Combat - January/February 2023

Combat

Editorial Inequality and lessons for Guyana

United Kingdom-based charity – OXFAM – recently disclosed that inequality has reached frightening levels. In a report titled “Survival of the Richest”, the charity disclosed that the world’s richest one (1) percent grabbed nearly two-thirds of all wealth created since 2020. According to OXFAM, billionaires earned US$1.7M for every US$1 earned by the poorest ninety-nine (99) percent of the world.

Billionaire wealth surged in 2022 with rapidly rising food and energy profits. The report shows that ninety-five (95) food and energy corporations have more than doubled their profits in 2022. They made $306 billion in windfall profits and paid out $257 billion (84 percent) of that to rich shareholders. The Walton dynasty, which owns half of Walmart, received $8.5 billion over the last year. Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, owner of major energy corporations, has seen this wealth soar by $42 billion (46 percent) in 2022 alone. Excess corporate profits have driven at least half of inflation in Australia, the US and the UK.

At the same time, at least 1.7 billion workers now live in countries where inflation is outpacing wages, and over 820 million people - roughly one in ten people on Earth - are going hungry. Women and girls often eat least and last and make up nearly 60 percent of the world’s hungry population. The World Bank says we are likely seeing the biggest increase in global inequality and poverty since World War Two (WWII). Entire countries are facing bankruptcy, with the poorest countries now spending four times more repaying debts to rich creditors than on healthcare. Three-quarters of the world’s governments are planning austerity-driven public sector spending cuts —including on healthcare and education— by $7.8 trillion over the next five years.

Alongside OXFAM’s findings, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) also has painted a dire picture. In its World Employment and Social Outlook Report 2023, the organisation found 205 million people globally were unemployed. Additionally, a further 268 million people did not have the skills to gain employment. Moreover, some 2 billion workers globally were engaged in informal employment. Such employment sees workers without any sort of protection and usually in exploitative and oppressive conditions. The ILO also shared that they were 214 million workers living in extreme poverty. It warned that the situation was grower dire as price increases were stripping workers of their purchasing power.

In Guyana, the situation does not appear as acute as the global stage. The country has led the world in economic growth over the past two (2) years and significant resources are being expended to improve the quality of life. This is a welcome development. At the same time, we cannot turn a blind eye to what is taking place globally. Informal employment still remains a serious concern in our country.

Though official statistics are dated, it is estimated that a large number of workers do not benefit from formal employment which enables them certain protections and safeguards. At the same time, inequality can become a serious concern given the rapid expansion of the economy. There is a need to ensure that we seek to avoid the pitfalls of other countries that have treaded similar paths. We are too small of a nation to be divided by the haves and have-nots.

GuySuCo anticipating recovery of sugar production in 2023

This year, the sugar industry is estimating it will produce 60,757 tonnes sugar. This represents a 30% improvement over the 47,000 tonnes production made in 2022. The industry has said that improvements in the fields are linked to improvements in the fields. Elsewhere in this edition, we highlight pictures of some cane fields which were shared with the Union by workers. Looking at the two (2) sugar crops, production estimates shared by the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc (GuySuCo) have illustrated as follows:-

advanced by this time. We believe that hastening of the recovery is possible should the current skills within the industry be augmented.

First crop

The first crop has now commenced and production at the various estates is as follows:-

By whatever yardstick, the production is well below the industry’s potential and capacity. The GAWU acknowledges that the situation is an outcome arising from limited to no investment during the period of the past Government. In the same breadth, over the past few years significant sums have been made available by the Government in an effort to revitalize the industry.

Arguably by now it should be evident that the industry was on the path of recovery. While 2023 does give that appearance, the GAWU was hopeful that the process would have been further

The crop has been interrupted by rainfall which thwarted production for several days. More recently with an improvement in the weather production has picked up. At the time of preparing this article, Blairmont and Uitvlugt Estates have surpassed their weekly targets on two and one occasion respectively. Should fair weather prevail, it is expected that the crop would be concluded within a short period.

At this time, the Union and the workers are anticipating what the final production may be. Several reports have been shared with the Union by workers and there are some concerns regarding the availability of canes. At Uitvlugt for instance, workers have been informed that some second crop canes would have harvested in order to offset a shortfall in the first crop canes. In a few weeks’ time, the crop’s production would be known.

Voice of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU)

A mechanical cane loader, knowly colliqually as a bell loader, loading harvested canes into cane punts (barges). Semi-mechanical cane cutting is more productive and workers are demanding to work with the loaders to enhance earnings and ease physical efforts.

