Wales sugar workers receive last outstanding severance payout

…workers lament seemingly arduous and long wait they had to endure

Aggrieved sugar workers were on Tuesday paid the last tranche of their severance payments, which had been withheld from them by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) following the December 2016 closure of the Wales Estate.

This is according to the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) in a statement to the media on Thursday, in which it was stated that former cane-cutters of the now-closed Wales Estate had begun receiving their severance payments.
GAWU is contending that the workers’ severance payments were withheld from them despite a High Court decision made in their favour.
In December 2018, Justice Sandil Kissoon awarded the cane-cutters of Wales, who had taken up work at Uitvlugt Estate following the Wales’ closure, one month’s pay in lieu of notice, apart from their severance entitlements which are premised on their years of service to the sugar company.
The state-owned Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) abided partially with the court’s order in regard to the workers’ severance entitlements, but refused to pay the workers who were entitled to their one month’s pay, GAWU explained.
The GAWU stated that, on two occasions early last year, they had written to GuySuCo, seeking its full compliance with the court decision, but the Corporation had remained adamant and refused to honour its legal obligations to the workers. This led to the workers’ bargaining agent approaching the High Court to have the outstanding section of Justice Kissoon’s decision enforced.
The Union’s legal recourse saw, on November 21, 2019, Chief Justice (ag.) Roxane George approving a garnishment order regarding the outstanding sum owed to the workers. Through the order, the Corporation’s banker was compelled to pay over to the Union, on the workers’ behalf, the sum of $7.5M.
The Corporation subsequently appealed the Chief Justice’s decision, but when that matter came up for hearing earlier this year, GuySuCo withdrew its appeal after its attorney learnt that the order had been enforced and the appeal had therefore become moot.
The withdrawal of the appeal by GuySuCo had paved the way for the Union to finally pay to the workers their outstanding monies. GAWU has said the workers were most pleased to be receiving their outstanding payments, and expressed their appreciation to the Union for the sustained efforts to bring them justice.
According to GAWU, the workers lamented the seemingly arduous and long wait they had to endure to have their lawful rights respected.
“Indeed, the struggle of the sugar workers of the closed estates to receive their severance entitlements represents a sad chapter in our history; but, at the same time, a proud achievement for workers’ rights. It also demonstrates…the obstacles workers have to surmount to have their rights respected, and is yet another reminder of the need for workers to be organized, lest their rights be disregarded,” the missive stated.