CombatIssue#:5 Volume#: 33 Voice of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) September/October, 2012

COMBAT: September/October, 2012 Page One

Second sugar crop progressing satisfactorily

- weekly sugar production highest in many years- Wage/Salary agreement inked

- improvement in cane-cutting incentives

The Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc (Guysuco) is progressing towards the attainment of its latest re-vised target of 241,000 tonnes of sugar this year (2012).

During the weeks of September and October, the seven (7) grinding estates recorded an average weekly production of 9,039 tonnes of sugar, which is a remarkable production level by any standard, and a feat that has not been achieved in many past months. From October 27, 2012 to the conclu-sion of the crop – expectedly by the third week of December, 2012 – the industry is required to pro-duce 64,649 tonnes of sugar if the year’s target of 241,000 tonnes is to be attained, taking into ac-count that the industry produced 71,146 tonnes during the first crop, and the current crop’s pro-duction stands at 105,202 tonnes as at October 26, 2012. Should the industry produce 241,000

tonnes of sugar this year, its production would have been the highest since year 2008. In the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 the industry’s produc-tion figures were 226,267 tonnes, 233,733 tonnes, 220,818 tonnes and 236,506 tonnes respectively.

A production of 241,000 tonnes of sugar must be followed, in ensuring years, by higher levels of production. Therefore, while stakeholders of the industry may wish to hail the industry’s current performance, if in the near future years the yearly production fails to surpass 300,000 tonnes of sug-ar, the industry’s future will remain uncertain.

As the industry seeks to consolidate its produc-tion, the Corporation and the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), in ensuring that a favourable industrial climate is maintained, have reached an agreement regarding improve-

ment of workers’ pay.

On October 22, 2012, the two parties concluded this year’s negotiations with respect to wage/sal-ary and improvement of certain benefits. Piece-rated workers’ rates-of-pay are to increase by five (5) per cent and time-rated workers’ pay by a one (1) per cent. The increases are to be retroactive to January 01, 2012.

Additionally, workers will benefit from improve-ments in the issuance of the following personal protective equipment (PPE):- an additional pair of long boots for chargehands of the mill dock, an ad-ditional water bag for “cut and join” men, the pro-vision of long boots and gloves for rodent control workers, one (1) additional file per year for weed-ers; “Drawdown hands” and planters are to be pro-vided with additional cutlasses and files after ten (10) weeks of active harvesting, and a sewing al-lowance of G$1,200 per year for charwomen. The new benefits have been implemented across the industry, while retroactive payments in the new rates-of-pay are to be paid expectedly in the latter part of December, 2012.

Cane cutters also enjoyed improvements in their rates of incentives for cutting and loading and cut-ting and stacking of canes as follows:-

Cut and Stack Cut and Load % Incentive15.15 tonnes 10 tonnes 31.822.7 tonnes 15 tonnes 40.925 tonnes 16.5 tonnes 6028 tonnes 18.48 tonnes 69

Continued on page eight (8)

Representatives from the seven (7) grinding estates and officials of the Union meeting with officials of Guysuco at negotiations

COMBAT: September/October, 2012 Page Two

A short history of sugar in Guyana

to maintain the fertility of the soil. The river soils began to be worked out, and, as labour increased, the river estates were gradually aban-doned, and the planters wrestled the coast from the sea and swamps, and settled there. At the close of the 18th century, there were some 380 separate estates from Corentyne to Pomeroon. In 1841, Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo were finally ceded to the British, and, under their rule,the sugar industry progressed, so that ten (10) years later, the colonies pro-duced some 12,214 tons of sugar. The maximum production under the Dutch was 4,152 tons in 1778. By the beginning of the 19th century, there were nearly 400 sugar plantations in Guyana. In the drive for increased efficiency, the sugar companies vigorously pur-sued modernisation, research, and new techniques. By 1967, there were eighteen (18) estates: Albion, Port Mourant, Blairmont, Providence, Di-amond, Enmore, Lusignan, Houston, LBI, Ogle, Leonora, Rose Hall, Loch-aber, Skeldon, Uitvlugt, Versailles and Wales, serving eleven (11) factories, nine (9) of which were owned and/or managed by Booker McConnel Limit-ed. The other two (2) were managed by the Demerara Company. Total ac-erage under cane cultivation in 1967, including fallow lands, was 113,474 acres, while sugar production for that

Guyana’s sugar industry was found-ed in 1658, before the settlement of the provinces of Demerara and Berbice, when, under the rule of the Dutch West India Company, four plantations were established on the Pomeroon River in Essequibo. The provinces of Demerara and Berbice were settled later. The early sugar plantations pro-gressed slowly. Times were unset-tled. Portugal, Holland, France, Spain and Britain were all fighting for colo-nies in the West, and countries and colonies changed hands frequently, so that there was a continuous move-ment of settlers looking for some place to settle. Estates were often attacked by pri-vateers, who would sail up the river and hold the estates to ransom. Thus, new settlements were continued to the river banks, about 30.5 miles from the coasts, partly for fear of the pirates, and also because of the high cost of empoldering and draining the fertile but low coastlands, a cost which the early settlers were not in a position to bear. By 1759, there were 120 planta-tions along the Demerara River, and 200 on the East Bank of Essequibo. The main crop was sugar, but there were smaller areas under coffee and ground crops. However, the inland plantations became increasingly un-productive, owing to years of contini-ous cropping with little or no attempt

