AFC Press Conference
Date: February 22, 2012
For Immediate Release to all Media Houses
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AFC pledges support for ‘development oriented’ Parliamentary agenda.
Read by Khemraj Ramjattan
The Alliance For Change has every confidence that the Tenth Parliament of Guyana will deliver on its mandate to serve in the best interest of all the people of Guyana. The AFC believes that, if given a fair opportunity, the Tenth Parliament will see the introduction of a more advanced, inclusive form of governance, one where all the people of Guyana feel that their concerns are being addressed by their leaders. The Tenth Parliament is a definite, positive way forward for Guyana.
The AFC intends to work with the other political parties in the Parliament and our colleague MPs to ensure that the end results of the deliberations in the National Assembly are ultimately for the development of all Guyana. To this end, the AFC, through its magnificent seven in the House, pledges its commitment to a ‘Development Oriented’ Parliamentary agenda.
The AFC will, in the course of the life of the Parliament bring Motions and Bills to the House, which we hope our colleagues will objectively critique, with the intention that at the end of the deliberations we can offer to the people of Guyana a better product. Where we see necessary, the AFC will question the government, in an objective manner, much as we have been doing through our presentations in the debate on financial Papers 7 and 8/2011. Our questions on these two papers have been confined to four line items. We believe it is our duty as elected representatives of the people to ask the questions the people on the streets and in the market places and in their homes, are asking.
At this point, and because of the level of confidence we have in the Tripartite Talks with the government and APNU, the AFC anticipates that the 2012 National Budget may not be as big a challenge as some see. That is, providing that the committee set up under the Tripartite Arrangement to look at the Budget steps up the work it is expected to do. There must be more than talks of commitment. This is time for action! The AFC has identified its representatives for the Budget talks and our people are standing by.
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AFC urges speedy resolution of issues affecting sugar workers
Read by Gerhard Ramsaroop
The Alliance For Change is pleased to note that, consequent to the our intervention, GuySuCo has issued a firm deadline on which they will pay the Annual Production Incentive (API), and they have promised a thorough investigation of the workers complaints at Blairmont. Workers concerns and their wellbeing are paramount to the AFC, and we will remain on the ball to ensure that these promises by GuySuCo are kept.
On Thursday 16, 2012 the Alliance for Change paid visits to the striking workers of Blairmont and again on Monday 20th, when we also met with the workers of Rose Hall Estate at the Tacama Turn, Stanleytown, East Bank Berbice.
The Blairmont workers, among other things, complained about the change in price for obstacles encountered in the fields, the changing of the amount of rods for the weeding gangs, having to choose between one pair of boots (when previously it was two pairs, one for the wet and one for the dry) and having on-site injuries changed to sick leave. They also highlighted what they saw as waste, incompetence and outright corruption by management. For example, the abuse of the ambulance in making personal errands such as going to the market, the estate bus taking one child belonging to management to school in New Amsterdam, while passing the children of workers waiting on the road, the manager travelling every day from Buxton when there is an estate house for him and his family, and the purchasing of expensive but inappropriate tractors, purportedly at $18M each, that subsequently suffered catastrophic damage, and for which there was no apparent warranty.
The workers of Rose Hall were in up in arms over the continued delay in the payment of the API which is normally paid in January, which was also an issue for the Blairmont workers. A few hundred of them had prepared to march from the Tacama Turn to the Estate, but called it off on account of the weather.
The AFC made it clear to both sets of workers that we are in solidarity with them and that we understand and empathise with their plight, especially with the cost of living being so high. However, we also emphasised that we were not there to replace the union, GAWU. Instead, we will help to publicise their cause through our presence and the media, and we will make representation for them at every opportunity and in Parliament. In that regard we met with Mr Komal Chand, the president of GAWU, and urged greater militancy from his quarters, and we met with Mr Nanda Gopaul, Minister of Labour and former Chairman of the GuySuCo Board, and asked for his intervention so that there can be a speedy resolution to the various issues the workers brought to the fore.
The AFC is very cognisant that the sugar industry is facing a crisis and is heading for closure and/or bankruptcy, and we cannot allow the AFC to be used as a scapegoat for any loss of jobs. The AFC also wants to make it clear that we are not casting blame on all of management, as may have been conveyed on our Berbice TV programme. We are keenly aware that management, especially on the lower end, suffer just as much as the workers, and there are very many managers at all levels, doing their best to keep the industry alive. We therefore unreservedly apologise to any of these good managers who may have felt offended by our general statements.
The AFC wishes to reassure all stakeholders that we see the sugar industry as vital to Guyana’s economy, especially the energy sector and as a major employer. Therefore, we will do all we can to support the industry and lobby for its transformation through ethanol production with the assistance of Brazil.
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Issue of the East Bank Berbice Road
Read by Gerhard Ramsaroop
On Monday, a team from the Alliance for Change, comprising of Kojo McPherson, Freddie Kissoon, Region 5 Councillor, Cindy Sookdeo, Region 6 Councillor, Donna Mathoo and Michelle and Gerhard Ramsaroop, went to lend solidarity to the residents and drivers who were protesting the now infamous East Bank Berbice Road.
The conditions were deplorable to say the least; potholes more than a foot deep with cars scraping their bottoms while driving through. With few cars plying the route as a result, the inconvenience for the residents, especially school children, is very grave. Two main contributors identified by the residents were trucks fetching cement out of Bermine and H Nauth and Sons Construction Company. Our team saw this first-hand, and pictures were taken by AFC photographer, Kojo McPherson.
During the protest, we also met with the Regional Chairman, Mr David Armogan, and we assured him of the AFC’s support for an appropriate allocation for a new road. However, this was conditional upon transparency and accountability; we are not going to approve, for example, $100M for a $40M road, typical of the last PPP administration. We further recommended that weight restrictions be implemented immediately and also when the new road is built, according to its capacity.
We are heartened that consequent to our intervention, the Regional Chairman announced that a new road will be built. The AFC pledges to hold the Chairman to his promise, and we will ensure accountability and transparency.
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Wednesday, February 22, 2012