Albion workers demonstrate poor field conditions

Workers of Albion Estate, following a visit to the Harmony section of the cultivation, shared with the Union images of some cane fields which had poor cane yields and a significant proliferation of weeds and vines. The workers informed the Union that the cane yields that were estimated by the management were not reflective of the growth in the fields.

Our Union subsequently shared the information with the GuySuCo Head office which commissioned an independent investigation involving

the workers. The Corporation subsequently responded and acknowledged the worker’s valid concern. In its response, the sugar company acknowledged that the estimated cane yields in some fields were higher than the actual quantum of canes in the fields. The GuySuCo shared that the management of the estate was asked to provide a response on this matter. It is unclear to the Union whether the estate ever responded and what response was advanced for the variation between what existed in the fields and what was put on paper.

Mr Lewis should stop believing his own make believe!

The GAWU has taken note of yet another attack in the media by long-standing trade unionist Lincoln Lewis. We recognize several elements of the missive were appropriately addressed by former President and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds.

However, in his outburst, Mr Lewis tells the nation that the Government’s support to the sugar industry comes against the background of supporting our Union. It seems to us that Mr Lewis may require some sort of examination to determine whether he has lost his proverbial marbles. To us something is not right with him and now-a-days he has a penchant for making wild, unsubstantiated statements that have no resemblance to reality.

The Government’s position regarding sugar is already publicly known as it takes into account the massive social contribution the industry makes to the well-being of thousands of Guyanese. This of course is well known, and the absence of the industry was vividly captured in the socio-economic study conducted by the ILO. That study found that the

FITUG denounces statements by WPA leaders

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) is deeply disturbed and appalled by open and unvarnished race baiting of Dr David Hinds and Tacuma Ogunseye during a recent public meeting organized by the Working Peoples’ Alliance (WPA). The exhortations of the two smacks of naked racism are a clear attempt to stir racial excitement in our country. And, quite rightly, have attracted a national outcry and a maelstrom of condemnation.

livelihoods of workers laid off by estate closure was severely compromised.

Why would Mr Lewis want to see an expansion of such hardships in our society? Certainly given his trade union credentials, which he never fails to tout, we would imagine that he would be supportive of policies which safeguard and protect the livelihoods of workers and their families. Are you a genuine trade unionist, Mr Lewis?

So Mr Lewis, the Government’s support is not aimed at GAWU contrary to your beliefs. But it is much broader than that and is in recognition of the invaluable contributions of an industry which built Guyana. It is saddening that in your narrow-minded, twisted diatribe you have not seen it fit to give recognition to such thrust. Then again, such examination may not suit your divisive propaganda.

It seems that Comrade Lincoln is living in his own wonderland and where he chooses to believe his own make believe. We are hopeful he can get the help he seems to need.

The Federation, in as much at it remains a staunch upholder and defender of free speech and expression remains firm that both Dr Hinds and Mr Ogunseye have crossed several moral and ethical boundaries. We are firm that such sentiments have no place in our society and their racial overtones may have well run afoul of our legislation seeking to promote racial harmony and cohesion.

Given our country’s difficult past of tenuous race relations, the expressions by the leaders of the WPA demand our widest condemnation. They have no place and should be confined to the dust bin of history. To engage in such narratives, in our view, demonstrates how far the WPA has drifted from its multi-ethnic moorings. Indeed, its founders must be turning wherever they maybe. It also indicates that the political grouping has really nothing really to add to the national discourse and has chosen to decent to the pits in an effort to seek to remain relevant though, it really should be ostracized.

At this time, the FITUG call on all peace-loving and decent-minded Guyanese to reject the false narratives being peddled by personalities who are looking at self-interest rather than the national well-being.

NOTICE

This notice serves to inform all union members and the general public that Cde Seuvraj Bridgelall is NOT AUTHORISED by the Union to represent on its behalf issues to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

Comrades who may have entrusted Cde Bridgelall to advocate on their behalf are doing so on their own and without the involvement or support of the GAWU.

We trust that comrades take careful attention.

By order of the Union’s

General Council

GAWU/GFC reach agreement on terminated workers

Sugar workers lament poor quality PPEs

- GuySuCo commits to resolving challenges

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) through discussions have reached an agreement regarding payments to employees who were terminated by the Commission. Previously, the GAWU held that the now former workers were entitled by virtue of their letters ought to receive severance entitlements consistent with the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act (TESPA).

The disagreement between the Union and the Commission saw the workers with the support of the GAWU taking protest actions to press their demands. Following our protests, we resumed dialogue with the Commission on the matter. Given the protracted period, the GAWU felt it wise to continue discussions with a view

of reaching an amicable settlement between the parties.