Cde Keith Crawford passes on

Comrade Keith Emanuel Crawford, former shop steward from Skeldon Estate, whose short biography was carried in the March/April, 2011 edition of Combat, suddenly passed away on September 10, 2012 at the

age of fifty-seven (57). He left to mourn his wife and eight (8) children, his many friends, and hundreds of sugar workers who worked along with him for years at the Guysuco’s Skeldon Estate. Crawford, who had been a member of the Guyana Agri-cultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), was known to be upright in promoting the in-terests of his fellow workers. He is known to have been firm in his representation to Manage-ment but would not be inflexible when he discovered his argu-ments and facts were not sound as Management’s rebuttal to his representation would prove at times.

Cde Crawford, at the Union’s 20th Congress which was held on August 25, 27 and 28, 2012, was elected a member of the Or-

ganisation’s General Council – the Union’s second highest forum. He was looking forward to serve on this important body of the Union.

Cde Crawford making a presentation at the Union’s 20th Congress

year (1967) was 343,922 tons. This compares well with the 1950 figures of 195,652 tons, and the 1975 figure of 300,350 tons. In 1973, the main ownership of the sugar industry was in the hands of two (2) London-based companies - Jessels Securities, which owned two (2) factories and accounted for about fifteen (15) per cent of the total sugar production; five (5) per cent was pro-duced by an independent Guyanese factory owned by the Vieiras ,and eighty (80) per cent by Booker Mc-Connel. Two (2) years later, the Demerara

Company estates were nationalised, becoming DEMSUCO.

In a decisive move along the road towards owning and controlling all the resources of the nation, the Guy-ana Government acquired the Book-er Sugar Estates in Guyana in May, 1976. To these were added the two (2) nationalised Demerara Sugar Compa-ny estates to form, in amalgamation, the Guyana Sugar Corporation - Guy-suco - comprising the estates of Skel-don, Albion, Rose Hall, Blairmont, En-more, LBI, Wales and Uitvlugt.

COMBAT: September/October, 2012 Page Three

GAWU observes WFTU-sponsored International Action Day

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Un-ion (GAWU), as an affiliate of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), on October 03, 2012, observed the WFTU-sponsored International Action Day, which was held under the theme “Food, Clean Water, Books, Medicine and Housing is a right for all workers and peoples”. In observing the day, GAWU, through the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), pre-sented a Statement of Solidarity and Support to Head of State, His Excellency, President Donald Ramotar. The statement read as follows:- “October 03 is designated “International Action Day” by the Presidential Council of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), to which the Guyana Agri-cultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), along with 209 other unions of 120 countries, is an affiliate. This year’s International Action Day is taking place on the slogan of the WFTU: “Food, Clean Water, Books, Medicine and Housing is a right for all workers and peoples.” International Action Day seeks to highlight and fo-cus attention to the serious and grave conditions to which billions of humanity, especially in the develop-ing world, must face up and exist in our day. Teeming millions of citizens of our planet are poverty-stricken, exist with acute deprivation of even the most basic necessities, and millions succumb yearly in such cir-cumstances. Instead of declining, the statistics indicate that the situation is becoming horrifyingly worse. The systemic crisis that has gripped the “developed” world since 2008 has pushed untold millions across the world into the ranks of the poor and powerless. With no end in sight to the global crisis that has beset capitalism, those ranks will certainly be further swollen. A few years ago, the world was shocked to learn that some 40 per cent of humankind was forced to live on two dollars ($2) a day or less. That nightmare

which persists is to-day aggravated and is a constant threat to countries’ stability and world security. The de-nial of the social rights to massive numbers of the planet’s citizens cannot be swept aside, or continue to go un-addressed or receive scant attention. It is time for action, posi-tive and urgent action. Priority attention is required in the areas of food, water, health, education and hous-ing. Facts and figures provided by the WFTU are startling, heart-wrenching but reveal-ing.

Consider a few:-Food1. Since 2007, food prices reached their highest of

the last 30 years, and today it is climbing higher2. According to the World Bank, 50 million people

were made poor due to high food prices3. It is estimated that more than 850 million people

are undernourished or starving, because their in-come prevents them from obtaining proper sus-tenance

4. Meanwhile, monopolies and multinational groups of the food industry rake in their super-profits. Nestle, in 2009, received profits of 7 billion euros. In 2011, Cargill announced profits of 3.3 billion euro. These are but two of several such compa-nies

Water The latest report of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF, entitled “Report of Progress and Sanitation and Drinking Water 2010”, informs us that 884 million people have no access to safe, clean wa-ter; 39 per cent of the global population, mainly in Africa and Asia, have no access to basic sanitation fa-cilities; and 1.5 million children, 5 years and less, die each year due to lack of access to safe water. Yet, privatization of water goes on, stemming from which companies like ‘Suez’ and ‘Veolia’ make billions in profits

Education In developing countries, one of every eight children does not receive even preliminary education. Illiter-acy in Africa, for instance, is put at 23 per cent for boys and 32 per cent for girls. In Southern Asia, it is 16 per cent for boys and 26 per cent for girls. In some individual countries, the percentage could even reach

around 70 per cent.

