Blairmont Estate workers remain on strike
Written by Denis Scott Chabrol
Thursday, 16 February 2012 10:46
Source



Hundreds of sugar workers at Blairmont Estate, West Coast Berbice on Thursday continued strike action, protesting a loss of earnings. They are also demanding the removal of Estate Manager, Corbet Victorine and Field Manager Anil Seepersaud because they believe that those officials are responsible for the pay-loss and other unsatisfactory working conditions.


Demerara Waves Online News (www.demwaves.com) saw several hundreds of punts of sugarcane that are awaiting grinding for one week now.

Shortly after listening to workers' grievances and addressing them, Alliance For Change (AFC) Chairman, Khemraj Ramjattan told demwaves.com that he plans to formally ask Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) to offer better representation and cease taking the side of the Guyana Sugar Corporation's (GuySuCo) management. "It's a kind a sensitive route to take but we need to tell GAWU that their trade union representatives are not doing a good job and they, themselves, too are not doing such a good job," he said.

Ramjattan also intends to formally ask GuySuCo and the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy to remove the Estate Manager.
The estimated 500 workers - on strike at a time when the estate should be grinding - vow to remain on strike if their grievances are not addressed. The field and factory workers include those involved in tillage, weeding and spraying. "We are not here to get replace GAWU. We are here to help GAWU to stand up and have guts for the workers," added the AFC’s Moses Nagamootoo.
The issue is already engaging the attention of the Ministry of Labour.

Estate workers' representative, Suhanlall Ragbeer told demwaves.com that obstacle-removal and sideline dam maintenance payments have been reduced. All estate gates have been locked, preventing workers from having open-access to management officials. With certain pay cuts, he says, cane harvesters' earnings will slump from GUY$25,000 per week to GUY$17,000 per week. "Are we going to work and starve? It's best we stay home and starve. It’s unfair to the working class of people," said Ragbeer.

Workers noted that they are suffering pay cuts while GuySuCo executives travel by plane to Berbice for meetings and Victorine travels to and from Buxton everyday although estate accommodation is provided for him and his family.

Guysuco strike halts sugar sales to Trinidad
Written by Denis Scott Chabrol
Thursday, 16 February 2012 12:47
Source


Punts of cane awaiting the return of workers at the Blairmont Estate field and factory.

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuco) were Thursday trying to get Blairmont Sugar Estate workers to call off a nearly one-week old strike that has seen the sugar producer unable to sell the sweetener to Trinidad. Guysuco’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Paul Bhim Bhim said the cash-strapped sugar corporation sells 250 tons of sugar to Trinidad weekly but this week there is no sugar and so no could be sold, resulting in the entity losing US$150,000 in much needed earnings. He said there was little chance obtaining sugar from Enmore because that factory is yet to commence grinding. Bhim also said the industrial unrest was biting hard into the sucrose content.

Bhim explained that the 192 punts of sugar cane that are awaiting processing should have produced 110 tons of sugar but with the industrial action, the yield could be as little as 30 tons. There are also 273 tons of burnt but un-cut cane in addition to un-burnt and un-cut canes whose sucrose content will drop. The strike, he added, could result in the crop being prolonged and the next crop entering the May-June rainy season. “The canes are getting older and you will lose sugar,” he said.

The CEO maintained that both Guysuco and GAWU have told workers representatives at Blairmont Estate that there is no basis for the strike. "We had several meetings last Saturday and Sunday and the Chief Labour officer intervened Tuesday night and he instructed the workers to go back because they have no grievance,” he said. Calling the strike action a “bit of a standoff at the moment,” he rejected demands by the workers that they be paid more for the clearing of obstacles. He said the field was not in a bad condition and so the workers could not legitimately expect to be paid more.

