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Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo addressing sugar workers and their families at Enterprise Community Center.

The crowd at Enterprise Community Center

Jan 24,2018.

Source

tells sugar workers “don’t lose heart, struggle for better”
…says Govt has funds to meet severance demands

By Michael Younge

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Tuesday urged scores of sugar workers and their families not to lose hope, but to continue to struggle alongside the People’s Progressive Party to secure the freedoms and gains which they have worked and toiled for over the past two and a half decades.Jagdeo, addressing a crowd at Enterprise Community Centre on the East Coast of Demerara, disclosed that the Government had begun unveiling parts of a systematic plan to undermine the support base of the Opposition with the aim of changing the demographics of the country.

He said that if the Government’s plan succeeded and people lost hope in those communities that were devastated and adversely affected by the decision to reduce the sugar industry and eventually close it, then Guyana’s future would be jeopardised.“I warned on the campaign trail that this would have happened and it’s happening now…They want us to lose hope and to give up on the industry…they want people to migrate…so that they will (be able to) change the demographics of this country,” Jagdeo explained to the audience.


The Opposition Leader laid the blame for the woes being faced by 4763 workers squarely at the feet of President David Granger.Jagdeo contended that the decision to fire thousands of workers without a clear plan was “not necessary” as he insisted that it was motivated by political ideology.“I can’t find any other reason outside of the fact that they want people to migrate and change the voting pattern,” he also contended as he questioned why it was so hard for the Government to utilise one per cent of its budget to keep the industry going as it looked for solutions to deal with the problems facing the industry.“But they wanted to shut down sugar,” Jagdeo remarked

Cutting wastage

Jagdeo, who was Guyana’s longest-serving President, chided Granger for peddling lies and distortions about the amount of assistance and subsidy that were granted to the industry under the previous Administration and by his own Government.
“Granger inflated the subsidy by 32 billion and I pointed out that since they took office, the subsidy has increased three-fold…they put in about 10.5 billion over the past three years, yet in those years sugar workers did not receive a salary increase…they cancelled the (Annual Production Incentive) API and that’s why I called for an audit of the money that went into the industry…,” he explained.


The Opposition Leader was adamant that the Government could find the money to pay the workers now by simply cutting the wastage of taxpayers’ monies on providing Government Ministers and functionaries with the ‘good and luxurious life’.
He dismissed the excuses made by Government as “nonsense”.
“Nagamootoo’s budget grew from 3.3 million for discretionary use…105 million in this year’s budget…that alone leaving out the 400 million we spend on his ministry that does absolutely nothing…personally per month we spend over 10 million on him alone in all of the cost…,” Jagdeo maintained as he told Enterprise residents that “they (Government) can tomorrow find the money…the money is there ….”

The Opposition Leader also advised residents that the Government could have easily passed a supplementary financial paper for $5 billion and pay workers’ severance.
“… but they are turning their own supporters against sugar workers and even our own supporters …. it is a clever strategy, but they want people to beg” as he explained that the Government saw no difficulty with spending millions of dollars on the importation of luxurious vehicles and other facilities, but could not see the need to pay ordinary, hardworking sugar workers their benefits.
“This is where the money is going … this is a wanton waste of resources,” he remarked.
“This is about punishing sugar workers, because they hope that we will just give up on this country, but we are not going to give up…the day we give up, there will be no future for this country and that is why we have to keep struggling to get the kind of country that we want…,” Jagdeo insisted.


The Opposition Leader’s meeting came at a time when scores of workers across the country are complaining about the hardship they are made to face as a result of being unemployed and without an income to sustain their families.

 

Replies sorted oldest to newest

When the leader of the country can't lead, then Bharrat has to comfort and console the distress community. Granger and the PNC wash their hands clean from the unemployed sugar workers as though their are still indentured servants.

K

The plot to undermine the PPP stronghold is not new.  It started pre-election with the massive visa program initiated by the USA.   This is a continuum of the same and will not let up until the PPP loses critical mass.  Guyana will become like TT.   The PNC will frig and win in 2020 and by 2025, all wash and turn down!  

FM
Mars posted:
Mitwah posted:

BJ looks sick. 