Through those discussions, the GAWU and the workers agreed to certain proposals wherein the Commission agreed to certain ex-gratia payments to workers. The workers felt the proposal was adequate and took account of the long and several battles to reach to that point. As a result, the Commission has now made available the payments to the workers.

The GAWU was heartened by the developments and recognised the importance of good faith, open and frank discussions to bring about a settlement. We believe this augurs well for all involved.

During out of crop visits to all estates, union officials’ attention was drawn to the poor quality of personal protective equipment (PPE) being provided to workers by the GuySuCo. Through the collective labour agreement (CLA) between the GAWU and the GuySuCo, the Corporation is obligated to provide certain PPEs and tools to workers at specific intervals. From engagements with workers, they shared that while they are in receipt of their PPE, sometimes with delays, the quality of the items purchased is highly suspect. In many instances, workers demonstrated that the PPEs purchased were not durable and attempts to secure replacements required, in some instances, an elongated process.

The Union following its visit drew to GuySuCo’s attention its observations in respect of PPEs. The company acknowledged the concern and shared it encountered difficulties with timely supplies arising from global challenges. It committed to ensuring that adequate and durable PPEs were purchased. At a GAWU/GuySuCo meeting on February 24, 2023, the Union used to opportunity to demonstrate the quality of PPEs which shocked the GuySuCo officials, including Board members, who were present. The company committed itself to ensure that all outstanding issues were addressed.

GAWU remembers Kowsilla’s heroism

On the fateful morning, the Estate Manager instructed a scab-driven tractor to clear the factory bridge by ploughing through workers and others who had gathered to denounce the measures of the management. In the process, Kowsilla stood defianttly and her body was badly mangled while several other workers and others were injured. History has recorded that some were maimed for life.

Public Works, Deodat Indar; Region #3 Chairman, Ayube Inshan; GRPA General Secretary, Dharamkumar Seeraj, and WPO General Secretary, Shelia Veerasammy.

In their addresses, the speakers all highlighted the ultimate sacrifice of Kowsilla who demonstrated with her courage and valor the lasting legacy of her contributions to our people. They pointed out that the situation has vastly changed since the era of Kowsilla but continuous work was necessary to ensure that all Guyanese are able to attain their dreams and aspirations. Focus on the sugar industry was renewed as recognition was given to efforts to revitalize the industry taking account of the assaults sustained under the previous Government.

On

05,

At the simple activity, wreaths were laid on the tomb of Kowsilla. Tributes were paid by GAWU’s President Seepaul Narine, FITUG’s President Carvil Duncan, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall; Minister within the Ministry of

The GAWU since Kowsilla’s death has organised yearly activities to remember her sacrifice. We are conscious of the efforts of Kowsilla and other who played critcal roles and made many sacrifices to streenthen not only the Union but workers generally.

March

2023, the GAWU joined by other fraternal organisations observed the 59th Death Anniversary of Kowsilla a/k Alice. Kowsilla met her demise on March 06, 1964 when she was crushed to death at the Leonora factory as she

joined in solidarity with striking sugar workers who were engaged in the ongoing struggle demanding the recognition of the GAWU and seeking to defend their just demands and rights.

Bellies of the rich swell further on the back of hunger

etc), a decentralised food system based on short supply chains is required. This would be based on the principles of localisation and strengthening smallholder agriculture. What this means is food sovereign communities in which local people take ownership of seeds, land and water (commonwealth) and manage what is produced and how it is produced.

By Colin Todhunter

In April 2022, Oxfam reported a terrifying prospect of more than a quarter of a billion people falling into extreme levels of poverty in 2022 alone. In its January 2021 report ‘The Inequality Virus’, it also stated that the wealth of the world’s billionaires increased by $3.9tn between 18 March and 31 December 2020. Their total wealth then stood at $11.95tn, a 50 per cent increase in just 9.5 months.

According to Oxfam’s analysis, 13 out of the 15 IMF loan programmes negotiated during the second year of COVID required new austerity measures such as taxes on food and fuel or spending cuts that could put vital public services at risk. Oxfam and Development Finance International (DFI) also revealed that 43 out of 55 African Union member states face public expenditure cuts totalling $183 billion over the next five years.

The world’s poorest countries were due to pay $43 billion in debt repayments in 2022, which could otherwise cover the costs of their food imports. Governments across the world are now largely under the control of international creditors after COVID policies resulted in (deliberately) triggering a multi-trillion-dollar global debt crisis.

