…on sugar workers
The Philosopher Richard Rorty felt the present age could be described only in ironic language. What other tone, for instance, can describe the rise of Trump? Here in Guyana, we’re not lacking in examples that cry out for the use of irony. Take the example of what’s playing out in the sugar industry: in the same week that descendants of the Indentured Indians, who bailed out the sugar industry back in the day, are commemorating the 100th anniversary of the end of that system, the Government – which had already closed one sugar estate, Wales – announced it would be shuttering three more! So the descendants of those indentured Indians, who’d fled an Indian economy that had been devastated by the British, are now forced to face the identical situation 100 years later – after they had worked to create a free space for the nation, and had made this Government possible!!
Irony? What was the point of putting their lives on the line in 1939 – four killed – when the Moyne Commission was taking evidence on sugar belt disorders? That led to the Commission broadening the franchise in 1947!
What about the 5 killed at Enmore in 1948; that delivered the Universal franchise in 1950?? How ironic to see Government representatives lashing the “planters” for sticking it to the indentured sugar workers back then!! What’s different now that THEY have become the new Massa owning the sugar estates? Did any planter throw thousands of sugar workers in the streets? What the heck are the thousands of workers, their wives and their children to do? When their severance pay runs out in a year, what then?
So the question begs itself, and must be answered by those commemorating the event: What are THEY going to do?? Continue with dinners in posh restaurants? Well, one of the first things this Eyewitness suggests is demand the resignation of the Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder. We’ve just had confirmation that Granger unilaterally appointed Holder as Agri Minister – outside the framework of the Cummingsburg Accord. And everything unfolding in the sugar industry now falls into place.
Before coalescing with AFC, Granger declared there was no point in keeping sugar going. He changed his tune right after the Valentine Day marriage with Nagamootoo’s party, but he’d never changed his mind. Had he? Even though his CoI advised that Estates be improved to improve their prospects THEN placed on the blocks, Holder immediately announced the closure of Wales by end 2016 – with no provision for the future employment of the workers!
And he didn’t have the courage, much less the decency, to inform the workers. But then, they’re still coolies. No? Ironic, isn’t it?
…on saving sugar
The Government’s rightfully concerned about our youths not finding jobs in a world in which they’re bombarded with images of the consumerist “good life”. Idle hands and all that… Pressie’s suggested a Cadet Corps, a Youth Corps, and a People’s Militia among other initiatives to occupy the youths’ time. However, these programmes will cost billions and billions and, at the end of the day, the youths will still need jobs to keep them occupied.
Your Eyewitness wonders why, ironically, a suggestion for the Government to save youths and sugar – and not-so-incidentally make 2020 a sure thing – hasn’t been floated? Why not create a “Sugar Corps” that’ll mobilise youths to cut all that cane that’s been lying and drying in the fields? The youths will have something to do – good, solid physical exercise; the sugar industry will be turned around; and as a (very generous) bonus, the Government will have foreign exchange flowing into its coffers.
Didn’t the GNS do something of the sort back in the day?
…on electricity
After two years at the helm of the Public Infrastructure Ministry – which includes GPL – Minister Patterson has just accepted that power distribution and power transmission are two different functions!!
Will he now bring back Dindiyal?