Health It is estimated that one-third of the world’s popu-lation has no regular access to medicines. Many find it unaffordable; many out of poverty, suffer and die from preventable and treatable diseases. Interesting-ly, it should be noted that the 12 biggest pharmaceu-tical companies recorded profits of 78 billion dollars. Against the backdrop of such dire realities, one must raise anew the question of the plunder of developing countries’ natural resources by transnationals. The exploitation of the wealth of the ‘Third World’ often does not benefit, in any substantial way, the people. Little goes towards addressing their misery, but most, end up in mega profits for the transnational compa-nies. Professor Joseph Stiglitz, formerly of the World Bank, advised that, where necessary, developing countries should renegotiate agreements with transnationals, so that a country’s resources will first and foremost benefit its people, especially since resources are not renewable. In view of the vast and diverse demands of peoples in the developing world, this is sound ad-vice, and there are precedents for such, too. International Action Day comes at a juncture when the militancy of the working people in Europe has not simmered. Their anger against more austerity is grow-ing, and actions in Spain, Portugal, Greece and France have taken on a new dimension. Once again, we see the clear linkages between the working peoples from the developed and developing world. The common oppressors and exploiters are found in the pervasive capitalist system We recognise in Guyana the advances made in the social sectors, on which International Action Day fo-cuses. We also recognise that much work lies ahead. Complacency today is not an option. One lesson of capitalist development, as we see in Europe, is how easily and readily gains made over many years and af-ter many struggles could be snatched away. GAWU is sympathetic to the view - as reiterated by the WFTU - that a country’s resources should go pri-marily to the people’s well-being and the country’s development thrust. We need to ensure this is so. We welcome this initiative by the WFTU. We look forward to the sustained efforts by the international community, international organisations and, indeed, national leaders to address the myriad of problems identified, and urge that collective and sustained ef-forts be made to seek a change of the system that places profits before people.” This year’s International Action Day was observed in 32 countries across the globe by various WFTU af-filiates. In many countries, demonstrations were held to highlight and bring awareness to the various issues identified by the WFTU. International Action Day is observed annually in October, and focuses on issues which are affecting mainly the working-class and oth-er poorer sections of society.

FITUG’s President Carvil Duncan presenting to President Donald Ramotar the Statement of Solidar-ity and Support on October 03, 2012. Also in the picture are other Executives and Members of FITUG Unions

COMBAT: September/October, 2012 Page Four

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US dumps Syrian National Council (SNC), focuses exclusively on arming “Al Qaeda in Syria”US dumps Syrian proxy political front in latest move to accelerate long-stalled regime change

By Tony CartalucciNovember 01, 2012

The Washington Post, in its recent article, “U.S. looks to build alternative Syrian opposition leader-ship,” claims:

The Obama administration has spent the past several months in secret diplomatic ne-gotiations aimed at building a new Syrian opposition leadership structure that it hopes can win the support of minority groups still backing President Bashar al-Assad.

The strategy, to be unveiled at a Syrian opposi-tion meeting next week in Qatar, amounts to a last-ditch effort to prevent extremists from gaining the upper hand within the opposition, and to stop the Syrian crisis from boiling over into the greater Middle East. The Post also indicates that de facto “administra-tive zones” are being set up along the Turkish-Syri-an border with “nonlethal” assistance provided by the United States, France and “other like-minded governments.” The so-called “Syrian National Council” is being discarded, as it is wholly seen as illegitimate by both Syrians and the world at large. The Washington Post would also quote Secretary Clinton:

The SNC, Clinton said, should no longer be

considered the “visible leader” of the opposi-tion.“There has to be a representation of those who are on the front lines, fighting and dy-ing today to obtain their freedom,” she said during an unrelated visit to the Balkan states. “. . . and we also need an opposition that will be on record strongly resisting the efforts by extremists to hijack the Syrian revolution.”

It is clear that both the West’s political proxies and its armed militant proxies have been compro-mised, and the narrative that tentatively worked against Libya is now unravelling and failing against Syria. While the US attempts to portray this latest move as an attempt to “prevent extremist ele-ments from gaining the upper hand within the op-position,” it must be remembered that, as early as 2007, US officials had admitted that efforts to over-throw the governments of Syria and Iran would include primarily US, Israeli, and Saudi armed ex-tremists drawn from across the Arab World and sent into Syria to create the very sectarian blood-bath now unfolding. Rhetoric of “freedom” and “democracy” serve merely as cover within which foreign military aggression is couched. This was first exposed by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh in his 2007 New Yorker report titled, “The Redirection: Is the Administra-tion’s new policy benefiting our enemies in the war

on terrorism?” In the report, it specifically stated:

“To undermine Iran, which is predominantly Shiite, the Bush Administration has decided, in effect, to reconfigure its priorities in the Middle East. In Lebanon, the Administration has co-operated with Saudi Arabia’s govern-ment, which is Sunni, in clandestine opera-tions that are intended to weaken Hezbollah, the Shiite organization that is backed by Iran. The U.S. has also taken part in clandestine operations aimed at Iran and its ally Syria. A by-product of these activities has been the bolstering of Sunni extremist groups that es-pouse a militant vision of Islam and are hos-tile to America and sympathetic to Al Qaeda.”

