pro-active in terms of protecting the rights of workers and preparing thousands of workers to enter the labour market through the Board of Industrial Training.

The workers of Guyana have a friend in the current government, one that is deeply rooted in the working class struggle. President Ali has repeatedly said that the orientation of his administration is pro-working class, a commitment he repeated in his address to workers on May Day when he said “I give my word that as the country enters this transformative stage of development, workers will not be left behind. Workers will share equitably in the benefits which will flow from our economy in the years ahead.”

Guyana has already made significant strides in this regard. Real incomes, as opposed to money incomes, have been increasingly steadily over the past few years, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. Ordinary people have benefitted from the several social programmes of the government, especially in the areas of housing, water and access to education and health services. As the economy continues to improve, more is expected and will be delivered by the government.