Asked whether Guysuco, faced with a loss of earnings, would give into the demand by the estimated 500 workers that Estate Manager, Corbet Victorine and Field Manager Anil Seepersaud be removed because it is believed they are responsible for austere conditions, Bhim said that concern was not brought to management’s attention. He defended Victorine and Seepersaud’s performance, “they might have fresh ideads on how to reduce costs” and “we have had no problems with these two managers.” Bhim also credited them with tightening up on attendance and leaving the factory for home shortly after reporting for duty.

Earlier Thursday, executive members of the Alliance For Change (AFC) met with the workers and pledged their solidarity and intervention to address their grievances. Those visiting included Khemraj Ramjattan, Nigel Hughes, Moses Nagamootoo, Gerhard Ramsaroop and Freddie Kissoon.

Day 4: Blairmont Sugar Estate strike…AFC pledges support for workers
FEBRUARY 17, 2012 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
Source

Hundreds of sugar workers attached to the Blairmont Estate entered their fourth day of industrial action yesterday to press the Guyana sugar corporation to address several grievances affecting them. The strike action is severely hampering the estate’s operations.

Early yesterday, the workers, supported by a contingent from the Alliance for Change (AFC) gathered once again in front of the estate’s Administrative Block. The AFC team included its Presidential Candidate at the last General Elections Khemraj Ramjattan, Moses Nagamootoo, attorney at law Nigel Hughes, Gerhard Ramsaroop along with former University of Guyana Lecturer Frederick Kissoon. They were on a fact-finding mission to gather and ascertain relevant information pertaining to the issues which led to the action taken by the workers, who braved the early morning rains and aired their concerns in their usual passionate way, calling for the removal of Estate Manager, Corbette Victorine.


Khemraj Ramjattan listens to the grievances from one of the striking estate workers.

The workers commenced industrial action on Monday, holding a picketing exercise in front of the Admin building calling for the immediate removal of Victorine who they said was carrying out “dictatorial policies” in the running of the estate.

GUYSUCO in CRISIS

“We in the AFC will support you, they cannot touch you,” said Nagamootoo. “The sugar industry is in crisis. They have to show that they can manage, cut costs, cut production cost, there is a dilemma, they’re going to a bank in Trinidad to get so many billion dollars to pay debtors– they owe people, and they are squandering and overspending and mismanaging, so they have $8B to $12B in the hole and they are trying to squeeze you (the workers), to squeeze water out of stone to get you to be the scapegoat. That you are responsible for all the bad things happening in the sugar industry….so they’re trying to cut back on your working hours, pay, your necessities, and soon they might even say you cannot have water and that you will have to drink the canal water to cut back on costs. Hard times are ahead and there is no short or easy answer,” he noted. Nagamootoo urged the sugar workers to “hold tight” and “we will try to make representation to the union.”


Ramjattan and Moses Nagamootoo along with other members of the AFC lead the workers in a march in front of the Admin Building yesterday

One of the Guyana Agricultural Workers’ Union (GAWU) representatives said that he attended a meeting on Tuesday with the union’s executive in Georgetown. “We told them the whole estate has problem. He said that the Field Secretary only informed him that harvesters had problems.”
According to the workers’ representative also present at that meeting were Yoganand Persaud, Chief Labour Officer as well as GAWU General Secretary Seepaul Narine.

The representative stated that the Chief Labour Officer “did not give us ample time to say what we had to say…when we speak, he cut you, then make a ruling that we must have a full resumption of work by tomorrow (Wednesday) or we and the union will pay the full consequences.”
“I feel that slavery is coming back in the sugar industry,” he noted. Ramjattan enquired from the workers’ representative if the union members at the meeting had said anything at the meeting “to put Yoganand Persaud to his place” and the rep answered that the general secretary did not say much on behalf of the workers.

PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION

The AFC leader then pointed out that “we in the AFC can’t really carry that strong line in parliament unless we really understand your problems so we came here to understand these issues.” He stated since his arrival in Blairmont yesterday morning, he had filled almost 15 pages of his notebook with complaints the sugar workers raised with him. “It would appear that NIS contributions, promises being made to the payment of the Annual Production Index (API), and apparently the women section have a huge set of problems.”

