Requiem…

…for sugar? Or the unions?

Look back in anger” – a play in post-WWII Britain – described the “angry young men” who changed Britain forever. Your Eyewitness wonders if thousands of “p*ssed rural men” might soon create headlines like “look back in fear” after they storm governmental offices with their cutlasses? But sadly, it ain’t gonna happen here. Why? Well because the trade unions that are paid to protect sugar workers’ rights, have lost their mojo. Not to mention, their cojones.

As your Eyewitness predicted, the political types were out in force for the Enmore Martyrs’ Day. Just as predictably, the Opposition and the Government went on different days. Which just confirms for sure absolutely nothing’s gonna be done to roll back the crisis that’s engulfed the sugar industry. And the unions that showed up did what they’ve been doing for decades – talk! And offering further evidence that they’ve been spayed.

With each side pointing fingers at the other: “It’s them that did you in!” The unions once again regurgitated the history of the five workers who were shot and killed 68 years ago. Did they learn anything from the events they described? Not if we go by their actions. If the present powers-that-be are hewing to the same line from 1948 – ignoring the workers’ plight – couldn’t the unions have followed the example of the workers of yore? Show up – but behave bad and protest!!

Wouldn’t the plight of the modern sugar workers been better represented by some militant action on this day that’s supposed to symbolise workers refusal to be simply objects of history and take their rightful role as subjects?

Now in the normal course of events, institutions, like people will live and die. And it might just be that it’s time for sugar to die. But shouldn’t the Government – which is elected to take care of these things – have a plan for the 18,000 or so workers that are being forced to die a long, slow and painful death? Today it’s Wales and its 1700 workers. If there is nothing to suggest the Government is doing anything different, don’t the unions realise what’s staring them in the face?

The refusal of the unions to change their modus operandi on this symbolic day, shows they aren’t prepared to think outside the box. And the Government knows this. All the PM – as the Government rep – did, was to challenge his old PPP comrades to “come to the table”.

Just as with the offer of “unity talks” to the PPP, the PM and the unions know with the messenger being the message, this ain’t gonna happen.

It’s a shad, shad, shituation.

…for local government

Local government faces a similar situation as does sugar…and for the same reasons. To wit: the compulsion of politicians to lie to their “constituencies”. Just consider the point of attack by APNU/AFC on the PPP in Georgetown that was focused on their Town Clerk Carol Sooba. If they were to be believed, the woman was the spawn of the devil sent by the PPP’s Minister of Government to torment and thwart the angels at City Hall.

Why was the City dirty? Why…Sooba of course! Vendors overrunning City? …Sooba…Sooba …Sooba. It all came down to her being a puppet of Central Government via the Minister of Local Government. Subverting the glorious promise of local government! So now that we have an APNU/AFC Town Clerk, controlled by a new Minister of Local Government Ronald Bulkan, universally castigated, what say they now? Shouldn’t the said Minister stick to his principles and resign?

Naaah? What’s sauce for the goose is NOT sauce for the gander!

…for CAL or us?

So CJIA’s issued an ultimatum to CAL to allow our in-transit passengers at Piarco to keep their duty-free purchases. Or we’ll throw them out!!

Really? And what’d we do when all the Charter Flights go belly up?