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Former Member

Govt’s closure of sugar estates

Even as Government seems to have moved on after closing four sugar estates, shattering the lives of over 7000 workers, these workers are still struggling to find stable jobs.
After garnering the support of workers on the sugar belt at the 2015 elections, the APNU/AFC coalition since taking office has downsized the sugar industry to just three estates – Uitvlugt, Blairmont and Albion— placing over 7000 workers on the breadline.

Wife of retrenched sugar worker, Samila Bacchus

Although the incumbent Government had promised to find alternative job opportunities and give lands to these displaced workers to sustain themselves and their families, many of them are still struggling to make ends meet daily.
On Tuesday, a number of these still unemployed workers from the closed Wales, East Demerara (Enmore), Rose Hall and Skeldon Estates, pleaded with the public, government, and private sector once again for assistance.

“I used to be an operator at Skeldon, I come out do some nix-nocks job. One day, two day work how much you gonna get? I got two kids to send to school, where I am gonna find that money?”
These were the words Ahmad Ahenodeen, an ex-sugar worker, used to describe the hardship experienced, which is no different from those of many other retrenched sugar workers.
During an engagement with the media at a press conference organised by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the displaced workers called for alternative job solutions since, according to them, “poverty is at our doorsteps”.
Ahenodeen told reporters, “I am willing to work but where is the job? There is no job in Berbice. This is not Georgetown that you could run here at some hardware store or some big company…But they need to find some alternative for people working in Berbice, it’s not easy.”
Meanwhile, Samila Bacchus, wife of an ex-sugar worker, explained her fair share of difficulties faced since her husband was sacked.
“If you have to get a work you have to come till in Georgetown and the passage, it don’t work out when the week come so we would, like if we could get something open at Wales…My husband ain’t working, I have children to send to school where will get $18,000 to pay water bill left out light,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of other workers present, Lalloo Tekchand, a sugar worker for 38 years, expressed deep disappointment on the fact that promises of land and training by the incumbent coalition government were never fulfilled. According to Tekchand, these were supposed to make life easier but this is not the case.
Moreover, the former sugar workers contend that the lack of jobs has paved the way for more illegal activities within these communities.
“Drugs is on the increase, because anywhere you turn you see small children coming out of school and smoking and doing things that they not supposed to do because their parents can’t afford to send them to school…everyday people thief at Wales, you hear people lost something,” one worker conveyed.
Insisting that the sugar industry was bleeding the treasury, the coalition government had noted that downsizing the sector will make it more economically viable. However, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) continues to perform below par, failing to meet its output targets.
Moreover, the sugar corporation has repeatedly cried out about the lack of financing for its operations. This is despite Government securing a $30 billion bond back in 2018 to aid in GuySuCo’s operations.
While the future of the country’s sugar industry remains uncertain, GAWU last month contended that any turnaround plan must include the reopening of those four closed estates.
A promise which the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has made. PPP has criticised the coalition administration for going ahead and closing the four sugar estates without any fact-based approach which included a socio-economic impact study that was recommended by a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) set up by this Government.
According to the Opposition, the closure of these estates created an economic and social vacuum. To this end, the party has promised to re-open the estates should it win the upcoming March 2 elections.

https://guyanatimesgy.com/pove...ead-for-stable-jobs/

Replies sorted oldest to newest

seignetSenior Member

Who is going to create employment for those ppl?

The PPP nor the PNC are business friendly, as such there are no business oriented ppl in either party. Serious jobs are in manufacturing and the spin offs comes that effort.

Thiefing is the easiest way to go. And Guyana been that way since Burnham.

1/16/2012:36 PM

VishMahabirSenior Member

seignet posted:
Who is going to create employment for those ppl?
The PPP nor the PNC are business friendly, as such there are no business oriented ppl in either party. Serious jobs are in manufacturing and the spin offs comes that effort.
Thiefing is the easiest way to go. And Guyana been that way since Burnham.

The 23 years of PPP rule should have seen that coming...Jagdeo knew there was no money in sugar, yet he continued to build that phantom in Skeldon. Remember they brought that knucklehead from New Jersey to be part of GUYSUCO...and Ramotar was part of the board (I believe).

The bottom line is that the workers were used as a vote bank, while the leaders enriched themselves.

Jagdeo and Irfaan should sell they mansions and donate the money to the sugar workers...

If the coalition is to be faulted, it is their lack of providing a safety net for the sugar workers...