Ramjattan noted that before proper representation is made by the party, “we have to articulate your grievances really well. I honestly don’t know how you all are managing with $1400 a day and a weeder $2,000.” The politician told the sugar workers that it is their union GAWU who was supposed to be hearing and listening to their concerns like the AFC was doing. “This is something that GAWU has to be doing, but it has appeared over the years that there has been a close relationship between GAWU and management and that is what is causing the representation to deteriorate. What we have to do is to put some fire on GAWU and give them some beating to represent the workers better, otherwise there should be another union because if they continuously do this thing, you might very well ask for another union,” he said. “We gotta put pressure on GAWU, GUYSUCO and the government. We are well-placed to do that,” he assured.

WORKING WITH APNU

According to Ramjattan, to be effective, the AFC has to work along with the other opposition party, APNU, to get motions passed in parliament
He however pointed out that he was certain that, “them chaps this in GAWU and the government gonna come and tell you, ‘Ramjattan lying in bed with them black man’, but we can only work to improve your lot when we work along with APNU people to get the 33 Members of Parliament to pass the motion. Don’t allow them to propagandize that Ramjattan lying in bed with Granger and all them PNC leaders, and then the thing turn racial and you workers walk away and cause division, so understand that! They love to come and talk this nasty racism.”

Another sugar worker argued that, “As they want cut costs in GUYSCUO, why don’t they cut from the big ones come down. Them in air conditioned in their houses, awe in the rain and sun. Them a get gas allowance for house and we the little ones feeling pressure. They getting vehicles for driving out, buses to take their children to school. What about cane-cutter children?”

The workers plan to continue industrial action until their demands are met and the Estate Manager is removed.

Blairmont workers to continue striking until demands met
By STABROEK STAFF | LOCAL | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2012
Source

GuySuCo’s Blairmont Sugar Estate workers, who are striking to protest new measures that are slashing their wages, yesterday said they will not return to work until their concerns are addressed; they have been on strike since Monday. The workers from different sections participated in a ‘symbolic march’ yesterday and called for the removal of estate manager Corlette Victorine and field manager Anil Seepersaud.


AFC Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan and party executive Moses Nagamootoo meeting with some of the striking workers

They told Stabroek News that since Victorine took over late last year, they have been denied rights. According to the workers, although they have been protesting for better working conditions for almost one week and punts of cane in the canal have been spoiling while there has been no production, no one has adequately addressed their problems. The workers lamented that the Victorine wants to “cut cost but yet he travels to work every day from Buxton” with GuySuCo’s vehicle, even though the estate provides a house at Blairmont for him to stay.


Punts of cane stalled up in the canal because of the strike

A Guyana Agriculture and General Workers Union (GAWU) representative, Rafi Yusuff, explained that each gang—cultivation, harvesting, factory, field workshop—has problems. However, only persons from some of the gangs were selected “to go to Georgetown to discuss [the issues] with the management and the union.” The union, he said, is claiming that only two gangs have problems. The workers’ main grouse, Yusuff explained, is with cost-cutting measures that are “slashing our money. Now this [estate manager] wants to have production without cost; that is impossible and like he wants to make it possible,” he said.

Yusuff, a fireman, added that he “worked 31 years at the estate as a cane-harvester… and the things we are accustomed to this man wants to take it away….” He pointed out that the “fireman in our gang used to have one alternative [day] per week to weed the field as extra work but dem tek away that. Every other Sunday we used to have a standby to burn cane and dem tek that away too.”

A delegation from the Alliance for Change (AFC), including Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan, executives Moses Nagamootoo, Nigel Hughes and Gerhard Ramsaroop as well as columnist Frederick Kissoon met the workers yesterday. Nagamootoo told this newspaper that the AFC was “here as a team because we were asked to come.” He said they listened to the grievances of the workers and were expected to “make representation wherever we can.” He also said that they “intend to raise these issues with the union [GAWU] and the management of GuySuCo. We want a solution to the problems that the workers are faced with.”

