Latest update April 24th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jul 19, 2017 Letters
Dear Editor,
It seems that the General Secretary and GAWU are upset after reading my last missive in the dailies, whereby I said and will repeat that “GAWU AND PPP DESTROYED SUGAR”. It is the truth but GAWU which is the PPP’s right hand seems not to want anything that deals with the truth esp. knowing they are at fault as a union.
Maybe, GAWU and PPP should retake a look at their last rally that was held in Canje, Berbice on Sunday 16th July 2017. It was shocking to them, I know. The turnout was far from what they expected. It was more cars, buses and vans than sugar workers and their families living in that area. The majority of the workers and their families stayed away because they realised that it is PPP and GAWU that cause the industry to go down the drain. GAWU said that they see it fitting to reply to my letter. Well since October 5th, 1992 when the PPP gained power GAWU has fallen asleep until May 15th, 2015. All of a sudden GAWU awakes and wants to tell the workers they have their backs, HELL NO! GAWU only wants to ask questions and put challenges when they are replying to letters. Their leaders must learn to answer questions and take up the challenges if they really care for the workers.
I have challenged GAWU in several letters over the past months to “STOP TAKING UNION DUES FOR A YEAR” from workers. But NO, they won’t take up that challenge, because they will not have enough monies to give to their allies for their political work. If GAWU so cares for the welfare of the workers and their families, they will drop all union dues for a year. GAWU just care for the dues from the workers, nothing else.
The General Secretary (GS) indicated to the public that maybe I was asleep during GAWU’s failure to represent the rights of workers. Well, Mr. GS and GAWU, I want you and your party (PPP) to tell the workers and Guyanese at large, WHY IS IT THAT AFTER 1992 THE MAY DAY REALLY WAS SHIFTED FROM REGION 5 (Dhanar Square)? This used to be the biggest May Day Rally in Guyana. Workers used to voice their concerns to the leaders of the PPP and GAWU during those rallies. But after 1992, GAWU knew that the majority of sugar workers belong to Berbice and mainly they are Indians who they assume are hardcore PPP. So there is no need for another rally of such nature for those workers esp. Berbicians during the 23 years.
GAWU should tell the public, HOW MANY WORKERS’ CASES THEY WON between 1992-2015? HOW MANY CASES WERE SOLD OUT so that workers lost their entitlement\benefits? GAWU must say, HOW MANY MISSING NIS CONTRIBUTIONS CASES THEY WON during those years? HOW MANY STRIKES THEY CALLED DURING PPP RULE IN OFFICE? HOW MANY DEMANDS THEY MADE FOR THE WORKERS TO HAVE BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS? HOW MANY WORKERS WERE WRONGFULLY DISMISSED BY GUYSUCO under their watch?
GAWU knows that workers were easily fooled in the past decades by them and that they will continue to do so with the workers. But, workers have learned over the years and will no longer accept the lies from their unions. GAWU feels that they will continue lying and failing the workers and the workers will accept it. But, no it ain’t happening.
GAWU talks about the cut in the price of sugar that caused some hindrances in the industry. I fully agree with that statement, but since then the PPP and GAWU did nothing to safeguard the industry and its workers. All they did was to tell the workers, sugar has a bright future and they are continuing to do so, although the EU says we will stop giving you monies for an industry that is going down.
GAWU knows that the industry will one day go down the drain and instead of using the union dues to educate the workers, they seem to use it for political purposes. If GAWU was a responsible union they would have never allowed Guysuco to take sugar from Blairmont Estate and package it in Demerara and called it Demerara Gold. Blairmont sugar workers toiled their skin out just to know that their product is being used to pamper an International brand for another estate.
GAWU could have stand up for the said Demerara Gold packaging plant on the East Coast of Demerara to be in Blairmont, Berbice and ask Guysuco to brand the said sugar, after the Berbice name. But, GAWU feels we are stupid. They knew that the East Coast Demerara Estates had to be closed if the Industry was to have a future. So, they can’t afford to lose the workers on the East Coast, so they agreed with PPP and Guysuco to have the packaging facility on the East Coast.
GAWU failed the sugar workers tremendously over the years. GAWU for 23 years did not fully represent workers. When\where did GAWU hold a rally for workers rights during those years? GAWU sits with PPP in Parliament and yet failed workers for 23 years. Today, this PPP and GAWU want workers to believe that they care. None of them cared for sugar workers and their families. I once again throw out the challenges that were in my last missive to both GAWU and PPP. Let the world see if you care and mean what you say that you care.
I challenge PPP to have their MPs giving up all their parliamentary salaries from July to December 2017 toward the sugar workers. I challenge GAWU to announce that they will not be collecting union dues from workers during July 2017 to July 2018. Let’s see if the PPP and its partner GAWU care about the welfare of the workers and their families.
I must also let GAWU and its GS know that all of my letters are fully put together by yours truly. I don’t have to ask anyone to write or send letters to the editor or have my letters vetted by anyone or party. Unlike some who have to send their letters to Freedom House before they can send it to the dailies or who just put their names to letters written by some dictator. I will continue to write my letters.
Abel Seetaram
APNU+AFC
Regional Councillor
Region 5
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