Meanwhile, oil and gas giants report record-breaking profits. It’s similar for the world’s biggest agribusiness corporations. They have made more in profits since 2020 than the amount that the UN estimates could cover the basic needs of the world’s most vulnerable.

A February 2023 report by Greenpeace International – Food Injustice 2020-2022 – exposes rampant profiteering at a time when war and lockdowns have contributed to food insecurity across the world. Twenty corporations in the grain, fertiliser, meat and dairy sectors delivered $53.5 billion to shareholders in the financial years 2020 and 2021. At the same time, the UN estimates that $51.5 billion would be enough to provide food, shelter and lifesaving support for the world’s 230 million most vulnerable people.

Davi Martins, campaigner at Greenpeace Inter-

national, says that we are witnessing an enormous transfer of wealth to a few rich families that own the global food system. This at a time when the majority of the world population is struggling to make ends meet. Martins says: “These 20 companies could literally save the world’s 230 million most vulnerable people and have billions of profit left over in spare change. Paying more to shareholders of a few food corporations is just outrageous and immoral.”

Covering the period 2020-2022 when COVID policies were in force and the war in Ukraine had begun, the report looked at the profits of 20 of the biggest agribusiness corporations and how many people have been affected by food insecurity as well as the extreme rise of food prices across the globe.

These ‘hunger profiteers’ exploited crises to gain grotesque profits. They plunged millions into hunger while tightening their grip on the global food system. One of the firms mentioned is Cargill – owned by 14 billionaires.

Together with Archer-Daniels Midland, Bunge and Dreyfus – Cargill controls more than 70% of the world’s grain trade. None of these firms are under no obligation to disclose what they know about global markets, including their own grain stocks.

Greenpeace found that a lack of transparency around the true amounts of grain in storage following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a key factor fuelling speculation on food markets and inflated prices.

Aside from manipulating markets and prices, these corporations also fuel food insecurity by pushing small-scale farmers and local producers out of the system. Smallholder farmers actually feed most of the world, unlike the type of industrial agri-enterprises global agribusiness serves (and sometimes owns).

Global agribusiness corporations never tire of telling policy makers that what they do is essential for feeding the world and ensuring food security. But the opposite is true.

They create or contribute to hunger, illness and malnutrition, displace rural communities, destroy smallholder agriculture, place farmers on seed and chemical treadmills and wreck and

pollute ecosystems.

Aside from hollowing out or capturing key institutions to forward their agenda, they misleadingly conflate strengthening and expanding their global supply chains (destroying indigenous systems of production in doing so) with serving the food needs of the world (for insight into these issues, see ‘Food, Dependency and Dispossession: Resisting the New World Order’ on the website of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG)).

To prevent profiteering on such a grand scale and lessen the vulnerability of food supply and production to shocks (war, energy shortages,

Governments and policy makers need to act now to protect people from the abuses wrought by giant agribusiness corporations. Greenpeace argues that without regulating and loosening the grip of corporate control on the global food system, current inequities will only deepen further. It adds that we need to change the food system – failure to do so will cost millions of more lives.

The Greenpeace report adds further weight to calls for governments at international, national and local level to put an end to corporate control and monopoly in the food system while instituting an international trade order based on cooperation and human rights instead of competition and coercion.

GAWU consolidates bonds with Cuba

The GAWU on March 22, 2023 met Cuban Ambassador to Guyana, Joge Francisco Soberon Luis; Director of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), Lilia Maria Zamora Rodriguez, and ICAP Specialist, Tamara Armenteros Alcee. The meeting focused on GAWU and Cuba's long-standing relations which goes back several decades.

The Union has long shared strong ties with the Cuban Trade Union Center (CTC) and the peoples of Cuba. During those times comrades

from GAWU and Cuba have participated in several exchange visits and enhanced camraderie between our two countries. GAWU has had several of its comrades participating in trade union courses organised on the island.

The meeting sought to consolidate the good relations between our Union and the island state which continues inspite of difficulties to lend its support and solidarity to peoples across the world

The climate time bomb

can affect climate change. All are quite familiar, such as more efficient use of resources, better forest management, carbon capture of fossil fuels, sustainable land use, electric vehicles, and more efficient buildings. There’s never been a problem imagining a net-zero carbon world. Here and there, these changes are being accepted. But for every piece of good news, there’s an “on the other hand.” For example:

From 2035 on, new gasoline-powered cars and most heavy trucks cannot be sold in California, and only zero-emission cars can be sold in New York. That’s two big states, but it leaves 48 others.

Greenpeace reportsthat an international group is now putting together a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty. (Worst offender? Coca-Cola.) But only a tiny fraction of plastics is being recycled, and more than 170 trillion plastic particles are found in the ocean alone.