Hersh’s report would continue by stating:“the Saudi government, with Washington’s approval, would provide funds and logistical aid to weaken the government of President Bashir Assad of Syria. The Israelis believe that putting such pressure on the Assad govern-ment will make it more conciliatory and open to negotiations.”

The link between extremist groups and Saudi funding was also mentioned in the report, and re-flects evidence regarding the origin and backers of similar extremists who flooded Iraq during the US occupation, sowing sectarian strife and killing Western troops alike:

“…[Saudi Arabia’s] Bandar and other Saudis have assured the White House that they ‘will keep a very close eye on the religious funda-mentalists.’ Their message to us was ‘We’ve created this movement, and we can control it.’ It’s not that we don’t want the Salafis to throw bombs, it’s who they throw them at—Hezbollah, Moqtada al-Sadr, Iran, and at the Syrians, if they continue to work with Hez-bollah and Iran.” -The Redirection, Seymour Hersh (2007)

It was exposed in that, indeed, the very networks used by Al Qaeda to flood Iraq with foreign fight-ers is now being used by the United States, NATO and the Persian Gulf States of Saudi Arabia and Qa-tar to violently overthrow Syria. The narrative that recent US efforts aim at heading off “extremists” from “hijacking” the armed violence in Syria is ex-posed as a blatant lie. Extremists have constituted the so-called “opposition” from the very begin-ning, by designing, with explicit US, NATO, Saudi and Qatari funding, weapons,and support.

Will the West’s new “resistance front” in Syria officially include Libyan Mahdi al-Harati of the US State Department, United Na-tions, and the UK Home Office-listed terrorist organization the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG)? Here he is addressing fellow terrorists in Syria. Harati is now commanding a Libyan brigade operating inside of Syria, attempting to destroy the Syrian government and subjugate the Syrian population. Traditionally, this is known as “foreign invasion,” not rebellion.

COMBAT: September/October, 2012 Page Five

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USAID spying in Latin America

The ejection of USAID from Russia was a long-awaited and welcome develop-ment. Moscow has repeatedly warned its US partners - via an array of channels of communication - that the tendency of USAID to interfere with Russia’s domes-tic affairs was unacceptable, and particu-larly that the radicalism of its pet NGOs in the Caucasus would not be tolerated. When, on October 1, the decision made by the Russian leadership took effect, the Moscow-based USAID staff which had stubbornly ignoring the signals had to pack and relocate to other countries facing allegations of authoritarian rule…In Latin America, USAID has long earned a reputation as an organization whose offices are, in fact, intelligence centres scheming to undermine legitimate gov-ernments in a number of the continent’s countries. The truth that USAID hosts CIA and US Defense Intelligence Agency operatives is not deeply hidden, as those seem to have played a role in every Lat-in American coup, providing financial, technical, and ideological support to respective opposition elements. USAID also typically seeks engagement with the local armed forces and law-enforcement agencies, recruiting within them agents ready to lend a hand to the opposition when the opportunity arises. To varying extents, all of the Latin Amer-ican populist leaders felt the USAID pres-sure. No doubt, Venezuela’s H. Chavez is the number one target on the USAID

enemies list. Support for the regime’s o p p o n e n t s in the coun-try shrank c o n s i d e r -ably since the massive 2 0 0 2 - 2 0 0 4 protests, as the nation saw the gov-ernment re-focus on so-cioeconomic issues, health care, housing construction, and youth policies. The o p p o s i t i o n had to start relying more on campaigns in the media, around 80% of which are run by the anti-Chavez

camp. Panic-provoking rumours about imminent food supply disruptions, over-stated reports about the crime level in Venezuela (where, actually, there is less crime than in most countries friendly to the US), and allegations of government incompetence in response to technolog-ical disasters, which became suspiciously frequent as the elections drew closer, are bestowed on the audiences as a part of the subversive scenario involving a network of Venezuelan NGOs. In some cases, the membership of the latter can be limited to 3-4 people, but coupled to strong media support, the opposition can prove to be an ominous force. Pro-Chavez commentators are worried that USAID agents will contest the outcome of the vote and, synchronously, paramili-tary groups will plunge Venezuelan cities into chaos to give the US a pretext for a military intervention. USAID is known to have contributed to the recent failed coup in Ecuador, during which President R. Correa narrowly es-caped an assassination attempt. Elite po-lice forces, heavily sponsored by the US and the media, which made use of the liberal free speech legislation to smear Correa were the key actors in the out-break. Subsequently, it took Correa seri-ous efforts to get a revised media code contrary to the USAID-lobbied resistance approved in the Parliament. Several bids to displace the govern-

