Head of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Komal Chand has passed away while receiving medical treatment in Cuba after a prolonged illness.
GAWU President Komal Chand
According to reports, the 75-year-old died early Wednesday morning. Chand also served as an Executive Member and parliamentarian for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
The Party’s Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali said Guyana has lost a champion fighter for freedom, democracy, and workers’ rights.
“Cde Komal Chand dedicated his entire life to the service of humanity. He led the struggle in securing workers’ rights, welfare, and freedom. His political life was one of dedication and commitment to democracy, social and economic justice which he fought for and defended until today when he closed his final innings in the journey of life. The PPP/C, workers, Region Three, Guyana have lost a true patriot and exemplary parliamentarian. To his family, my prayers and thoughts are with you in this difficult time. May God grant him peace,” Ali said in a statement posted on his Facebook page.
True leader of workers
GAWU, in a statement, hailed Chand as a true leader on workers’ rights. The Union said until the time of his death, Chand served with distinction and pride.
He joined GAWU in 1975 as the Union’s Organising Secretary. At that time, the almost three-decade struggle for the Union’s recognition on behalf of the field and factory workers in the sugar industry reached a high point. It was on Old Year’s Day 1975 that a poll was held at which the GAWU roundly defeated the incumbent MPCA to become the bargaining agent of the thousands of sugar workers who toiled in the fields and factories of the sugar estates.
Chand was among those who on February 26, 1976 appended the Recognition and the Avoidance and Settlement of Disputes Agreement with the then Sugar Producers Association (SPA), the forerunner of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).
GAWU describes its President as most committed to his work and tasks which earned him the respect of the workers.
“It was his dedication that saw him rising to become the Union’s General Secretary and later its President. He was, in our view, an outstanding trade unionist and very much committed to the upliftment and advancement of the working class in our country and even beyond. Outside of GAWU, he served as the Vice President of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) and a member of the Presidential Council of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU),” GAWU said.
“It was from this vantage point that many of us got an opportunity to see up close how deeply he cared for the workers and more so the working people and their families. He always embraced and espoused policies and initiatives aimed at improving the standard of living and well-being of the ordinary people. He also recognised that unity was an essential prerequisite in order for the workers to win out their principled and justifiable demands. He was always supportive of measures to bring about unity as he brought to bear his own ideas and experiences,” GAWU added.
Chand, according to GAWU, displayed great fearlessness and was never afraid to stand up to authority. He also recognised too that for the workers to advance, they must have a seat at the decision-making table. It was in this context that he entered the world of politics and became a Member of Parliament, serving from 1992 until the dissolution of the 11th Parliament in December 2019.
In that august house, he stood with and advocated on the workers’ behalf as he used his voice to promote pro-workers’ policies and strategies.
Chand was a staunch advocate of education, recognising the need for us all to be more capable and able. At times, he went out of his way to lend his support to ensure that Union members could grasp at opportunities. Apart from that, he always was willing to offer his advice and lend a listening ear. It was those, among other qualities, that endeared him to many, GAWU said.
“The GAWU indeed has lost a great leader and the trade union movement and the workers of Guyana have lost an outstanding and dedicated comrade. He was not only an outstanding comrade but an icon, and will be deeply missed by the Union and the members of GAWU. At this time, the Union extends its sincerest condolences to Cde Komal’s wife, his children, grandchildren, siblings, and other relatives and friends,” the GAWU statement concluded.
Stalwart
On the political side, PPP/C said Chand was also described as a stalwart and one of the nation’s truest champions of workers, particularly sugar workers.
The Party said Chand served in various capacities, inclusive of being a long-standing member of the Central and Executive Committees. He also represented the PPP/C in Parliament for over 20 years. But his most notable contribution was as the Head of GAWU, the country’s largest trade union.
“His contributions to protecting the rights of sugar workers, fisherfolks, and forestry sector employees, among others, are well-recognised across our country and will be remembered by generations to come. Also, his efforts to unify the labour movement are unparalleled and this led to the formation of FITUG.
“Without a doubt, the brutality meted out to thousands of our sugar workers by the APNU/AFC during the past five years would have taken a severe toll on his well-being. But to the end, he remained undaunted and steadfast in his struggles to protect workers and defend their rights,” the PPP/C said.
The Party also extended its condolences to the family and friends of Chand.
