64th Enmore Martyrs’ Day observances begin with religious ceremony
Written by GINA
Monday, 11 June 2012 22:17
Source - Guyana Chronicle
PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds on Sunday joined relatives and residents of Enmore at the Enmore Shiv Mandir, East Coast Demerara, to begin the commemoration of the struggle of Guyana’s sugar workers over six decades ago.
Addressing worshippers at the Enmore Shiv Mandir on Sunday, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds tells his audience that Enmore Martyrs’ Day is one of the most formative events in Guyana.
Enmore Martyrs’ Day is in remembrance of the five sugar workers who were shot and killed on June 16, 1948, by colonial police, while they were demonstrating for better working conditions.
President Ramotar said that Enmore Martyrs’ Day has become one of the most important days in the history of Guyana for several reasons.
Firstly, “It was a coming together of many, many, things that were happening at the time. Internationally the Second World War had just ended, Hitlerite fascism had been defeated, and there was a major anti-colonial drive taking place in the world.”
Secondly, the President said, the Enmore sugar workers’ move ignited and gave life to the first call for the Political Affairs Committee that was formed by Dr. Cheddi Jagan, a call for independence and “in our own country that call became very much a call of national interest.”
The first Enmore Martyrs’ Day also coincided with the struggle for democracy, including workers’ and industrial democracy. That major struggle of the sugar workers had the recognition of the Manpower Citizens’ Association (MPCA). The first major battle was at Leonora in 1939.
President Donald Ramotar speaks to Enmore residents on the occasion of the Hindu religious ceremony that began the 64th commemoration of Enmore Martyrs’ Day at the Enmore Shiv Mandir on Sunday
President Ramotar also noted the importance of sugar to the colony, and the betrayal of the workers by the union, and pointed out that there have always been major struggles in the sugar industry, mainly because of the importance of the industry to the economy.
“So a struggle in the sugar industry was a struggle for the national liberation of Guiana. A national struggle and the sugar workers led that struggle all the way,” the President stated.
He added that one of the characteristic features of the sugar workers was their political consciousness, pointing to the fact that during the 80-day general strike in the 1960s, “the sugar workers did not strike, because they realised that striking then was against their own interest and against the national interest of the country.
“We have to understand the depths of the struggle…then we were fighting for independence, democracy, freedom and rights…Today we have a new situation, where we need to apply the same political consciousnesses to what is happening,” President Ramotar stated.
He added that the main task is the path of development, “to recapture the lost years that we had when we were living in an undemocratic state, when our country went backward. We have a lot to do to catch up.”
The President explained that this is the political consciousness workers need to have, “this is what they need to understand; that we now have a new situation…focus has gone, sugar workers are not working for development anymore.”
He stated emphatically that, “what we work for in the sugar industry must contribute to national development.”
Observing that people are more and more working for themselves, President Ramotar said while things have changed a lot, the administration is still striving to ensure the strengthening of the people through the social sectors, education, health and housing.
“We must recognise that 58% of the revenue of GuySuco goes to the unionised workers, and the largest expense of the sugar industry is paying wages,” he pointed out. He also noted that advanced thinking by sugar workers and their families has caused a reduction in the sugar labour force, which is one reason that the industry has to be changed and become mechanised.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hinds said that one of the lessons of Enmore Martyrs’ Day is the fact that there can be objective issues at any time. “These are things that arise from situations. There are issues related to people and personalities involved. The two cannot be separated very easily,” he said.
“The Enmore Martyrs’ issues were objective, with the need for the survival of the industry and to sustain jobs,” the Prime Minister said, urging Guyanese to ensure that they find other ways to resolve their differences when they remember the Enmore Martyrs.
There were urgings by other speakers to use the past to shape the future.
In April 1948, cane cutters in British Guiana went on strike, calling for the replacement of "cut and load" with a "cut and drop" system, by which the cane cutters should cut the cane. They also demanded higher wages and improved living conditions on the sugar estates. However, the real aim of the strike was to demand recognition of the Guyana Industrial Workers Union (GIWU) as the bargaining union for the field and factory workers on all the sugar estates in the country.
On June 16, the SPA and the MPCA met to discuss the issues, but no satisfactory agreement was reached; in any case the workers felt very strongly that the union was betraying their interests.
Early on the morning of June 16, a crowd of about 400 workers gathered outside the factory at Enmore for a protest and picketing exercise. By 10.00hrs, the crowd had grown to between 500 and 600 persons. Several persons managed to enter the compound at the rear of the factory.
The policemen tried to push back the crowd, but after this effort failed, they opened fire; five workers were killed and 14 others were injured.
Lallabagee Kissoon, 30, was shot in the back; 19-year-old Pooran was shot in the leg and pelvis; Rambarran died from bullet wounds in his leg; Dookhie died in hospital later that day; and Harry died the following day from severe spinal injuries. These men, through the years, became known as the Enmore Martyrs.