He pointed out that the AFC was not there to “knock the union down and we are not here to really blame anybody except that we know there is a problem and it should be resolved.” According to him, it seemed as though the union is in league with the management of the estate and it was “not doing anything for the workers right now.”

A worker from the side-line dam said they used to be paid $3,000 for the job but now that figure would be slashed. They also have to “weed between the raw, tall cane to remove obstacles in the hot sun without water.” GuySuCo, the worker explained, was supposed to provide a “water punt with a water-fetcher but now they tell you to make sure you full yuh water-bag and walk with it. But the agreement said only one pint of water you can take with you and when that finish they have to provide.”

Further, the workers said that they are no longer provided with pieces of rope with hooks attached to tie the punts and they have to purchase their own ropes and hooks. The factory workers had told Stabroek News that the manager has implemented a system of keeping the gates locked at all times and that even when it is time for them to leave work to go home, they have to get a pass and “get the boss the sign it first.” According to them, “That never happened in the history of this estate… why he [manager] wants to come and change it?” Further, they asked for “…good sense to prevail.” They explained that there was an agreement since 2004 that when the workers go to the estate’s dispensary for medical check-ups they would not go in to work for the day. The managers are “trying to abolish [this] which the workers fought for over the years,” a worker said.

They workers were concerned too that the estate invested millions of dollars in five tractors, which only worked for six weeks and broke down and have been parked for about a year. It was found, according to one of the workers, that the tractors have a “maker’s fault… but nobody is paying heed to it or coming to check them. When you buy new items they are on warranty… but the loosing up was done by Blairmont Estate mechanics. If they want production they should fix them up and give us to work but the estate said the parts didn’t come for them yet.”

A bunch of neemakarams and Moses fooling the sugar workers. Why yall holding Guyana hostage for power and domination?

There are no APNU or PPP representing these sugar workers,AFC is present and would support our Brothers and Family always.Keep it Up AFC A-Team.Gerald Sir thaanks so much.

quote:

Originally posted by Cobra:
A bunch of neemakarams and Moses fooling the sugar workers. Why yall holding Guyana hostage for power and domination?

You are already known as a PPP bonehead who backs thieves and corrupt politicians.
Now, how is Moses fooling the workers here you flippin fool?

15% OF EAST INDIANS VOTED FOR THE AFC IN 2011; only 4% blacks

see the 11:38 post here

The goal of the AFC is to weaken the PPP sufficiently so that their PNC bedmates could return to power.

LOSERS LIKE MOSES, KHEMRAJ AND RAMSAROOP DONT GIVE A HOOT ABOUT THOSE EAST INDIAN CANE FARMERS.

They just want their beloved PNC partners--the Trotmans and the Grangers--to get back into power and rule Guyana again.

THAT MUST NEVER, EVER HAPPEN.




Those dispicable losers should be hung from the tallest trees you could find in Berbice.

Rev

The AFC is not even the party in power, but it has been most vocal and active in representing these poor and abandoned workers. If the PPP had made even half the effort that the AFC makes these canecutters would be back to work well happy.
And what is the thank you that the AFC gets from the PPP? Accusations that the AFC if preventing the canecutters from starving to death as per pPP agenda.

The A.F.C appears to wanna steal a faction of the P.P.P support to give A.P.N.U....

The Guyanese Populace are wise.....

What lies the AFC feeding the poor cane cutters. First the dunce Tarron wrote about perpetuating donkey cart economy, now the AFC in an about face supporting the perpetuation of said donkey cart economy. The days of manual labor are over, without serious mechanization Guyana can not remain competitive with the large producing nations.

Due to the 33% E.U sugar cut....its more of a challenge to Guysuco...the A.F.C should not play political games with those workers, they should tell time the truth...

quote:

Originally posted by BGurd_See:
The days of manual labor are over, without serious mechanization Guyana can not remain competitive with the large producing nations.