ment of Evo Morales clearly employed the USAID operative potential in Bolivia. According to journalist and author Eva Golinger, USAID poured at least $85M into destabilizing the regime in the coun-try. Initially, the US hoped to achieve the desired result by entraining the separa-tists from the predominantly white San-ta Cruz district. When the plan collapsed, USAID switched to courting the Indian communities with which the ecology-oriented NGOs started to get in touch a few years before. Disorienting accounts were fed to the Indians that the con-struction of an expressway across their region would leave the communities landless, and the Indian protest march-es, to the capital that followed ate away at the public standing of Morales. It tran-spired shortly that many of the marches, including those staged by the TIPNIS group, had been coordinated by the US embassy. The job was done by embassy official Eliseo Abelo, a USAID curator for the Bolivian indigenous population. His phone conversations with the march leaders were intercepted by the Bolivian counter-espionage agency, and made public so that he had to escape from the country, while the US diplomatic envoy to Bolivia complained about the phone tapping. In June 2012, foreign ministers of the ALBA bloc countries passed a resolution on USAID. It read: “Citing foreign aid planning and coordination as a pretext, USAID openly meddles in sovereign countries’ domes-tic affairs, sponsoring NGOs and protest activities intended to destabilize legiti-mate governments which are unfavour-able from Washington’s perspective. Documents released from the US Depart-ment of State archives carry evidence that financial support had been provided to parties and groups oppositional to the governments of ALBA countries, a prac-tice tantamount to undisguised and au-dacious interference on the US’ behalf. In most ALBA countries, USAID operates via its extensive NGO networks, which it runs outside of the due legal framework, and also illicitly funds media and political groups. We are convinced that our coun-tries have no need for external financial support to maintain the democracy es-tablished by Latin American and Carib-bean nations, or for externally guided organizations which try to weaken or sideline our government institutions.” The ministers called the ALBA lead-erships to immediately deport USAID representatives, who threaten the sov-ereignty and political stability of the countries where they work. The resolu-

tion was signed by Bolivia, Cuba, Ecua-dor, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Paul J. Bonicelli was confirmed by the US Senate as the USAID Assistant Ad-ministrator for Latin America and the Caribbean last May. Former USAID chief Mark Feuerstein gained such notoriety in Latin America as the brain behind the ousters of the legitimate leaders of Hon-duras and Paraguay that the continent’s politicians simply had to learn to avoid him. The USAID credibility is increasingly drying up, and it is unlikely that Boni-celli, a PhD and a conservative, will be able to reverse the tendency. His record includes heading various USAID divisions and promoting democracy in concert with the US National Security Council. Bonicelli’s views are reflected in his papers in the Foreign Policy journal. To Bonicelli, Chavez is not a democrat, but a leader eager to get rid of all of his oppo-nents. The new USAID boss holds that, apart from the drug threat, Chavez – having inspired populist followers in Ec-uador, Bolivia, and Nicaragua – poses the biggest challenge to the US interests in Latin America. Bonicelli therefore urges the US to prop up the Venezuelan op-position in every way possible, providing material support and training so that it can maximally take part in elections and civilian activities. Another paper by Bonicelli portrays Russia’s present-day evolution as grim regress and a slide towards neo-Tsarism. Based on that perception, Bonicelli ar-gues that the West should hold Russia and its leaders accountable in what-ever concerns freedom and democracy – even if freedom in the country is im-portant to just a handful of people – and cites the case of Poland, where the US used to stand by Lech Walesa. Chances are slim that a reform of USAID would restore the agency’s credibility in Latin America. Sticking to a trimmed list of priorities, USAID axed a few minor programmes and shut down its offices in Chile, Argentine, Uruguay, Costa Rica, and Panama, with Brazil next in line. US-AID believes that the above countries are already in reasonable shape and no longer need assistance, so that the agen-cy can throw its might against its main foes – the populists and Cuba – and do its best to have the politicians unfriend-ly to Washington removed across the Western Hemisphere. The stated USAID budget for Latin America is $750M, but estimates show that the secret part of the funding, which is leveraged by the CIA, may total twice the amount.

COMBAT: September/October, 2012 Page Six

FITUG’s 4th Conference slated for November 07, 2012- President Ramotar to deliver Feature Address

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), one of the two umbrella trade un-

ion bodies in Guyana, will hold its 4th Del-egates Conference, on (Wednesday) No-vember 07, 2012, under the theme “Workers Right to Secure Food and a Clean Environment” at the Regency Suites, Georgetown.

The Conference is the highest decision-making forum of the Federation, and is expected to attract eighty (80) delegates from FITUG’s affili-ates – the Guyana Agricultural and

General Workers Union (GAWU), the National As-

sociation of Agricultural, Commercial and Industri-al Employees (NAACIE), the Guyana Labour Union (GLU), and the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU).

The one-day Conference will review the work of the Federation since its last Conference in 2010. Delegates will also be charged with setting goals and objectives for the organization until its next Conference in 2014. The Conference’s feature ad-dress will be delivered by His Excellency, President Donald Ramotar.

