Who has Guyana’s interest should support working class unconditionally – President- denounces budget cuts that will make Gov’t workers jobless – at May Day rally
Georgetown, GINA, May 01, 2012
President Donald Ramotar speaking to workers at the conclusion of the May Day rally in the National Park
With the relentless $20.9B cut from the National Budget still hanging over the heads of the working population, Labour Day 2012 in Guyana was everything but, a celebration and the blame fell squarely at the feet of the opposition political parties and their “one seat dictatorship.”
Vindictive and spiteful were some of the words used to describe the action by the opposition when representatives of the government and the trade union movement in Guyana converged at the National Park for the annual May Day rally.
A section of the gathering at the Labour Day Rally in the National Park
At today’s event, set aside for recognition of the contributions of the working class to the nation’s socio-economic development, trade unionists did not ignore the dark future which workers in Guyana are likely to face in the weeks and months ahead.
Among them is the hike in electricity tariff which may likely face the consuming public following the opposition political parties’ move last week to vote against the $1B subsidy to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).
President Donald Ramotar addressing workers and trade union representatives at a Labour Day Rally in the National Park
Addressing hundreds of workers who earlier wended their way to the National Park for the May Day rally, President Ramotar flayed as hypocrisy, the rationale given by the opposition that the cut will influence efficiency in the electricity company, especially since the government side explained in detail, the objective for the allocation.
“What are they telling us, that we should raise the rates and taxes? Is that the message that they are giving us even though we gave them elaborate explanations on all of these? President Ramotar queried.
As a result of the cut, it is likely that electricity bills will be hiked, thereby creating a burden on consumers, according to President of the Guyana Labour Union (GLU) Carvil Duncan who told the workers that their future is in “limbo”.
He made reference to the irony in the opposition’s argument against the removal of the Government subsidy from electricity rates in Linden.
President Donald Ramotar joins Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union General Secretary Komal Chand, Guyana Labour Union President Carvil Duncan and other trade union representatives in singing the trade union theme song
GPL joins the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU), the Government Information Agency (GINA), the National Communications Network (NCN) the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), the State Planning Secretariat and the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme to have felt the wrath of the opposition’s“one seat dictatorship” in the parliament.
President Ramotar said the only conclusion to be drawn from such developments is that the opposition is motivated by hate and, questioned the cordiality of private talks between the two sides.
“I don’t think that he believes that he (Granger) and I can sit down and run this country as if it was a casino. I refuse to be part of that. We must deal with what is good and what is right for Guyana,” President Ramotar said.
The private talks ensued after Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh acceded to the request of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Volda Lawrence for a meeting with her party and the Alliance for Change (AFC) to address concerns regarding the 2012 budgetary estimates.
About four meetings, one of which the AFC attended, were held at the Office of the President, leading to a consensus on old age pension, electricity tariff for Linden, issuing of radio licences and economic activities in Linden were among others discussed.
Speaking on those private talks, President Ramotar accused the opposition leader David Granger of cutting deals unfairly, by agreeing to a consensus only when he is satisfied that his demands are met.
“It is not what is good for APNU…AFC…PPP… I say anyone who has the interest of Guyana should support the working class unconditionally… it is what is good for Guyana,” President Ramotar said
The workers were given the assurance that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) is on their side throughout this volatile period but, were implored to join hands in unity and make their contribution to the present struggle.
President Ramotar believes that division breeds defeat and blamed the ongoing division in the trade union movement in Guyana for the circumstances that led to such a historic and unprecedented cut in the National Budget.
The workers were also put on high alert, to be aware of “wolf in sheep’s clothing” and in the words of Komal Chand, the anti-working class campaign that is gratifying to some opposition whose actions caused several workers to be placed on the breadline.