Go tell that to the Chinese and Indians. They manage to make just about anything with their bare hands.
Additionally, almost every piece of high tech precision instrument or equipment is hand built.

I feel SORRY for this SMALL Group of Uneducated Canecutters. POOR Souls dont even know Nigel was part of the Buxton Terrorist Group. Ow meh God KFC really ah tek advantage ah dem POOR Souls.

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.T:

quote:

Originally posted by BGurd_See:
The days of manual labor are over, without serious mechanization Guyana can not remain competitive with the large producing nations.

Go tell that to the Chinese and Indians. They manage to make just about anything with their bare hands.
Additionally, almost every piece of high tech precision instrument or equipment is hand built.

At slave labor and the aid of machines manufacturing is achieved in China. But you are a liar to tell us that precision instruments are hand built. This is not the case, machines are used always. The human hand can not produce precision tolerances without the help of machines.

Bai Pavi, when you say you sorry your mouth stink of lies. Before Jagdeo most of these canecutters could buy a lot more with their earnings than what they can do now. The PPP has used and abused canecutters as voting slaves. But every time when it comes to payback for the canecutters, it turns out payback is a bitch.
Conclusion: as far as the PPP is concerned canecutters are expendable, and anyone trying to help them is a bad person. One can only conclude that now the PPP got cocaine to shore up their election coffers, the canecutters are an embarrassment to the PPP.

You are a DUNCE, plain nd simple. I dont need to discuss atopic with you that you have NO knowledge of. sTART AT Basic math and when you get to Math 120, we can talk DUNCE.

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.T:
Bai Pavi, when you say you sorry your mouth stink of lies. Before Jagdeo most of these canecutters could buy a lot more with their earnings than what they can do now. The PPP has used and abused canecutters as voting slaves. But every time when it comes to payback for the canecutters, it turns out payback is a bitch.
Conclusion: as far as the PPP is concerned canecutters are expendable, and anyone trying to help them is a bad person. One can only conclude that now the PPP got cocaine to shore up their election coffers, the canecutters are an embarrassment to the PPP.

quote:

Originally posted by BGurd_See:
At slave labor and the aid of machines manufacturing is achieved in China. But you are a liar to tell us that precision instruments are hand built. This is not the case, machines are used always. The human hand can not produce precision tolerances without the help of machines.

You think any satellite or rocket is machine built, or that medical scanners are machine built?

A snap election is the best solution



Written by ANDREW WHYTE



Friday, 17 February 2012 22:22



I WOULD like to encourage the PPP to call a snap election which would be best for the country and the people of Guyana. I personally do not see anything moving forward, and if we continue along the same path with the opposition continuing to say they are for the people and the country, this would be as far as we could get.They are lying to themselves and the entire nation. When elections were held and the results came out, I told myself that this was a good thing; it gives each party a voice in Parliament for the benefit of the people. We continue to read in the papers each passing day: that the opposition is NOT looking to ensure the people and the country benefit from positive changes. They are out there only to bring the Government down. They all know in their hearts that there are certain things they must agree on for the benefit of the people and country. But they even refuse to agree to these things.
They need to remember, the PPP, APNU and AFC are not the Government; the people are and we cannot just sit and wait for them to debate and play games like kids.
A snap election should be called and let ONE party have the majority and move this country ahead. If we continue like this, we will NEVER move for the next five (5) years.
APNU,the AFC and the PPP at the end of the day – have nothing to worry about, they all still enjoy all the benefits that come with being in parliament. We the people are losing, not them – CALL a SNAP election and I am absolutely sure, one party will win this time and we all know who that party will be

The AFC will lead the march and protest. That's all they can do. They will try to fool the people that the next election, they will win.

What the sugar workers want is to have the PNC rule them and destroy the country. The AFC got their orders from the PNC to demoralize the sugar workers and create havoc among them...

GNI seems to be the media outlet for AFC propaganda.

Cain, why don't you shut you old rass and sit quietly? You get fool with two loafs of bread and a pound of cassava. Keep on making noise like empty barrel.