Delegates will also elect members of the General Council, and an Executive Committee which will preside over the Organisation’s work until its 5th Conference.

FITUG is the largest trade union umbrella body in Guyana. Its affiliates represent some 35,000 work-ers, many of whom are employed in strategic sec-tors of the economy.

FLASHBACK: A section of the audience at the 3rd Conference of FITUG, held in July, 2010

PAME denounces award of Nobel Peace Prize to the European UnionGreece’s All Workers Militant Front (PAME) denounced the award of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union (EU). PAME, in a statement, noted as follows:- “The various “independent” and “objective” international organiza-tions, which purport that they stand above interests and class - organiza-tions like the UN, the ILO and others - have proved, again and again, their real role as supporters to the one or the other imperialist groups. “The Nobel peace prize being awarded to the Imperialist Euro-pean Union is awarding the war that the European and international capital has declared against the achievements and the rights of mil-lions of workers in Europe, the de-struction of states and the butcher-ing of whole people. The only peace they recognize, the “labour peace”, is the peace between the slave and his master because, obviously, the committee that awarded the Nobel Peace prize to the EU did not have all the necessary information, we remind them a few of the “achieve-ments” of the EU:• The killing of thousands of work-

ers every year for the profits of the monopolies 4,898 dead

workers in the EU-27 (Eurostat 2011)

• Thousands of lay offs aiming at the reduction of the price of the labour force, which lead to ex-treme poverty and slow death. 25.4 million unemployed (Euro-stat 8/2012)

• The curb of democratic rights and anticommunism by calling workers’ strikes illegal, criminal-izing the struggles of the peo-ples, banning communist and workers’ parties, the depriva-tion of civil rights of thousands of citizens, the banning of the red star and other workers’ sym-bols

• The support of the embargo against Cuba, and of the Israeli occupation of Palestine

• The wars in Yugoslavia, Afghani-stan, Libya as only a few of the 23 imperialist interventions of the EU in 3 continents during the last decade, when at the same time they sharpen their teeth against Syria.”

GAWU participates in Medical Outreach

The Ministry of Health, having ar-ranged the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the Regional Democratic Council of Region #3, and Guysuco’s Wales Estate as associates, hosted a one-week Medical Outreach for the pub-lic at the Wales Community Centre from October 17 to 23, 2012.

There was an overwhelmingly large number of persons who visited the makeshift clinic during the seven-day period. Doctors and aides at-tended to the 2,494 persons of all

ages, paying attention to dental ex-aminations, blood glucose, impaired vision, hypertension, HIV, etc. The exercise was rewarding to the beneficiaries, who received medi-cal service at their doorstep, so to speak. Some of the visitors to the clinic were referred to the West Demerara Regional Hospital for fol-low-up treatment. The Ministry of Health is consid-ering organizing other outreaches, especially in populated areas which are some distance from Govern-ment-operated clinics and hospitals.

A resident of the community being attended to by a doctor

COMBAT: September/October, 2012 Page Seven

Following the successful conclusion of the 20th Delegates’ Congress of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) on August 28, 2012, the fifty-two (52) member General Council met for the first time on (Saturday) Sep-tember 29, 2012, and elected unanimously the undermentioned persons to the Union’s Cen-tral Executive Committee:- Cdes Jankie Persaud, Honorary President; Komal Chand, President; Uranie Heeram, Vice President; Seepaul Narine, General Secretary; Mohamad Ahamad, Assis-tant General Secretary; Derek Thakur, Organis-ing Secretary; Aslim Singh, International Affairs Secretary and Rooplall Persaud, Treasurer. Cdes Michael Inderdatt, Walter Raghoo, Bevon Sinclair, Harvey Tambron, Abrahim Nagamootoo, Janice Leander-Fowler and Bickram Singh were also elected as committee members. The Union’s General Council, which meets once every three (3) months, is the second highest fo-rum of the Union after its Congress. It manages the affairs of the Union between Delegates’ Con-gresses. The Central Executive Committee meets once monthly, and it assists in managing the af-fairs of the Union.

GAWU elects Central Executive Committee

GAWU/Noble House negotiations continuing Negotiators from the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Management of Noble House Seafoods Limited held two (2) meetings in Oc-tober, 2012, to resolve the Union’s revised demand of five (5) per cent pay rise. The Union and the Company had agreed previously on improvements to meals al-lowance, leave allowance and bursary awards. The Company has sought to implement a three (3) per cent wage increase for all its employees. The Com-pany has contended that workers have the opportu-nity to secure an additional three (3) per cent increase through the attainment of the Company’s monthly pro-duction target. Its General Manager has insisted at the discussions that the Company is unable to pay more than three (3) per cent. He pointed out that its parent Company, Heiploeg Group, suffered a loss of seventy-six million euros (€76M) last year (2011), and that it had to secure a loan of €157M on June 22, 2012 to be able to remain in business. The Union, in support of its five (5) per cent increase, responded that the parent Company’s setback should not deny the workers a pay increase of five (5) per cent, which is about the rate of inflation. The Union has also noted that the local subsidiary has continued to per-form remarkably well in terms of the quanta of fish and shrimp it has been processing. Both the Union and the Company, at the conclusion of the last meeting, have decided to engage the work-ers, in separate discussions, with a view to having the parties meet thereafter, hopefully to resolve their dif-ferences. Noble House Seafoods is one of the three (3) major fish and shrimp processing companies in Guyana. It employs approximately two hundred (200) persons, and its products are sold in Guyana and overseas.

