Fifty-nine female workers from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), who was tossed on the breadline following the closure of Skeldon and Rose Hall Estates at the end of last year were on Friday aided with food hampers, through donations garnered by the Guyana Solidarity Movement-New York (GSM-NY).
Twenty-one workers from Rose Hall benefited from the presentation at Cumberland, East Canje, Berbice, while another 38 who were employed at Skeldon Estate received their hampers at another exercise at Number 74 Village, Corentyne.
GSM-NY is a group of Guyanese who mainly reside in New York, who have been heart-stricken by the callous decision to close sugar estates which has made of Guyanese jobless.
Some of the dismissed female estate workers
Addressing the ex-workers, President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) Komal Chand, who also grew up in a sugar cultivation community, noted that though small, its aim is to in some way cushion the negative impact caused as a result of the estates’ closure.
“While this gesture will not satisfy your problems and your needs, it will in a little way mitigate the kind of hardship you have experienced,” he explained.
Meanwhile, former Culture, Youth and Sport Minister and now shadow Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony explained that the People’s Progressive Party as a party recognises the importance of helping those affected get through a difficult period.
Another former Government Minister who also grew up in a community which depended on the sugar estate, Ganga Persaud, commended both GAWU and GSM-NY.
Meanwhile, the Union’s President noted that despite what has happened, with support from the media, the workers concerns reached the ears of Government, causing them to promise some relief to the affected workers from Rose Hall.
Over the past week, ex- female sugar workers of Wales and East Demerara Estates have also received hampers.
The women expressed their appreciation to the Guyana Solidarity Movement and the overseas-resident Guyanese, who through their kind support, made the reality of the hampers possible. They pointed out that since they were dismissed, life has become extremely difficult. Many related they have searched nearly the entire length of the Corentyne Coast and in New Amsterdam for a job but have not been successful.
Some of the women said life in the villages has become depressed since the estates were closed.
(Andrew Carmichael)
