Written by Denis Scott Chabrol
Thursday, 16 February 2012 12:47
Source
Punts of cane awaiting the return of workers at the Blairmont Estate field and factory.
The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuco) were Thursday trying to get Blairmont Sugar Estate workers to call off a nearly one-week old strike that has seen the sugar producer unable to sell the sweetener to Trinidad. Guysuco’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Paul Bhim Bhim said the cash-strapped sugar corporation sells 250 tons of sugar to Trinidad weekly but this week there is no sugar and so no could be sold, resulting in the entity losing US$150,000 in much needed earnings. He said there was little chance obtaining sugar from Enmore because that factory is yet to commence grinding. Bhim also said the industrial unrest was biting hard into the sucrose content.
Bhim explained that the 192 punts of sugar cane that are awaiting processing should have produced 110 tons of sugar but with the industrial action, the yield could be as little as 30 tons. There are also 273 tons of burnt but un-cut cane in addition to un-burnt and un-cut canes whose sucrose content will drop. The strike, he added, could result in the crop being prolonged and the next crop entering the May-June rainy season. “The canes are getting older and you will lose sugar,” he said.
The CEO maintained that both Guysuco and GAWU have told workers representatives at Blairmont Estate that there is no basis for the strike. "We had several meetings last Saturday and Sunday and the Chief Labour officer intervened Tuesday night and he instructed the workers to go back because they have no grievance,” he said. Calling the strike action a “bit of a standoff at the moment,” he rejected demands by the workers that they be paid more for the clearing of obstacles. He said the field was not in a bad condition and so the workers could not legitimately expect to be paid more.
Asked whether Guysuco, faced with a loss of earnings, would give into the demand by the estimated 500 workers that Estate Manager, Corbet Victorine and Field Manager Anil Seepersaud be removed because it is believed they are responsible for austere conditions, Bhim said that concern was not brought to management’s attention. He defended Victorine and Seepersaud’s performance, “they might have fresh ideads on how to reduce costs” and “we have had no problems with these two managers.” Bhim also credited them with tightening up on attendance and leaving the factory for home shortly after reporting for duty.
Earlier Thursday, executive members of the Alliance For Change (AFC) met with the workers and pledged their solidarity and intervention to address their grievances. Those visiting included Khemraj Ramjattan, Nigel Hughes, Moses Nagamootoo, Gerhard Ramsaroop and Freddie Kissoon.