BY Mel Gurtov

The odds are against us. That is the bottom line in the latest IPCC report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on global warming, the most comprehensive scientific report to date. Once again we are told that 2030 is the year of living dangerously—when humanity must cut greenhouse gas emissions in half, and then proceed to stop them altogether by 2050.

Otherwise, the planet faces all the climate catastrophes we’re already witnessing evolve. “The climate time bomb is ticking,” said the UN’s secretary-general. “The rate of temperature rise in the last half-century is the highest in 2,000 years. Concentrations of carbon dioxide are at their highest in at least two million years.”

The chances of holding global warming to 1.5 degrees C., which scientists tell us is the aim if we are to survive those catastrophes, are very small. The planet has already warmed to 1.1 degrees C. above pre-industrial levels, and every year we see heat records being set around the world.

Another major part of the problem is national interests: Governments will violate their pledges on climate change whenever their economies need pumping up—such as China’s decision to permit 168 new coal-fired power plants to be built, or the US decision to go ahead with the Willow oil drilling project in Alaska.

Then there is the refusal of populations, especially in the richest countries, to change their

habits. They (we!) want more plastic packaging, more air conditioning, more access to food from far away, more oil and gas, more lumber from old forests, more water to combat the drought they helped create, more homes where they shouldn’t be built, and more government bailouts when things go wrong.

More Bad News

Climatologists are not saying that the world will end as we approach 2.0 degrees C. of warming. What they are saying is that living conditions for nearly everyone will be profoundly affected by changes in weather, including health and safety for many millions of people and other species.

We are all aware of what those changes will probably be, but they are regularly updated, invariably with worse news than before. For example (the quoted words are from the IPCC report):

• The rich-poor gap in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) continues to grow: “The 10% of households with the highest per capita emissions contribute 34–45% of global consumption-based household GHG emissions, while the bottom 50% contribute 13–15%.”

• Food and water security is endangered: “Roughly half of the world’s population currently experience severe water scarcity for at least part of the year due to a combination of climatic and non-climatic drivers.” As many as 2.4 billion people will

experience water scarcity by 2050, and millions more will not have access to safe sanitation in water supplies.

• Extreme heat is responsible for increased deaths, water-borne diseases, and displaced persons in all world regions. “Compound heatwaves and droughts are projected to become more frequent . . . Due to relative sea level rise, current 1-in-100 year extreme sea level events are projected to occur at least annually in more than half of all tide gauge locations by 2100 under all considered scenarios. Other projected regional changes include intensification of tropical cyclones and/or extratropical storms, and increases in aridity and fire weather.”

• Every increment of global warming increase will increase the risks and make them more difficult to manage. “Multiple climatic and non-climatic risk drivers will interact, resulting in compounding overall risk and risks cascading across sectors and regions. Climate-driven food insecurity and supply instability, for example, are projected to increase with increasing global warming, interacting with non-climatic risk drivers such as competition for land between urban expansion and food production, pandemics and conflict.”

Good News, But Not Enough

As usual, the IPCC report does mention multiple ways in which adaptation and mitigation

The soft-energy path is catching on. As the IPCC reports: “From 2010– 2019 there have been sustained decreases in the unit costs of solar energy (85%), wind energy (55%), and lithium ion batteries (85%), and large increases in their deployment, e.g., >10x for solar and >100x for electric vehicles, varying widely across regions.” But: “Public and private finance flows for fossil fuels are still greater than those for climate adaptation and mitigation.” Any wonder why oil and gas company profits are at their highest level ever? BP, for example, reported $28 billion in profits in 2022, and ExxonMobil reported $56 billion in profits. These companies have, without embarrassment, announced they will be scaling back commitments to move toward renewable energy.

The Macron government in France is the first to support a ban on deep sea mining. Will any others follow suit?

The Sky is Falling

This latest IPCC report was approved by 195 governments, and synthesizes the results of countless other scientific reports as well as summarizes its six previous assessments. Yet many people read them (if at all) as just more dire predictions that are either overly pessimistic or best left to future generations to deal with.

Thus, the IPCC contributing authors keep issuing warnings, governments keep making dubious promises, and worsening environmental conditions keep multiplying. We’re approaching a tipping point, but no authority exists to stop our passing it.

This time, the sky really is falling.

