Hundreds of Sugar workers from the Albion and Blairmont Sugar Estates in Berbice continue to protest, demanding a severance payout from the Guyana Sugar Corporation, (GUYSUCO).

The protesting sugar workers were initially employed at the Rose Hall estate, but after the closure of that estate in 2017, many of them were transferred to the Albion and Blairmont estates while others opted for a severance payout.

Now, with sugar expected to start grinding again at the Rose Hall estate and the sugar company planning to send them back there, the workers are objecting.

They are contending that if they are to be sent back to Rose Hall, they must be given a severance package like their colleagues who were laid off and may also be re-employed.

The workers have been protesting in Berbice since last week, demanding word from GUYSUCO.

The workers have also protested outside the office of the People’s Progressive Party in New Amsterdam.

During an interview with News Source this morning, General Secretary of the Guyana Agriculture and General Workers Union, (GAWU), Aslim Singh, said that while GAWU is supportive of the workers, it is hoping that the workers issues could be resolved amicably and in the shortest time so that things can return to a state of normalcy.

“We are supporting the workers. However, GUYSUCO promised to consider the proposal of the workers which were put forward by their representatives and I do not want to prejudice the outcome by saying what we expect will happen. But we are hoping that normalcy will be restored soon,” Singh told News Source.

Mr. Singh, further noted that while other estates may want to join the strike, GAWU does not believe that that is necessary, but he said that the sugar union is firm that it will continue to fight in the interest of its membership and respect their right to protest peacefully to call attention to their various issues.

“I can tell you that the strike in Berbice continue. Up to this morning there was a protest in Berbice. And I cannot say anything about other estates wanting to join the protest in Berbice, but as I said we are hoping that good sense will prevail soon,” Mr. Singh posited.

Among other things, the striking workers are arguing that apart from the severance packages, the retrenched workers also received the $250,000 cash grant that was given by the government and they too should benefit from similar facilities.

Last week, the Blairmont Estate produced 773 tonnes of its projected 890 tonnes target of sugar, while the Albion estate produced 906 tonnes of its projected 1400 tonnes target.

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