Enmore joins protest amidst anger over sugar estates closure

May 24, 2017 News, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....gar-estates-closure/

Hundreds turned out at Enmore, East Coast Demerara, yesterday, as protests grew over a proposed closure of the Enmore estate.

According to the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the biggest union for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), the protest march attracted a very significant number of persons.

“The march began in the vicinity of the Enmore sugar factory and wended its way through several streets of Enmore Village and culminated at the Enmore Blossom Scheme Playground – a distance of about two miles.”

GAWU said that the march included sugar workers, housewives, young people, pensioners, shopkeepers, and others who are “staunchly opposed to plans by the administration and the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc (GuySuCo) to close Enmore/LBI Estate at year-end.”

A white paper on the sugar industry’s future was recently tabled in the National Assembly.

It proposed, based on what government says were consultations with stakeholders including unions, the closure of Rose Hall and Enmore because of inefficiency.

GAWU had submitted its own proposals for the white paper.
The industry is facing major problems with its flagship, seven-year-old new factory at Skeldon down for repairs, affecting the first crop.

With several days of strikes this year, GuySuCo recorded massive losses in recent years, and has been requesting billions of dollars in bailout annually.

Last year, production fell by more than 30,000 tonnes of sugar below the 2015 achievement.

GAWU owes billions of dollars to creditors and is producing at twice the cost it is selling sugar.

According to GAWU, the march yesterday which lasted well over an hour, steadily grew as it went through the streets.

“Despite the rains which fell intermittently along the route, the participants were not daunted and continued to press on as the gathering grew. As they moved through the streets they held their placards and banners prominently. They shouted “No to Closure” and at times sang along to Bob Marley’s songs – ‘Get up, Stand up’ and ‘Who the cap fits’.

They also sang the popular trade union song – Solidarity Forever.”

Following the march, the protesters received brief addresses from Enmore/LBI shop steward, Roy Dundas; President of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana, Carvil Duncan; Treasurer of the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), Bhagmat Hochand; GAWU Executive Committee member, Gordon Thomas; GAWU Assistant General Secretary, Aslim Singh, and GAWU President, Komal Chand.

GAWU said the leaders urged the relevant authorities to sit up and take note of the growing people’s resistance to the unpopular plans they have in mind.

”This activity like those, before indicate that the people are in high spirits and are doggedly determined to continue in a sustained way to have the short-sighted and clearly wrong plans on sugar reviewed and recalled. Enmore/LBI Estates, at this time, employs some 2,200 workers and its operations support tens of thousands more.”

GAWU said it was especially pleased to see the participation of non-sugar workers in the activities.

“Their presence, we hold, is prompted by their recognition of the difficulties that will beset the communities linked to Enmore/LBI and as now seen with the painful example of Wales. It is disconcerting that closure is being considered at Enmore/LBI, taking into account the investments in recent times. Significant sums were expended to construct the packaging plant through which GuySuCo receives the best prices for its sugar, according to the Sugar Commission of Inquiry (CoI).”

The union also pointed out that over the years, GuySuCo spent large sums in field conversion to facilitate mechanized operations.

“According to our information, Enmore/LBI is the most advanced estate in this regard in Demerara. It is perplexing that closure would be considered in view of the very good possibilities which are generally recognized.”

GAWU said that the workers are calling on the administration and GuySuCo to engage the unions in the sugar industry in meaningful dialogue to address the challenges the industry faces. “GAWU holds that the three meetings with members of the government were merely a façade meant to pull the wool over the eyes of the Guyanese people and moreso the sugar workers.

“We urge that the voices of the working, productive people be heard by those in whose hands are levers of power and to engage in frank discussions to avoid the serious consequences of closure on thousands of our working-people and their families.”

Last year, the administration, noting the strain of GuySuCo on the country’s resources, announced the closure of the 100-year-old Wales estate, West Bank Demerara because of inefficiency. It sparked protests from the 16,000-plus workers of GuySuCo.