The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) joins easily with all Guyanese in the observance and, indeed, celebration of Emancipation 2017.
We are well aware of our colonial history which this occasion reminds us of. We recall that the British colonial plantocracy did everything in its guile and power to keep African slaves in plantation bondage even after the British Parliament passed the Emancipation Act in August of 1833. The enslaved had to wait until August, 1834 – one full year later – to enjoy liberty. But with stiff conditions. They had to register as “apprentices” to work for limited payment on the same pre-1834 plantations. This apprenticeship was intended to last for four (4) to six (6) years. FITUG highlights the foregoing to illustrate that freedom was not easily granted. Hundreds of slaves had died in the 1823 East Coast Uprising – just eleven (11) years before 1834. Slaves on the Essequibo Coast saw their leader, Damon, executed for thinking that complete emancipation had been granted. To add salt to the wounds of the forced population, the Planters were awarded thousands of pounds as “compensation” for the loss of their African labour. The slaves received nothing for their years of slave service. But the Spirit of Man – however severely tested – is resilient and given to liberty. The African forefathers utilised savings from the Apprenticeship service to buy lands and began anew their lives under the new conditions. Since then their descendants have made admirable strides in the various fields of human endeavour. They have become an important part of Guyana’s demography. However, 179 years after 1838’s “full freedom” Guyana is still beset by modern day problems. Today, we see a new struggle being engaged in by Guyanese of various persuasions. The rising cost of living affects FITUG’s working-class members; crime is dramatic, dangerous and they are literally daily occurrences. The government itself does not seem inclined to negotiate a living wage for its own employees, even as the private sector – whether in commerce, mining, manufacturing or agriculture – lays out the restraints hampering production. At this time, even as we celebrate our Emancipation Day and the positive striges made, FITUG urges workers to unite in solidarity against any burgeoning repression. We must take inspiration from the African pioneers of post-1838, in the pursuit of economic and social justice for all.Let not the forefathers’ struggles be in vain. A reflective and happy Emancipation Day 2017 to all Guyanese.
