Date: March 28, 2012

For Immediate Release to all Media Houses

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Issues at Rose Hall Estate

Read By Rajendra Bisessar

On Tuesday, March 27, Rajendra Bisessar, representing the AFC spoke with a group of sugar workers at the Rose Hall Sugar Factory who were in dispute with management.  According to the workers’ representative, the issue was about payment for job work.

The workers have to distribute aragonite on a certain amount of beds for a certain price.  A fixed weight of aragonite is placed in the punt. They then have to carry the aragonite and spread it on the beds. The workers are not to carry more than fifty six pounds according to agreement. The workers assess the weight by the spade-full and they also had their spring scale.

The Estate management utilises a stick with numbers from, 1, written on it. This stick according to management gives a fairly accurate number of tons in the punt utilizing the displacement of water. The amount of aragonite is supposed to be spread over a certain number of beds at a fixed amount per bed. 

The problem according to workers is that they spread the aragonite over the beds, but at the end of the fixed amount of beds there is still a fair amount of aragonite in the punt, and management expects them to continue spreading the remainder over additional beds.

The workers are saying that they spread the weight prescribed over the number of beds prescribed and so the amount of aragonite in the punt is in excess of the stated amount and that the stick measurement is inaccurate. The workers use their spring weight to check what they are loading in their bags to spread, and management is saying that they have no faith in the scale, according to the workers.

A young lady was there to represent management with the workers being opposed to her intervention. However, she said she was a management person and had a right to intervene even though she was from another section.  According to Mr Bisessar, the young lady’s conduct was nothing but abusive while he observed the conduct of the workers to be polite and courteous.

In addition to this on the 14 of March, some workers were given warning letters which stated that there was an uneven distribution of aragonite among the beds.  This the workers say occurred in their attempt to utilise all the aragonite in the punts, which is in excess to what is needed.  In addition the workers pointed out that when it rains the aragonite becomes lumpy also affecting distribution.

In Mr Bisessar’s presence, management told the workers that they would be paid the weight and additional hours to make up, but according to the workers this does not take care of the future and that they need this matter to be resolved once and for all.

They workers took the opportunity to highlight other problems they were facing. They said that when the canes are lifted from the punts to the factory a certain amount is left in the punts and the punts are not being cleaned because they are only offering $50 per punt. They claim that canes worth far more than that are being wasted and that it is penny wise and pound foolish as workers are unwilling to accept $50.

In the interest of the workers and the industry, the AFC is calling for an examination of the dispute resolution system so that there can be speedier resolutions to these disputes.  Further, the dispute by one gang often escalates to the entire estate being on strike as the other workers give solidarity in the face of management’s intransigence. [END]

AFC Outreach to Region Five

Read by Gerhard Ramsaroop

A team from the Alliance for Change (AFC), including Moses Nagamootoo, Gerhard Ramsaroop and Nigel Hughes, in a recent outreach to Region 5 visited Ithaca, Woodley Park (no. 11), Bath Settlement, Hopetown and Armadale.

Problems with the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) were expressed at all of our meetings and stops.  The issues were primarily incorrect and missing contributions.  At Ithaca, which was the most depressed community we visited, there was an incomplete cultural centre dating from the Burnham era, a defunct community centre and ground, and a water tank built in 1999 that never functioned. 

However, the most pressing problem in Ithaca is the water supply.  The water is discoloured and has an unpleasant odour.  The residents claim there is no filtration system at the well, and that combined with old distribution pipes, is to blame for the condition of the water.  The AFC is calling on Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) to intervene and rectify this deplorable situation immediately.

In Hopetown, there is a squatting area dating from 15 years ago.  With the area not being regularised, the residents cannot access basic utilities such as electricity and water.  Among the residents of the squatting area is a single mother of five who works as a sweeper/cleaner at the Hopetown Primary School and does odd jobs as well, including cleaning canals, just to try to make ends meet.  The AFC is asking that this too be addressed by the relevant authorities urgently, especially in light of other more recent squatting areas in Region 5 being regularised.

Subsequent to our outreach, AFC Regional Councillor, Mr Herman Anthony organised the Regional Chairman, Mr Bisnauth and other Regional officials to visit Ithaca.  The Chairman promised improved works in the village, including repairs to drains and kokers, after the Budget is passed.  The AFC will hold the Regional Administration to this. 

Our Councillors also visited No. 3 village where residents expressed their outrage at the state of the main canal.  They claimed that the present heavily clogged state of the canal has been the norm for the past 15 years.  The AFC is therefore, calling on the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to remedy this urgently.