Let Cheddi’s teachings remain our guide

Address by GAWU’s General Secretary, Aslim Singh to Cheddi and Janet Jagan commemoration activity at Babu Jaan on March 26, 2023

the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). The PAC and later the PPP, in effect meant that the struggles of the Guyanese people, especially for freedom, would be waged at the higher political level.

brought the working-masses an ally at this important forum of the country. There, he took the opportunity to highlight the challenges faced by the working-people in conditions of colonialism.

In his work among the people, Cde Cheddi placed special emphasis on education to lift their political and class awareness and to let them appreciate the strength they possess to make changes at their work places and in society for their overall betterment. He emphasized the importance of unity seeing it as an important step towards success in the overall struggles for freedom, democracy and a society based on humanitarian values and on economic growth whilst seeking to develop our people’s potentials so they can contribute qualitatively in our continuous development.

The GAWU is honoured to have the opportunity to again pay tribute to a son of our soil, an outstanding freedom fighter, Comrade Cheddi Jagan. The very fact that we are paying tribute to him after he passed on two (2) decades ago is indicative of his many all-round contributions and his significant achievements in lifting the quality of life of our people and in putting our country on a path of growth and development.

GAWU recalls that Cheddi Jagan remained throughout his public life a consistent champion of the working people of Guyana. Following his return to Guyana from studies in the USA, he quickly ploughed into an activist life and associated with trade unionists like Joslyn Hubbard and Ashton Chase. Interestingly, it was Cdes Chase, Hubbard, Janet and Cheddi who were core members in the formation of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) which later grew to become

Cde Cheddi did not deviate from his firm groundings with the working people throughout his life. It is worthy to recall that the PPP scored a major electoral victory in 1953 and under its leadership, with Cde Cheddi at the helm, Guyana begun the journey to prosperity and progress, a journey that continues today under the leadership of the President, Vice President and other comrades.

Cde Cheddi’s entry into the Legislative Council

Today, when our world is gripped by various crises, Dr Jagan’s vision and achievements take on greater meaning. His ideas have not lost their relevance. In the challenging struggles before us his teachings and example should serve as a compass pointing to the direction to take in the face of our challenges and demands of the days.

The GAWU pays homage to Cde Cheddi who was our Honorary President. We continue to cherish his memory and see him as a great and indomitable leader whose core ideas are still largely applicable in our times. Let us comrades go forward in unity for a new day, a better day, a prosperous day holding aloft the banner handed to us by Cde Cheddi Jagan.

Let the vision of Cde Cheddi be our guide!

New branch committees elected

In keeping with the Union’s Constitution branch conferences are held annually. At the conference, delegates would receive the report of the branch secretary who highlights the major activities of the branch since its last conference. Additionally the conference is addressed by a union official who addresses challenges beforehand and the work of the branch and union ahead. Another major highlight of the conferences regard the election of the branch committee. The GAWU has a strong commitment to democracy within the union and observes democratic renewal at all levels consistent with its Constitution. Arising from the Conferences concluded the following branch committees have been elected:-

Albion GAWU Branch

Chairman - Hernie Park, Vice Chairman - Vishwanauth Ramcharitar, Secretary - Imran Alimohamed, Assistant Secretary - Chandranauth Singh, and Committee members -Muntaz Gulmohamed, Jacquelyn Paddy, Latchman Gobin, Kadi Dhoray, Caldon Bennett, Roopnarine Mahadeo, Leon Sanasie, Kamaludeen Hussein, Annette Stanley, Jacob Indardat, and Umadat

Albion Field Foreman/Forewomen GAWU Branch

Chairman - Krishna Amoi, Vice ChairmanKishen Sammy, Secretary - Zafiel Yusuf, Assistant Secretary - Yogenetta Seenarine, and Committee members - Tyrone Hooper, Sohaih Gafur, Travis Durant, Ramnarine Rickbarran, Chrisanan Singh

Rose Hall GAWU Branch

Chairman - Mohamad Ahamad, Vice Chairman - Jairaj Ramotar, Secretary - Deidre Watts, Assistant Secretary - Sheik Mohamed, and Committee members - Narine Bipat, Rakhea Thakurdall, Leslie Southwell, Jagwantie Jidyal, and Kowsilla Ramotar

Rose Hall Field Foreman/Forewomen GAWU Branch

Chairman - Harold Rama, Vice Chairman - Ramnarine Drupersaud, Secretary - Colin Goodluck, Assistant Secretary - Glendon Grant, and Com-

mittee members - Mark Sampson, Rameshwar Baijnauth, and Ravindranauth Matadin

Blairmont GAWU Branch

Chairman - Julius Nurse, Vice Chairman - Lalchand Chatterpaul, Secretary - Mahesh Balkarran, Assistant Secretary - Lokesh Gopee, and Committee members - Balwant Singh, Kavita Persaud, Narindra Jairam, Karamchand David, Kritipaul Jaipersaud, Dindiyal Hemraj, Anastacy Paul, and Nasurdeen Rahaman