De bwoys at Freedumb Ho house are all flabbergasted this turn of event. Dem ah watch me.

quote:

Originally posted by BGurd_See:

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.T:

quote:

Originally posted by BGurd_See:
The days of manual labor are over, without serious mechanization Guyana can not remain competitive with the large producing nations.

Go tell that to the Chinese and Indians. They manage to make just about anything with their bare hands.
Additionally, almost every piece of high tech precision instrument or equipment is hand built.

At slave labor and the aid of machines manufacturing is achieved in China. But you are a liar to tell us that precision instruments are hand built. This is not the case, machines are used always. The human hand can not produce precision tolerances without the help of machines.

There is also a nice machine to remove yuh goadee.

History was created AFC and we have to thank God for that Victory.This is Strickly for our Brothers and Sisters in Our Guyana,So Bring on the Snap or next Election,God Have the Greatest Plan for Guyana(MIRACLES).We would have a wonderful time campaining again,AFC would be there for our Brothers and Sisters,CHANGE(S)

As you speaking I can see the Shit running down your legs in FEAR.

quote:

Originally posted by creative:
History was created AFC and we have to thank God for that Victory.This is Strickly for our Brothers and Sisters in Our Guyana,So Bring on the Snap or next Election,God Have the Greatest Plan for Guyana(MIRACLES).We would have a wonderful time campaining again,AFC would be there for our Brothers and Sisters,CHANGE(S)

You speaking of yourself you Quack-you are simply the Phagla Boy that we all know,be a little more Positive,Old Age catchin up to you so continue wearing your Pampers KID.

The frustrated PPP BANDITS increasingly feel that their only path to a Jagdeo CRIME era restoration is a snap election.

I say . . . bring it on!

Sharp objects and firearms will have to be banned from Freedom W***eHouse when THOSE results come in!!

Miracles Miracles,AFC keeping their promises all the way.Like redux said 'BRING IT ON'

Keep up the good work and pressure Gerhard and company

Whre is GAWU arent they suppose to represent the sugar wokers

Al Yuh Gwan Suh Al YUh Snakeoil Selling Stinking LIARS. Told the People Al YUh gun Win the Election Now the WATA WASH SHIT AH BATTY PARTY wants to Bring It ON. laad ah mercy. the only stinking lying nakeoil salesmen are Al yuh.!!!

Snakeoil Salesmen Ranjhaaaatan and CO are now taking over GAWU, TUC and everything like the Russian Dictators of old.

Bhai, Moses get wan madrass dhall belly deh.

quote:

Originally posted by ABIDHA:
Bhai, Moses get wan madrass dhall belly deh.

How come Moses thinks that he is a brahmin?

Promise are to be fulfill and this is exactly what we the AFC are doing.WE are of no specific Religion but HUMAN BEINGS,our brothers and Sisters in Guyana needs REPRESENTATION and we the AFC PROMISES THAT.Show us your support on this moment of need and what we deserve for our hard work in the Cane Fields.

quote:

Originally posted by ABIDHA:
GNI seems to be the media outlet for AFC propaganda.

Cain, why don't you shut you old rass and sit quietly? You get fool with two loafs of bread and a pound of cassava. Keep on making noise like empty barrel.

First. Where on this BB will you find posters who are for the opposition, start threads with negative remarks?

This is done daily by PPP scum, they are the dirtbags that peddle their shyte on this board.

Practically every thread started by these PPP scumbags show how these corruped pricks think.

So, you should also shut your rass if you don't know what you speak of.

This abidha writes like a sex pervert. Imagine soliciting sex with two loafs of bread and a pound of cassava.

quote:

Originally posted by ABIDHA:
Bhai, Moses get wan madrass dhall belly deh.

He trying to ketch up with Ramoutar's, but Ramtar got him beat by at least ten inches.

Well what a surprise...not a single word of sympathy for the plight of the sugar workers from the PPP people here...