Labour Day 2025: Without labour, nothing can be produced – Armogan applauds workers’ contribution to development

…says APNU/AFC disregarded labour force, fired thousands

Pull quote: “Between 2015 and 2020, workers were sent home, and therefore the Government had no regard for the labour force. But our Government will continue to work with you: whether you are a teacher, whether you are a civil servant, whether you are a sugar worker, whether you are a rice farmer; whatever union you belong to…” – Armogan
Chairman of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), David Armogan, has applauded workers for the sterling contributions they have made to Guyana’s development.
Addressing workers at the Albion Sports Complex, where they had gathered for a luncheon in observance of Labour Day, Thursday, May 1, Chairman Armogan pointed out that observances in regard to Labour Day started in the United States of America in Chicago around 1886. At that time, workers were called upon to work in excess of eight hours per day, and more than 40 hours per week. In an effort to change that, the workers took it upon themselves to organise a massive protest to change the status quo, and that resulted in the eight-hour work day coming into being.

Pointing out that the wealth of the world is created by labour, Armogan said: “All the countries today celebrating Labour Day recognise that nothing will be produced without labour. There are many factors of production: land, labour, capital and the entrepreneur. Of all the factors of production, labour is the most important; because, if you have land, you can sit on it, do nothing about it. If you are an entrepreneur and you don’t have labour, then you will sit on all two. So, labour must be brought into play, because without labour no wealth is being created.”

Chairman Armogan pointed out also that capital would be useless if nothing is done with it. He detailed that over the years in Guyana, and especially since the time of Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, considered ‘the father of trade unionism in Guyana’, this fact has not been hidden.
“You will recognise that one of the foremost persons for the championing of labour in Guyana is the late Dr Cheddi Jagan. Ever since he came back from the USA, he has been a working-class man. He has always believed that labour is very important, and labour should be properly compensated; and therefore, what he did was to put many measures in place. Almost his entire working life has been dedicated to the cause of ensuring that labour is being treated purely, and as a result of that, many trade unions were formed in Guyana. The Guyana Labour Union, the Guyana Teachers Union, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union, NAACIE, and many other unions were formed,” Armogan detailed as he also noted that the Guyana Sawmillers and Allied Workers Union was formed by Dr Jagan.
“Today we have a 40-hour work week, we have an 8-hour work day, and any time after that you are tracked overtime payment; payment seven and a half sometimes, or double on Sundays (and) on some public holidays. All these were not given to you on a platter, you had to fight for these things,” Armogan continued.
“We in Guyana have a Ministry of Labour, and in the last government, there was no Ministry of Labour. When we came back into power in 2020, we reintroduced the Ministry of Labour, because the Ministry of Labour is tasked with ensuring that they have inspectors within the Ministry who can go around to these various workplaces to ensure that the working conditions of workers are preserved,” Armogan explained.
Contending that there was a disregard for labour in Guyana from 2015 to 2020, Chairman Armogan went on to detail, “Workers were sent home, and therefore the Government had no regard for the labour force. But our Government will continue to work with you: whether you are a teacher, whether you are a civil servant, whether you are a sugar worker, whether you are a rice farmer; whatever union you belong to…”
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who delivered the feature address on this occasion, extended Labour Day greetings on behalf of President Dr Irfaan Ali and the Government of Guyana, and acknowledged the vital role the workers have played in nation-building and national development.
Commending the contributions of the Guyanese workforce made by their resilience, particularly those in agriculture, healthcare, education, and public service, he underscored the Government’s steadfast commitment to improving the lives of workers through targeted investments, and noted that these efforts are designed to modernise various industries, expand job opportunities, and raise the standard of living for workers and their families.
Mustapha also highlighted the importance of continued collaboration between Government agencies, regional authorities, and the unions, to ensure that the rights and welfare of workers remain a national priority.
This luncheon brought together workers, regional leaders and community members in a vibrant celebration of Labour Day that honoured the dedication and hard work of employees across the various sectors in Region Six.