Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 09, 2017 News
– fears “crime, destitution and social ills would rise incredibly”
The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) yesterday voiced several concerns of the workers they represent and insisted that the Government along with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) ‘relook’
at the decision they made to close the Rose Hall Estate.
Leaders of the union described themselves as the representatives of the thousands of workers who are employed at the Rose Hall Estate and the several thousands who are dependent on those workers for a livelihood.
It was related that the October 13, 2017 decision taken by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), to close the estate in just a few weeks, has affected the workers, and it is their hope that the sugar corporation would fully take into consideration the effects of the estate’s closure. It was also noted that there was recent communication between GuySuCo and the Union. However, the union holds the view that “there is still time to reconsider the closure approach”.
The union sent out a statement which informed that they are aware that the estate’s closure has been supported by someone they referred to as the ‘topmost man in the sugar industry’.
According to the union, it is a stand he maintained for just over two decades and had sought implementation a few times.
While others have been able to resist his ideas, the union said, “It seems now this ‘snake oil’ salesman has found a willing partner/s to assist him in implementing such nefarious plans”.
Representatives of the union did not hesitate to disclose that the closure of the estate will affect the lives of their children. Sources have informed that the closure can impact the country in way that the Government might not have even thought about, although they had promised a ‘Good Life’.
According to some, people depend on the earnings acquired through the estate for an honest living. Persons who will be without jobs can turn to illicit means of gaining an income for those they are responsible for.
The statement said, “For us of Rose Hall, closure brings about real questions like where would our next meal come from, how would our children and grandchildren go to school, and how would we earn and meet our obligations… Closure means difficult choices have to be made:- would we eat or would we pay the electricity bills; would we send the children to school or would we buy clothes; would we starve or do we have to do something not necessarily right to put food on the table…Closure could very well force good people to do things they shouldn’t do. This is the life and this is the tomorrow we are being pushed into”.
It further stated that, “Crime, destitution and social ills would rise incredibly. The situation in the homes would become difficult and broken families would become more commonplace. We want to believe this cannot be the life our leaders want us and our families to face”.
Even as these events were not promised but were stated as likely, the union saw it important to pronounce that despite the Government and GuySuCo’s claims that closure is due to the fact of little or no funds to support the estate, funds will also become necessary to build new prisons and courts, and to hire new law enforcers and magistrates to cope with the crime increase, the union said.
While many remain uncertain about their next move, should the decision to close the estate be maintained, it was pointed out that finding another meaningful job might be one of the most difficult tasks for the workers, since there is no other industry which will readily take the workers on, according to them.
The Rose Hall Estate employs some 2,400 persons. Areas such as the entire East and West Canje, New Amsterdam, and also along the Corentyne, will see major economic challenges, since businesses will experience a drop in sales.
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