1/16/201:05 PM

Former Member

Poverty my ass. It's election time and you will hear the drumbeat of sugar factory closure.

1/16/203:12 PM

Former Member

That knuckle head from New Jersey is no other than Raj Singh , armed with questionable academic qualifications , declared the industry bankrupt in 2015. Alternate jobs were found in Blairmont and Albion but the workers were advised to hold out for severance pay instead .

1/16/204:35 PM

Bibi HaniffaGNI Queen

Churchill posted:
That knuckle head from New Jersey is no other than Raj Singh , armed with questionable academic qualifications , declared the industry bankrupt in 2015. Alternate jobs were found in Blairmont and Albion but the workers were advised to hold out for severance pay instead .

Does he live in West Orange?

1/16/204:38 PM

NehruBig Mouth Member

The NEe Nee Neemakaram Crabdaag went to Berbice and promise that he will see the Sugar Industry not closed. In fact, he promised them increase wages and benefits and claimed that the PPP was fooling them. Talk about a stinking Neemakaram Crabdaag!!!

1/16/204:42 PM

Former Member

Dont confuse that knucklehead with your paramour .

1/16/204:43 PM

Former Member

Nehru posted:
The NEe Nee Neemakaram Crabdaag went to Berbice and promise that he will see the Sugar Industry not closed. In fact, he promised them increase wages and benefits and claimed that the PPP was fooling them. Talk about a stinking Neemakaram Crabdaag!!!

I see your vocabulary hasn't improved . You are stuck on words you seem very familiar with. Closing a few factories does not translate into closing the industry . The workers were offered jobs at neighbouring factories but they were advised to refuse them.

1/16/204:48 PM

NehruBig Mouth Member

Bhai, check the transcript that Neemakaram Crabdaag not only promised sugar workers the sun and the moon, remember 3000 per Bag for Paddy he promised Rice Millers? I can go on and on BUT a stinking Neemakaram like him will not change.

1/16/204:52 PM

NehruBig Mouth Member

Can some one post the Video where he looked the Guyanese people in their eyes and said " I will never be a Neemakaram"

1/16/204:53 PM

Former Member

Churchill posted:
Dont confuse that knucklehead with your paramour .

"A paramour is a lover, and often a secret one you're not married to. So it's best not to kiss and make eyes at your paramour in public, unless you want to be the center of a lot of gossip. The noun paramour evolved from the French phrase par amour, meaning “passionately” or “with desire.”

1/16/208:56 PM

Former Member

Warning issued on oil ‘boom-bust’ cycle

With global oil prices rising and falling as part of a continued “boom-bust” cycle, Guyana is being advised to embrace “observer’ status within the club of oil producers referred to as OPEC+. 7 h ago

Hey Django, can you please post the full article from Stabroek news and delete this?

Robert McNally speaking at the Education Lecture Theatre [ELT) yesterday.

1/17/208:39 AM

Former Member

I agree with Churchill. While the PPP is playing with people sentiment due to lack of jobs, Jagdeo did promise the sugar workers that if PPP wins he will pay them until he can find jobs for them. The drumbeat of closed sugar factories cannot be replaced overnight, so talking about it doesn't make a difference at this time. Moreso, since the closure of factories, why people sit around doing nothing? Why people are not adapting to new jobs and avoid the pain and suffering of your family? If this is a vote getter's strategy, it's not working. Jagdeo should put his money where his mouth is and stop talking about poverty at the sugar worker's doorstep.

1/17/2012:02 PM

NehruBig Mouth Member

Prince, put it in your Pipe and smoke it. Listen carefully, if the PPP wins Sugar Workers will receive their severance, they will be leased Land for Agriculture, Farming and will have the Agriculture Ministry help and technical support to ensure their success. That you can bet on cause the PPP is a competent, caring and compassionate AND HUMANE Govt!!

Gadahs need not apply!!!!!

1/17/2012:06 PM

Former Member

Nehru posted:
Prince, put it in your Pipe and smoke it. Listen carefully, if the PPP wins Sugar Workers will receive their severance, they will be leased Land for Agriculture, Farming and will have the Agriculture Ministry help and technical support to ensure their success. That you can bet on cause the PPP is a competent, caring and compassionate AND HUMANE Govt!!
Gadahs need not apply!!!!!

I agree, but the poverty pitch is a bad PR stunt. Don't forget I am Guyanese too and I know what hardship is.

1/17/2012:19 PM