Berbice: Tuesday morning hundreds of field and factory workers of Rose Hall Estate staged a picketing exercise outside of the Estate’s Administrative Office protesting plans by the Government and the state-owned Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo) to close the Estate. The workers have noted recent comments by President David Granger who advised that Albion, Blairmont, and Uitvlugt Estates will remain open as an indication that Rose Hall is one fingered for closure.
The workers are staunchly against the closure of the Estate and have pointed to the many grave difficulties that would face them and their families should the closure plans be implemented. Workers also reminded that just a few weeks ago PM Nagamootoo at the commemoration activity for the Rose Hall Martyrs said that “Sugar will never die” but now they are faced with the real prospect of joblessness and impoverishment. Furthermore, the workers are convinced that the plans touted by Administration and GuySuCo officials offer little hope for a secured and bright future.
The closure of Rose Hall, should it proceed, would take a heavy toll on many communities and spawn unwanted social ills which would require huge sums to remedy. The township of New Amsterdam will also be particularly affected given that sugar workers and their families bring much business there.
At this time, Rose Hall employs some 2,400 persons and when an account is taken of workers, their families, shop owners, service providers and others, the closure will affect several thousand of ordinary Guyanese. The GAWU finds it puzzling, indeed disheartening, that such plans are contemplated when other jobs, especially in the East Canje area, are simply unavailable. The schemes to bring suffering and misery to so many persons must be condemned and resisted by all right-thinking Guyanese.
You must be logged in to post a comment.