In keeping with the AFC’s commitment to the sweeper/cleaners in the Region, Cindy Sookdeo got a motion passed for them to be registered on the Regional payroll.  We applaud the work of our Councillors and our AFC Regional Management Committee (RMC) in Region 5. [END]

The dismissal of the three NBS officers

Read by Gerhard Ramsaroop

In June 2007, the then Director/Secretary/CEO, Maurice Arjoon; Operations Manager, Kent Vincent and Mortgage Manager, Kissoon Baldeo were charged for fraud.  Staff in support of the three men, soon after signed a petition confirming that the following day the Chairman of NBS said to them:

• I know that none of these gentlemen did not benefit from a penny
• I looked at the POA and having 41yrs of service, I could not detect that it was fake
• Up to now the police don’t know nor do we know if this document was forged
• We know that they are innocent but the matter is now in court so we have to wait

However, the Board did not wait and the services of the three officers were terminated shortly after. Further, despite the statement by the Chairman, Directors of NBS later held press conferences implying the guilt of these men, with one even stating “the Perpetrators were handed over to the Police”.

Recently, former Director, David Yhann, publically confirmed that at no time did the NBS Board contemplate that the three men were criminally or otherwise involved in the fraudulent withdrawal of funds from a member’s account; but the Board was informed that the DPP had compelling evidence against them.  He further stated that it is difficult for him to understand why it is taking so long for the matter to be concluded and that the turn of events has led to their public disgrace and humiliation.” 

We also note that soon after the men were charged they wrote to the Minister of Finance, Attorney General and Cabinet Secretary to have the matter investigated, with information provided on how their innocence can be proven.  We have been informed also that the Bank of Guyana and the External Auditors of NBS may have conducted investigations indicating that the 3 men were innocent.  The Police Complaints Authority was also approached, to no avail. 

There are other disturbing aspects, which include the following:

In 2008 two Directors, Leon Rockcliffe and David Yhann, wrote to the media reaffirming their resignations and their wish not to be associated with NBS board decisions which they feel could cause harm to the good name and reputation of the NBS.  They asked that their resignations should also be seen as a protest against the direction in which some directors appear bent on taking the New Building Society, one which they feel will ultimately not serve the best interests of the members and Guyana as a whole.           

In 2009, the AFC noted that “trademark nepotism has permeated the Jagdeo administration, demonstrated in the recent appointees to the New Building Society”… Appointees will be rebuked and victimized if you don’t toe the line. This approach will destroy whatever credibility is left of NBS and do massive damage to the creation of a culture of independence and professionalism”.  Accountant Christopher Ram warned that the proposed replacement of Jack Alli & Sons as auditors has a more deliberately far reaching effect.

In July 2010 Amendments to the NBS Act was forced through the National Assembly, changing the maximum 100 members (required to apply to the Minister to  inspect the books and examine into and report on the affairs of the NBS if they felt it was necessary) to approximately 10,000, a virtually  impossible feat.  Khemraj Ramjattan felt that the bill was aimed at “empowering and entrenching” the board members who were close friends of the administration.  He noted that while the AFC supported a majority of the proposed amendments, there were some which were a “degradation of good governance” and were aimed at “outfoxing” certain persons.  He said too that this did not reflect transparency.

The AFC is of the firm view that we should not live in a country where laws are blatantly broken and the victim must resort to the courts to prove his/her innocence which can then take years.  We note that it is almost 5 years and the three accused have not been paid monies due, including the pension for the CEO to which he has contributed for 30 years.  It is therefore, evident that an investigation is urgently required, particularly into the actions of the DPP and the Board of Directors, as well as to clarify the financial position of the NBS. [END]

AFC relieved the Munroes are back with their children

Read by Cathy Hughes

The Alliance For Change is happy and relieved that Major Bruce Munroe and his wife Carol are back where they belong, with their children and loved ones. The Munroes and Leonard Wharton were freed this morning after Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine Beharry found there was not sufficient evidence for the three treason accused to face trial in the High Court. Bruce and Carol Munroe and Wharton were arrested and charged in December 2010.

The Alliance For Change had pressed for the Court to expedite the Preliminary Inquiry and was always of the position that the charges were trumped up.

In January the Party in a statement had urged the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to examine the evidence that was presented to determine the likelihood of a successful conviction and “do the right thing in the interest of justice”.

The party had also expressed concerns about the numerous delays in the PI and called on the DPP to ensure there were no more delays in the hearing and that it would not be reduced to a charade.

Today, justice prevailed and the Munroes and Wharton are back with their families. [END]