AIDS?

Naw....dem PPP boys dont know how to photoshop de comrade leader.

But I see the gloom and doom on the faces of the sugar workers behind him...while Granger continues to smile from both ends of his mouth.

V
Labba posted:

Ah wan dying industry. Dem gat foh bring de cost down. Even that kanta economist Mr TK sey so. 

It’s elementary knowledge and easy to say.  He should give the pathway!

FM
Baseman posted:
Labba posted:

Ah wan dying industry. Dem gat foh bring de cost down. Even that kanta economist Mr TK sey so. 

It’s elementary knowledge and easy to say.  He should give the pathway!

TK is a kanta economist. Jagdoe seh he pathway is gee dem a salary till dem dead. 

FM
Labba posted:

Ah wan dying industry. Dem gat foh bring de cost down. Even that kanta economist Mr TK sey so. 

Well if they had listen to the kanta economist maybe the estates wouldn't closed,the other problem is how come 12 tons cane to make 1 ton sugar.Probably the thieving the fertilizer,also they should have start changing the polder system to use mechanical cutters.

The olden days was average 6 tons of sugar canes for 1 ton sugar.

Django
Last edited by Django
VishMahabir posted:

...and what is the PPP doing about this?....why not try and undermine the PNC stronghold for a change?....that should make for interesting politics in 2020

They had an opportunity to do this in Linden and instead let 80% of the bauxite workers lose their jobs when Guymine was sold.

They prefer to shoot down Lindeners and call them lazy and ungrateful.

FM

Enterprise is a strong PPP community consisting of descendants of sugar workers who worked on the Enmore Estate. Many of them curse badly whenever Presidents Ramotar and Jagdeo are mentioned. They say these 2 were always appeasing Blacks by doing everything for black villages while neglecting Indo villages, feeling they will always have the Indo votes. Then at election time, they go to the Indo villages begging for votes. A guy flew to Enterprise this weekend and I think he will give Bharrat a good busing. 

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Mars posted:
kp posted:
Mars posted:
Mitwah posted:

BJ looks sick. 

AIDS?

So you are an AIDS specialist.

I guess you semi literate porters do not understand the mean of a question mark.

I never met you so it is safe to ask if you have aids???

K
Leonora posted:

Enterprise is a strong PPP community consisting of descendants of sugar workers who worked on the Enmore Estate. Many of them curse badly whenever Presidents Ramotar and Jagdeo are mentioned. They say these 2 were always appeasing Blacks by doing everything for black villages while neglecting Indo villages, feeling they will always have the Indo votes. Then at election time, they go to the Indo villages begging for votes. A guy flew to Enterprise this weekend and I think he will give Bharrat a good busing. 

What's your point?

K
Leonora posted:

Enterprise is a strong PPP community consisting of descendants of sugar workers who worked on the Enmore Estate. Many of them curse badly whenever Presidents Ramotar and Jagdeo are mentioned. They say these 2 were always appeasing Blacks by doing everything for black villages while neglecting Indo villages, feeling they will always have the Indo votes. Then at election time, they go to the Indo villages begging for votes. A guy flew to Enterprise this weekend and I think he will give Bharrat a good busing. 

One cannot blame them for trying to make a difference with Afros.   However, what was lacking in the PPP was more Afro Representation.  I know there were Blacks, my opinion, it was sparse.   

I do agree with the sentiment that the PPP took the Indian vote for granted.   They were correct, had it not been for Nagamotoo, PPP would have won on the Indian vote anyway.   Blacks would have rebelled with an insurrection in GT.

FM
kp posted:
Mars posted:

I guess you semi literate porters do not understand the mean of a question mark.

I never met you so it is safe to ask if you have aids???

You can ask whatever you feel like asking. It's a free country and you usually write stupid shyte here so another stupid question would only be in keeping with your normal personality. Whether it's safe for you, only you would know. I'm not in a high risk category for AIDS like Jagdeo. You seem to be taking it personally. Do you have a personal relationship with Jagdeo?

Mars

Any PPP leader in Jagdeo's place would have been concerned about the electoral implications of shutting down sugar estates at this time. But there is hope, provided that the PPP reach out beyond its traditional constituencies to other Guyanese meaningfully. 

