–GAWU President acknowledges country’s advancements but calls for more investments in human resources

IN a stirring Labour Day 2025 address, President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Seepaul Narine, called for urgent action to improve the lives of workers, declaring that as Guyana prospers, its working class must not be left behind.
In his message to commemorate May Day, also called International Workers’ Day, Narine said workers remain the backbone of the country.

Thus, he pointed out that it is imperative that national development be matched with more improvements in wages, working conditions, and opportunities.
“Guyana is progressing. We are seeing a transformation that not long ago felt like a dream,” Narine acknowledged.
He said: “We are seeing a transformation that not long ago felt like a dream. Massive investments in infrastructure, expansion of social services, and renewed attention to agriculture, housing, energy, education, and healthcare, are all reshaping our country for the better.”
Narine added: “But let us be clear—while we recognise these advancements, we also reaffirm the responsibility that comes with national growth.”

Narine emphasised that the labour movement must ensure that workers are not left behind in the country’s development. He said Guyana’s progress must equally be reflected in the lives of its working people.
As the economy expands, oil revenues increase and international interest grows, the GAWU President maintained that Guyanese workers must benefit fairly and fully from the nation’s transformation.
He stressed that although significant investments are being made in infrastructure, healthcare, housing, and education, those achievements must translate into direct benefits for workers.
“Guyana’s rise must also be the workers’ rise,” he asserted.

Central to Narine’s message was a strong appeal for an increase in the national minimum wage.
He urged both policymakers and private sector leaders to act urgently and decisively.
He said: “In this context, we call for an urgent and meaningful increase in the national minimum wage. Our working families deserve a wage that reflects the reality of daily life. A nation cannot prosper if its workers face difficulties. We urge policymakers and employers to act decisively on the issue of improving the national minimum wage.”

Narine reminded local workers that their call for workers’ rights is not isolated. He pointed out that around the world, there has been a resurgence in workers consciousness and activism.
The GAWU President noted that from Latin America to Europe, and across North America, Africa, and Asia, workers are demanding fair wages, better conditions, and corporate accountability.
He highlighted recent major strikes in sectors such as transport, education, and healthcare, showing that workers everywhere are standing up.

This global movement, he said, serves as a reminder that their struggle is not unique; it is shared by workers worldwide.
According to him, it reinforces their place in the international labour movement and underscores the vital importance of solidarity, unity, and collective strength.
“Here in Guyana, we must continue to organise, educate, and empower our members. We must strengthen the institutions that protect workers’ rights and prepare our workforce for the demands of a rapidly changing economy. We must ensure that trade unions remain

dynamic, inclusive, and responsive to new generations of workers, especially our young people, who will inherit the society we are building today,” he added.
Narine also paid tribute to workers in all sectors—from agriculture to healthcare—whom he said continue to give their best despite the rapid changes in the economy.

“In the fields, in the factories, in the Public Service, on construction sites, in hospitals, classrooms, and offices—our workers power this nation,” he noted, adding: “You are the foundation upon which Guyana’s progress stands.”
Narine urged the nation’s workers to stand together in the face of growing challenges, calling for unity and a renewed commitment to fairness and social justice.

He said: “Brothers and sisters, in these complex times, we must remain united, not divided by politics, race, class, or geography. We must reject those who stoke fear and mistrust, and instead build a nation rooted in co-operation, equity, and respect. We must ensure that the social contract between workers and the state is upheld, that workers are protected and that economic gains are distributed fairly.”

As Labour Day 2025 is celebrated, the GAWU President reminded citizens of the generations of workers who fought for the rights and benefits enjoyed today.

He said: “Let us renew our commitment to building a Guyana where every worker has a voice, every family has the opportunity and every child has hope.”