Blairmont Field Foreman/Forewomen GAWU Branch

Chairman - Nazam Bacchus, Vice ChairmanQuincy LaRose, Secretary - Samuel Stewart, Assistant Secretary - Yogras Ian, and Committee members - Tazim Ally, Raymond Singh, and Jordan Narayan

Uitvlugt GAWU Branch

Chairman - Lochan Khandai, Vice ChairmanMohamed Willie, Secretary - Hasrat Mohamed, Assistant Secretary - Ganeshwar Deosarran, and Committee Members - Alita Jhonson, Glo-

rina Braithwaite, Oudai Damodar, Henry Ellis, Richard Bithune, Shellon Retemyer, Abiola Hector, Rajnarin Persaud, and Letitta James

National Parks Commission GAWU Branch

Chairman - Michael Blackman, SecretarySuresh Wallidum, and Committee members -Marisa Deane, Rodney Williams, Oswald Holder, Dick Squires, Nykesie Rodney, Dorway Logan, and Ryan Welch

Guyana Gold Board GAWU Branch

Chairman - Eon Denny, Secretary - Padmoutie Churman, and Committee members - Nimrod August, Tarick Hardings, and Sanjay Pooran

SILWFC GAWU Branch Conference

Chairman - Amla Devi Persaud, Vice ChairmanCheryl Sahadeo, Secretary - Raywattie Persaud, Assistant Secretary - Mitra Persaud, and Committee members - Berdenath Anderson, Deonarine Geer, and Chetram Singh

Seecharran

Uitvlugt Estate renting excvator to load canes for $$$$$ per hour

was paying a large sum hourly to utilize the machine. Workers have queried given the large sums being reportedly expended why the GuySuCo is not seeking to acquire cane (bell) loaders. They surmised given what they understood to be the princely sum being paid the sugar company could acquire more cane loaders.

Additionally, workers have expressed serious concerns about the damages to the fields created using the machine. The workers shared that the traversing of the machine along the fields was damaging many cane stools and in the absence of rehabilitative works, subsequent cane growth would be depressed while creating open areas for the growth of grass and vines. In aggregate, sugar production would suffer.

GAWU observes 47 years as bargaining agent in sugar

Workers of Uitvlugt Estate have reported that the estate is renting from a private contractor an excavator with an attachment that facilitates the loading of canes. According to the workers, they shared that they understood that the estate

The sugar company should reevaluate the use of the machine taking into account the reported heavy costs as well as the damages inflicted on the fields. Workers are calling on the estate and the GuySuCo to address their concerns.

GuySuCo mechanical harvesting improperly conducted?

On February 27, 1976, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the then Sugar Producers Association (SPA), the forerunner of the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc (GuySuCo), appended the Recognition and the Avoidance and Settlement Agreement between the parties. The inking of the agreement cemented GAWU’s status as the bargaining agent on behalf of the field and factory workers in the sugar industry. It also culminated some three (3) decades of struggle for the GAWU to speak on the workers behalf.

The struggle by workers to have GAWU as their union began in 1946 with the establishment of the Guiana Industrial Workers Union (GIWU). The establishment of the GIWU arose after workers became disillusioned with the Man Power Citizens Association (MPCA) which was recognised a few years prior but had quickly lost credibility among the workforce. An early highpoint in the recognition struggle took place at Enmore where a workers protest along the East Coast of Demerara over the imposition of the cut and load system grew and saw workers, among other things, demanding the recognition of the GIWU. That struggle was supported by the leaders of the GIWU and the Political Affairs Committee (PAC). Dr Cheddi Jagan and his wife played an active role in providing leadership and other tangible support to the workers. A fever pitch was reached on June 16, 1948 when five (5) workers were shot by the colonial police at the behest of the plantocracy. Those five (5) workers who are nationally celebrated as the Enmore Martyrs inspired a new wave of struggles that ultimately led to our country’s independence.

of GAWU were, at times, harassed, intimidated and even faced incarceration. This only steeled the workers resolve and they continued to press for the GAWU’s recognition. In 1975, two strikes by workers in the first and second crops saw the then Government and plantation owners agreeing to the conduct a poll. The December 31, 1975 poll saw GAWU obtaining some 97% of the votes cast confirming that the Union enjoyed the overwhelming support of the workers in the sugar industry.