FM
Gilbakka posted:

Any PPP leader in Jagdeo's place would have been concerned about the electoral implications of shutting down sugar estates at this time. But there is hope, provided that the PPP reach out beyond its traditional constituencies to other Guyanese meaningfully. 

Closing down the sugar estates galvanized the PPP support base even more. The PPP campaigned on a platform that they will keep the estates opened and the PNC promised not to close the estates (in Rumjattan's own words in a video speech in Berbice.)

Well, the PNC ended up lying and closing the estates and this played right into the hands of the PPP.

Many can argue all they want about the eventual closing of the estates but this is politics and that decision killed the AFC. Jadgeo admitted that the PPP needs to reach beyond it's traditional base and it will do so from now until 2020.

Let us not forget that the Mixed/Dougla race is not that stupid and will not stand for continued suffering under the PNC. Blacks in Guyana are clannish and history proves that a vast majority will vote PNC regardless of suffering or not. A percentage of Mixed/Dougle will gravitate towards  to the PPP. The next election will be a PPP's victory.

The biggest question is whether Burnham's student Granger will do exactly what his Guru Burnham did ?

All of this bullshyte about the Americans favouring the PNC over the PPP means little. The Americans and their business counterparts know that the PPP will be business friendly and will dance to the tune of investors for the good of the country. 

Money talks and BS walks.

Yuji22

GNI's fearless.

 

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Mars posted:
kp posted:
Mars posted:

I guess you semi literate porters do not understand the mean of a question mark.

I never met you so it is safe to ask if you have aids???

You can ask whatever you feel like asking. It's a free country and you usually write stupid shyte here so another stupid question would only be in keeping with your normal personality. Whether it's safe for you, only you would know. I'm not in a high risk category for AIDS like Jagdeo. You seem to be taking it personally. Do you have a personal relationship with Jagdeo?

Self professed GNI  Intellectual.

K
kp posted:
Mars posted:
kp posted:
Mars posted:

I guess you semi literate porters do not understand the mean of a question mark.

I never met you so it is safe to ask if you have aids???

You can ask whatever you feel like asking. It's a free country and you usually write stupid shyte here so another stupid question would only be in keeping with your normal personality. Whether it's safe for you, only you would know. I'm not in a high risk category for AIDS like Jagdeo. You seem to be taking it personally. Do you have a personal relationship with Jagdeo?

Self professed GNI  Intellectual.

I don't need to "profess" my intellectual abilities. Those have been verified by teachers at best schools in Guyana and the US. It's also quite obvious in the way that I write. As opposed to you, a self-confessed nincompoop.

Mars
Last edited by Mars
cain posted:
yuji22 posted:

Sadly, you lack basic comprehension to grasp what I just posted. Carry on.

Yuji22

GNI's fearless.

Yeh, well you can eat my shorts.

I thought you believe in freedom. Freedom to hang it out

FM
VishMahabir posted:

...and what is the PPP doing about this?....why not try and undermine the PNC stronghold for a change?....that should make for interesting politics in 2020

How so, issue them visas to Brooklyn??

FM
kp posted:

When the leader of the country can't lead, then Bharrat has to comfort and console the distress community. Granger and the PNC wash their hands clean from the unemployed sugar workers as though their are still indentured servants.

wow look collie people dey 

FM
VishMahabir posted:

...and what is the PPP doing about this?....why not try and undermine the PNC stronghold for a change?....that should make for interesting politics in 2020

you doing your part on GNI

 

FM
kp posted:
Leonora posted:

Enterprise is a strong PPP community consisting of descendants of sugar workers who worked on the Enmore Estate. Many of them curse badly whenever Presidents Ramotar and Jagdeo are mentioned. They say these 2 were always appeasing Blacks by doing everything for black villages while neglecting Indo villages, feeling they will always have the Indo votes. Then at election time, they go to the Indo villages begging for votes. A guy flew to Enterprise this weekend and I think he will give Bharrat a good busing. 

What's your point?

I was wondering the same thing!

Bibi Haniffa

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