GAWU/DTL negotiations commence The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Management of the Demerara Tim-bers Limited (DTL) met on October 17, 2012 to com-mence discussions on the Union’s memorandum of de-mands with respect to a fifteen (15) per cent rise in pay, to be retroactive to January 01, 2012, and an improve-ment in meals allowances, night premium and station allowances. The Union is also seeking a job evaluation exercise, to be conducted jointly by the Management and the Union, and an agreement on a Christmas Bo-nus for this year, to be awarded to all workers. The Union drew to the Company’s notice that its rates of pay for its workers are below the statutory rates of sawmill workers. The Company agreed at the last meet-ing to update the rates in keeping with the law. With effect from June, 2012, the Government revised the sectorial minimum wages for workers employed in petroleum filling stations, hotels, guest houses, disco-theques, night clubs, liquor restaurants, grocery stores, hardware stores, drug stores, aerated water factories, sawmills, cinemas, and security guards, mechanical

transport employees, timber grant workers, and work-ers involved in the printing trade. There is no minimum wage in Guyana, but there is a minimum wage for public sector employees and a stat-utory minimum wage for the aforementioned sectorial workers. The Company and the Union are to meet again, on November 12, 2012, to view the new pay rates of the workers based on the statutory rate, and to continue the Union and Company negotiations based on the Un-ion’s demand. Demerara Timbers Limited (DTL) is owned by the Prime Group, which is based in Singapore. The Compa-ny enjoys forest concessions from the state at Mabura Hill in Region 10 and Siparuni in Region 2. The Compa-ny’s workforce is based at Mabura, where the Compa-ny houses its workers and provides them with potable water and electricity. There, at Mabura, the Company operates a sawmill which produces from logs, construc-tion material for export. It also exports logs.

DTL workers strike and protest at Mabura Hill On Septem-ber 19 and 20, 2012, al-most the en-tire workforce of Demerara Timbers Lim-ited (DTL) Ma-bura Hill oper-ations, which is some 160 miles from Georgetown in Region Ten (10), downed tools, protest-ing the limited nine (9) hour-

per-day supply of electricity, the unsatisfactory state of the workers’ houses, and the poor quality of potable water being supplied. This action was supported by the Union. The Company and the Union were invited to a meeting by the Commissioner of the Guyana Forestry Commis-sion (GFC), to review and address the strike issues. The Chief Labour Officer (a.g.) also attended the meeting. GFC exercised its role as supervising agency of all com-panies with concessions involving timber harvesting. There were two (2) meetings held on September 20 and 21, 2012. It was agreed that the workers would re-sume work on under the following conditions:-1. That the Union will call off the strike of its members

as at 6.30am on (Friday) September 21, 2012;2. That there shall be no victimization or harassment

by either side; 3. That there shall be no break in service;4. The company shall provide 19 hours’ electricity

during the hours of 5.00pm to noon;5. Within a period of three (3) weeks, the company

shall restore electricity for a full 24-hour period per day.

The Guyana Water Inc (GWI) completed its examina-tion of the water supply facilities on October 22, 2012, and recommended the following:- 1. Installation/construction of a filtration unit before

the reservoir. This unit in which white sand can be used as the filter media can be very simple. The

filter will serve the purpose of retaining particles and organic matte,r thus reducing the turbidity and also preventing/reducing the possible formation of disinfection by-products (formed with the addition of chlorine in the presence of organic matter). It is a fairly simple solution, and is quite efficient in en-hancing the quality of water in such remote areas. It will be found that, after sometime, there will be a deposit of material on the sand. Depending on the build-up, this deposit will have to be scraped off the top of the filters. A period cannot be estab-lished for the cleansing of the deposit, since this depends on observation.

2. The method of dosing the chlorine solution to the reservoir is satisfactory; however, the propor-tions of calcium hypochlorite per barrel should be slightly altered. As is, the calcium hypochlorite is added once daily (1½ jars) to the 32-gallon barrel. It is recommended that 2 jars (approximately 6kg) be thrown twice daily at a twelve (12)-hour inter-val. Also, the solution in the barrel needs to be con-stantly agitated. A motor coupled to a shaft with an impeller (propeller/pitched paddle type) and con-figured vertically is a simple way of achieving agita-tion (only shaft and impeller must be submersed). Pump strikes can be maintained at 50 strokes.

3. The reservoir should be repaired and the warped panels replaced. This will minimize the wastage of energy and treated water, and also reduce the pos-sibility of interruption of the water supply service.

4. The reservoir and overhead tank should be cleaned immediately, and thereon, be cleaned on an annual basis.

5. The mains should be flushed out every three (3) months. During “flush out”, the service should be restored once the water begins to run clearly at the “flush out” point.

