Skip to main content

FM
Former Member

 
 
Newsletter Logo
30-March-2012
 

On Thursday, March 29, the Alliance for Change (AFC) represented by Kojo McPherson and Gerhard Ramsaroop, and accompanied by political activist Freddie Kissoon, met with eight of the nine workers who were summarily dismissed on March 28.  The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) had previously issued a statement detailing an alleged attempt by the workers to steal items from the now defunct La Bonne Intention (LBI) factory.

 

The AFC however, responded to the workers’ request to meet with them because they allege there is a political dimension to the issue.  They related they were instructed by Mr Vijay Sookdeo, a mill and boiler engineer, to remove, in addition to the hardwood and carrier slats, whatever else they thought could be used at Enmore.  They also asserted, in contradiction to GuySuCo’s statement, that they were never issued with a specific cart note.  According to the workers, Mr Sookdeo confirmed all this to management.

 

The incident occurred on February 17, and the workers were not written to until March 12, a few days after the strikes of March 8 and 9.  One of the workers, Deochan Singh aka Sharma, who is a machinery operator and a factory representative, was not only instrumental in the strike of March 9 and an earlier strike on February 28, but he also exposed deficiencies and inefficiencies at the Enmore Factory and Packaging Plant.  This is now the second time that GuySuCo has sought to get rid of him because of his political affiliation and activism.  This is therefore, the political dimension of the issue.

 

The AFC does not in any way, shape or form, condone any illegality and finds theft from the state to be particularly abhorrent as it is the taxpayer who loses.  However, to hold nine persons accountable in a matter that was neither reported to nor investigated by the police cannot be just.  The AFC is therefore, calling on GuySuCo to have the issue investigated by the relevant authorities and let the chips fall where they may.  Seven of the nine workers have given service to GuySuCo ranging from 10 to 34 years, and being summarily dismissed will deprive them of their benefits.  The AFC is further calling on the union, GAWU, to give these workers proper representation.

 

Inline image 1 

Eight of the nine dismissed workers

Inline image 3

The workers speaking with the Alliance For Change

 

 
 
Get Involved
Like us on Facebook
 
Follow us on Twitter
 
View our videos on YouTube
 
 
 

Alliance For Change
 | 35 King St. & North Rd. | Lacytown Georgetown | Guyana

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Originally Posted by Mitwah:
Originally Posted by Billy Ram Balgobin:

Contractors who ripped off the government by doing substandard infra-structural should be charged and punished severely so it sends a cold message to others. People did not wait a couple centuries to get roads like these.

Especially under the watch of the PPP "dem ah watch me" program.

Pointblank

Dismissal of nine sugar workers…AFC says politics involved, wants police investigation

MARCH 31, 2012 | BY  | FILED UNDER NEWS 

 

The Alliance For Change (AFC) is calling on the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to have police investigate allegations that nine Enmore sugar workers stole from the LBI estate. The nine workers were dismissed recently by the Corporation.

 

AFC’s Gerhard Ramsaroop and Kojo McPherson on Thursday met with Enmore sugar workers who claimed that their dismissals may have been politically motivated.


According to AFC, on Thursday, party officials, Kojo McPherson and Gerhard Ramsaroop, along with political activist, Freddie Kissoon, met with eight of the nine workers who were summarily dismissed on March 28.  GuySuCo had previously issued a statement detailing an alleged attempt by the workers to steal items from the now defunct La Bonne Intention (LBI) factory.


According to the AFC yesterday, the workers are now claiming their dismissals may have political motivations. β€œThey related they were instructed by Mr. Vijay Sookdeo, a mill and boiler engineer, to remove, in addition to the hardwood and carrier slats, whatever else they thought could be used at Enmore.  They also asserted, in contradiction to GuySuCo’s statement, that they were never issued with a specific cart note.  According to the workers, Mr. Sookdeo confirmed all this to management.”


AFC said that the alleged theft from LBI occurred on February 17, and the workers were not written to until March 12, a few days after the strikes of March 8 and 9. β€œOne of the workers, Deochan Singh, also known as Sharma, who is a machinery operator and a factory representative, was not only instrumental in the strike of March 9 and an earlier strike on February 28, but he also exposed deficiencies and inefficiencies at the Enmore Factory and Packaging Plant.  This is now the second time that GuySuCo has sought to get rid of him because of his political affiliation and activism.  This is therefore, the political dimension of the issue,” AFC insisted.


The party insisted that it does not in any way, shape or form, condone any illegality and finds theft from the state to be particularly abhorrent as it is the taxpayer who loses. 

 

β€œHowever, to hold nine persons accountable in a matter that was neither reported to nor investigated by the police cannot be just. The AFC is therefore, calling on GuySuCo to have the issue investigated by the relevant authorities and let the chips fall where they may. Seven of the nine workers have given service to GuySuCo ranging from 10 to 34 years, and being summarily dismissed will deprive them of their benefits.  The AFC is further calling on the union, GAWU, to give these workers proper representation.”

FM

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×