Rose Hall Residents, sugar workers unite in massive protest

Estate closure

Thousands gathered to participate in a march on Tuesday morning to register their concerns about Government and the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo’s) decision to proceed with closure of the Rose Hall Sugar Estate by this year-end.

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) which represents the interests of the 2400 sugar workers who stand to be directly affected by the closure of this estate, said the demonstration saw the sugar workers being joined by housewives, business persons, students and pensioners who took part in a spirited march which began in the vicinity of the Rose Hall Estate and headed to the Sheet Anchor Turn, before returning to the estate; a distance of about four miles.

Despite the rain, protesters carried a number of placards which read; “Upturn the decision to close Rose Hall Estate”, “We would be sunk into poverty after closure”, “APNU/AFC Govt betray sugar workers”, and “Closure of RH Estate is a political act”.

As workers continue to protest against Government’s decision to close the Estate, more persons and groups which are likely to be affected by the impending closure are joining forces with the workers.

The workers on Tuesday were backed by their two unions – GAWU and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE).

Employees from the Rose Hall, Albion and Enmore estates were joined by hire car operators, members of the business sector, civil society, politicians, social organisations, women and children and they marched from Rose Hall to Cumberland in East Canje and back to Rose Hall, covering a distance of four miles before they were addressed by union representatives and other speakers.

The Rose Hall Estate employs approximately 2400 workers and even at an average of a family of four, about 10,000 persons or 1.4 per cent of the country’s population will be directly affected and impacted by a closure of the estate.

GAWU in a statement said work in the sugar estate is the main avenue of employment, as has been the case for generations in that populous rural community. The closure will leave a vacuum that will not only gravely impact workers but also force businesses and service providers to curtail or end operations, and thus making the bad situation even worse.

GAWU says it recognises that the estate is a major source of sustenance and its closure will be felt deeply and far and wide. “The people are rightly fearful that their tranquil communities would be destroyed, families broken up and they will be increased incidences of crime and other social problems. They are urging the Administration to re-look at their plans which will clearly be a Government-made disaster,” the Union stated.

Meanwhile, Sookram Persaud of the Enmore Estate told the gathering that workers on the East Coast of Demerara are also concerned over what could potentially happen in Berbice.

“It would not be for the sugar workers alone, it would be for the taxi drivers, it will be for the vendors, it would be for everybody in this country…, ” he lamented.

He pointed out that keeping the Rose Hall Estate open will bring benefits to not just one particular ethnic grouping but all Guyanese.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, without calling his name, GAWU’s General Secretary Seepaul Narine said: “This march is a message to ‘Judas’; the man (in Government) who has a biblical name and with a surname with many zeroes (noughts) and he share them out…. 2015, no increase for sugar workers so one of the ‘noughts’ gone. 2016 no increase, another ‘nought’ gone. 2017, so far, no increase, another ‘nought’ gone and then the final one is when he (the Government official) took away the API [Annual Incentive Premium].”

Narine said those who spoke of their connections to the sugar industry and promised that there will be no closure were not lying when they said they were so close to the sugar industry that sugar runs in their blood.

“Well the man is suffering from diabetes and therefore he must have sugar in his blood…. the Vice President who comes from the Corentyne is telling us that we have to close the estate; well let them know that the people of Berbice are saying that we are not going to take it. This is a journey that if it has to lead us to Georgetown, where they are sitting comfortably in their seats, we shall see them there. We shall march and we shall defend our interest. We have to defend the people who depend on sugar,” Narine declared.

Narine told the close to three thousand in attendance that victory is in sight but it can only be achieved if they unite in their ongoing struggle. (Andrew Carmichael)