6. Ensure that the source (YaYa Creek) is constantly monitored for activities along its banks, as this con-stitutes the first step in reducing contamination.

A number of the recommendations were satisfied. Recommendation number two (2), is observed on a daily basis by a worker to ensure an adequate applica-tion of chlorine and hypochlorite. As agreed 24-hour electrification was restored on Oc-tober 10, 2012, while repairs are progressing on a num-ber of houses in the township.

Workers picketing on September 19, 2012

COMBAT is a publication of the Guyana Agricultural & General Workers Union (GAWU)59 High Street & Wights Lane, Kingston, Georgetown, Guyana, S.A.Tel: 592-227-2091/2; 225-5321 , 223-6523 Fax: 592-227-2093

Email: gawu@bbgy.com Website: www.gawu.net

Guyana sitting on a better economy- FITUG tells PPP/C on 20th Anniversary in Government

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) is pleased to be given the opportu-nity to provide some brief remarks on the occasion of the PPP/Civic’s 20th anniversary in government. Today, as the party in government celebrates and reflects on the last twenty (20) years of govern-ance, no one can objectively fail to recognise that our country is sitting on a far better economy than it did twenty (20) years ago. A fairly stable econo-my assists significantly in maintaining the political stability of the country.

The Federation remembers vividly that the poor state of the economy over two (2) decades ago had resulted in some basic food items not being obtainable, or were only obtained from contra-band trade at exorbitant prices. At that time, our country was highly indebted, whereby as much as 94 dollars out of every 100 dollars collected in the form of revenue had to be channelled towards ser-vicing the country’s foreign debt and interest pay-ments.

Another important observation is that all the re-gional and national elections which were conduct-ed since the PPP/C Government has been holding the reigns have been characterized as being free, fair and transparent. FITUG is very pleased that “one man, one vote”, so important for the dem-ocratic functioning of our country, is upheld. We look forward to, in future elections in Guyana, see-ing high confidence of the electorate across the country in the work and operation of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

which were enacted in the early years of the PPP/Civic Government, namely: the Trade Union Rec-ognition Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Prevention of Discrimination Act, and the Termination of Employment and the Severance Pay Act.

Our Federation hopes to approach the Govern-ment to have in our Statute Book other important pieces of labour-friendly legislation, especially since our market-oriented economy is becoming more pronounced. Incidentally, such type of econ-omy needs to be revisited in the near future.

In conclusion, the main task now before the PPP/C Administration is to maintain momentum in advancing the transformation and modernisation of our country. It is clear that the Government is firmly committed to maintaining and enhancing the physical and institutional infrastructure that is required to create jobs, improve livelihoods, and generate wealth. Our democratic foundations must also be strengthened and expanded. And al-ways, it is crucial to involve and rely on our people in our march towards greater social and economic progress.

Once again, allow me, on behalf of the Federation and the 35,000 workers which are represented by our affiliates, to extend our best wishes and con-gratulations to the PPP/Civic Administration on this important milestone in the party’s history and progress.

In many countries, the global economic crisis has resulted in millions losing their homes, tens of millions of workers losing their jobs, severe cuts in education, in pensions, in wages, and in many other benefits. Having failed to lift their econo-mies out of the crisis, the ruling elites and their economists are now resorting to the imposition of harsh and painful austerity measures which are demanded by institutions like the IMF, the WTO and the World Bank. The painful austerity meas-ures - which are imposed for the sake of balancing budgets, payment of foreign debts and bailouts - have caused and provoked large-scale protests and fights backed by not only the ordinary people, but from the other strata of society, who once thought that they were immune from crises.

It is true that we are largely unaffected by the economic tempest that is raging in many areas of the planet. But it is also true that we are not fully immune. Our Government must therefore con-tinue to be watchful, and must see the well-being of the workers as important for the development and sustainability of the country. If the private sec-tor is the engine of growth, then the workers and the working-people are the wheels which make growth possible. Labour, therefore, must always be recognized.

From the workers’ point of view, we can say there have been significant changes over the last two (2) decades. At this forum, FITUG wishes to recognise some significant and worker-friendly legislation

Second sugar crop progressing satisfactorily

Continued from page one

A worker who attains any of the various levels

of cane pro-duction in any week shall be paid the per-centage incen-tive from the first tonne. The newer percent-age incentive is, however, r e t r o a c t i v e from October 07, 2012.

The increase of the time-

rated workers’ pay by a mere 1 per cent follows

an average increase in their pay rates by ap-proximately 35 per cent with effect from July 01, 2011, following the conclusion of a joint GAWU/Guysuco Job Evaluation exercise.

The Corporation has received the Union’s pro-posal for settling the award of Annual Production Incentive (API), which is awarded to qualified sugar workers based on the quantity of sugar produced in each year. The Union and the Cor-poration are expected to conclude negotiations on the matter some weeks before the end of the current crop. The parties will approve a formula which will determine the number of days’ pay as incentive which each qualified worker will re-ceive based on the quantity of sugar produced for the year.

Representatives from the various estate appending the agreement on October 22, 2012