Since the inking of the Recognition Agreement, the GAWU has continued to advance the lot of the sugar workers. Several advances were recorded and a number of benefits are now enjoyed by the workers. The active work of the Union has seen workers from other sectors joining the GAWU fold and the Union speaks on behalf of workers in several important sectors at this time. The Union remains firm in its defence of workers and has sought to advance their well-being not only at the bargaining table but through advocacy of enhanced protections and adjustments to alleviate the cost-of-living. The Union also places a high premium on education and from its own funds constructed the GAWU Labour College to advance its educational work. The Union contends that an educated worker is less likely to be exploited as he/she will be knowledgeable of their rights.

The GuySuCo on social media on March 27, 2023 posted pictures of mechanical harvesting of canes being conducted at Albion Estate. From the social media post, the Corporation shared that it had now commenced the operation for the first crop. Mechanised cane harvesting is not a new development in the industry and has been conducted for several decades now. With that in mind, the Corporation would have established procedures regarding how canes should be mechanically harvested.

A closer examination of the pictures shared by

GuySuCo revealed that a tractor and trailer collecting harvested canes parallel to the harvester was traversing into stalks of standing canes. By that very action, the tractor was essentially bulldozing those canes in its path and thus they would not be harvested. By its actions the Corporation is running over its investment after spending scarce resources to nurture the canes to maturity.

GuySuCo needs to return to the practices that have been developed and perfected over the years.

The GIWU was a victim of the political split at the national level in the 1950s and later became defunct. The struggle nevertheless continued and the GAWU was established in the early 1960s. Another inflection point was reached when Kowsilla who was supporting a strike by the sugar workers at the Leonora Estate was crushed to death. Kowsilla and others had lent their solidarity to striking workers. The strength of the workers actions which was bolstered by solidarity from several quarters must have angered the plantocracy. This may have motivated a foreign manager to instruct a scab to drive a tractor across the factory bridge where Kowsilla and others were standing. In the melee, Kowsilla was crushed while several others were injured, some for life. Today Kowsilla is regarded as a heroine of the sugar workers.

The struggle continued and workers supportive

In more recent years, the GAWU was at the forefront of struggle against the minimization of the sugar industry. Our principled actions earned us the ire of the then Coalition Government which sought to downsize the sugar industry without regard to the social implications. Our strong advocacy brought us several allies who also spoke up on behalf of the sugar workers while earning the then Government a permanent place in the hall of infamy. The GAWU’s continued advocacy saw the new Government, immediately upon its assumption to office, beginning a process to re-open three (3) of the four (4) estates closed by its predecessor. This is currently an ongoing process and has rekindled hope among those who were thrown on the breadline mercilessly.

As we observe 47 years of recognition, the GAWU remains proud of its work and achievements. Indeed, there is much to celebrate but, at the same time, we are aware that they are those who seek to rollback workers gains and undermine their unity. At the same time, the Union is actively seeking to expand its reach and is currently seeking to recruit more workers to its fold.

Fully mechanised cane cutting taking place at Albion Estate on March 27, 2023. Notice the cane trailer is traversing into the erect canes thus damaging the cane plants.

GAWU leaders on the ground

Leaders of GAWU have spent the beginning months of 2023 in several outreach activities on the ground. The Union’s officials including its President, Vice President, General Secretary, Assistant General Secretary/Treasurer and other comrades engaged union members through branch conferences, factory visits, and bottom house meetings. The engagements are part of the Union’s annual activities to dialogue with union members and to collectively map out the strategy for the union in the coming period. The visits were highly successful and aggregately the Union was able to engage a large number of members during the various outreach activities. These activities will continue during the year as the Union upholds consistent and constant communication.

Blairmont branch victorious in Cheddi Jagan memorial cricket contest

The GAWU on March 19, 2023 organized a Cheddi Jagan Memorial Cricket competition. The ten over cricket competition was held at the Blairmont Community Center.

Workers from Blairmont and Albion took part in the friendly competition which saw spirited performances from union members. For the second year running the Blairmont GAWU Branch emerged victorious as the teams engaged in friendly competition.

Dr Jagan played a significant role in the formation and advancement of the GAWU. As Honorary President of the Union he played a formidable role during the struggles for recognition. In the post recognition years his advocacy on behalf of the union and sugar workers were unmatched. During his life time he dedicated his efforts to uplifting the working class of Guyana. Though Dr Jagan has left us his teachings and lessons remain a guide as we continue to face up to new challenges.

The victorious Blairmont GAWU Branch team which has won the Union-organised Cheddi Jagan ten-over cricket competition. This is the second consecutive year that the Blairmont comrades have won the competition.