Sugar workers continue protest against closure of estates

…GAWU vows continued protest actions

Continuing their protest against Government’s plans to close and amalgamate sugar estates across the country, workers of the Skeldon Sugar Estate on Thursday again publicly denounced the plan.

During a public meeting organised by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union at Balla Square, Line Path D, Corentyne, Berbice, the gathering focused on the plans by the Government and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to close Rose Hall and Enmore Estates and to divest the Skeldon Estate.

The meeting was chaired by GAWU Skeldon Branch Secretary Herlene Lewis, with speakers including GAWU President Komal Chand, Assistant General Secretary Aslim Singh, and cane farmer Adrian Anamayah.

According to GAWU, the speakers strongly condemned Government’s plan to downsize the sugar industry, especially in view of the harsh consequences that could arise from such a decision. They pointed to the recent advice from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) calling on Government to carefully consider the social fallout in its decisions on sugar. Speakers also reminded those present that sugar had faced challenges in the past, but was, however, able to overcome those obstacles and move towards greater successes. Such feats, the speakers pointed out, were attainable in these times as well, especially in view of the opportunities for diversification within sugar.

Focusing on Skeldon, the speakers reminded the attendees that the Estate’s performance was steadily improving in recent times and the decision to divest was perplexing and strange. Also, the attendees learnt that Skeldon Energy Inc (SEI) – the operator of the Estate’s steam and diesel plants – had earned at minimum some $9.45 billion in 2016 from energy sales to the Guyana Power Light (GPL).

The vast income potential further demonstrates Skeldon’s value, it was noted.

The speakers advised that GuySuCo’s explanations about the state of the factory should be taken with a pinch of salt taking into account the ready, and unsolicited, interest by foreign entities in taking over the Estate.

GAWU said it intended to continue with similar meetings near the various estates to bring to the public’s and workers’ attention the plans and development in the sugar industry which would surely affect their lives and their future and many communities.

The protest by the Skeldon workers came, as Government again maintained that the sugar industry was going nowhere, as Guyana “will still be in sugar”.

“The sugar industry is not being closed down by the Government … [but] based on the financial and economic realities, we have to make some adjustments,” Harmon had told a news conference on Thursday.

He said Government was taking to the next sitting of National Assembly, a draft white paper on the future of the sugar industry to be debated.

While the content of the paper was not discussed extensively, Harmon said it entailed pronouncements by President David Granger of his Administration’s plan to close and integrate several sugar estates.

On Tuesday, GAWU said it would cripple planned efforts to close the East Demerara Estate (Enmore Estate), in the name of restructuring.

While the Union has been engaged in some level of protests over the past week, particularly in Enmore, Chand stated that the numbers were likely to grow in coming weeks and months.