Even as feasibility studies into the use of cane-lands at Wales, West Bank Demerara, continues, Government is assuring that the move to diversify the West Demerara estate will see not only the sugar industry benefitting but the workers there as well.
Speaking on the weekly televised programme, The Public Interest, President David Granger pointed out that the closure of estates has been dated back to over a century-and-a-half ago. He noted that unproductive factories have been shut down and there have been amalgamations.
“This is a normal economic function, this is not punitive,” the Head of State remarked while adding that government is pushing to have an efficient sugar industry. He went on to say that it was against this backdrop that the decision was made to have the entire West Demerara amalgamated and similarly the East Coast Demerara.
“We are not interested in putting sugar workers on the streets, we are interested in efficiency and we are looking to amalgamation. So if something is not functioning efficiently, it will be considered for shutting down or modification but we want to save workers’ jobs, we want to save the sugar industry. That’s what we want to do,” President Granger declared.
Despite mounting concerns and criticisms over the closure of the estates, government is going ahead with its decision. To this end, several feasibility studies are being conducted at Wales to determine the future of the estate lands.
One of the companies conducting the studies is AquaSol Inc, a United States-based aquaculture consulting company which offers expert opinions, technology transfer, and aquaculture project management services to new and existing aquaculture projects worldwide.
Agriculture Minister Noel Holder told Guyana Times on Sunday that the studies are on track and the findings will be ready for its August monthend deadline.
Wales, West Demerara Estate Factory
Previously, the Minister had stated that research thus far indicates that the cane-lands are suitable for the cultivation of orchard and citrus crops, while other parts can be used for aquaculture and dairy farming.
Nevertheless, Holder had posited that whatever decision is taken by government on the estate it will be done with the 17,000 workers and private cane farmers in mind.
In this regard, he explained that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is also exploring leasing some of the lands to members of the community, particularly those who will not be accommodated at Uitvlugt, in order to get them more involved in agricultural activities.
Meanwhile, there have been many calls from stakeholders for government to reverse its decision to close the estates. In fact back in May, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) filed a court case against GuySuCo and an interim injunction was subsequently granted in favour of the unions, barring the sugar company and/or their servants/agents, from proceeding to implement the decision to sever the employment of workers from the Wales Estate, unless consultations with the workers were held.
With many of the workers being against the move to transfer to Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, they opted for severance packages instead. However, using the injunction as its justification, GuySuCo said it was unable to pay the 105 Wales sugar workers their severance packages even though the workers on March 22 received letters that stated they would have been paid on May 4.
GAWU has however rejected the sugar corporation’s stance, noting that the agreement between the workers and GuySuCo was reached before the May 6 injunction was granted.
Moreover, Guyana Times was told in June that the workers have petitioned the Wales Estate manager for payment in lieu of work for the time they have been unemployed. Some 99 workers were involved in that petition.
This newspaper understands the workers are contending that their severance packages were approved since March 22, 2016, and as such, are requesting that they be paid from April 22 up to the point at which they will be paid their redundancy allowance. The petition, along with letters sent to the estate’s manager, was seen by this publication.
“I hereby request that I be paid my redundancy allowance and payment in lieu of work from April 22, 2016 up to the point of the payment of my redundancy allowance in keeping with Clause 6(2)(i) of the Collective Labour Agreement between my Union, GAWU, and the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc,” one of the letters stated.
