Several Sugar workers in Berbice were arrested this morning, as the Police used force to break up a protest that saw sugar workers blocking the East Canjie main access road.

The workers have been calling for a severance package from the Government as they are convinced that there are plans to send them back to the Rose Hall estate which will be reopened this month.

The protest is now in its fourth week.

Last week, over one hundred sugar workers from the Alibion and Blairmont estates traveled to Georgetown and, picketed outside the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the President’s office.

The workers have been demanding a severance payout for their previous work at Rose Hall, although they have been told that they cannot be paid a severance since they are not being terminated.

In the absence of severance, they believe they should receive a cash payout from the Government like other sugar workers who are now being rehired, received.

Last week, the General Secretary of the GAWU, Aslim Singh told News Source that the Union will be working along with Guysuco to find a solution to the issues being raised, but the workers vented their frustration saying that they have not been hearing from the union neither the sugar company.

“We have been protesting for weeks now and they know what we are calling for. We don’t hear from anybody, nobody telling us nothing so we don’t know what else to do, that is why we are protesting,” One worker said on the picket line.

Another protestor accused the union of siding with Guysuco and not working in the interest of the workers.

“Whenever GAWU say anything, they always telling us, we have to wait to hear what Guysuco has to say, if you are representing us as a union, why do you have to wait on Guysuco?” the frustrated cane cutter questioned.

The matter of the protest was deemed closed two weeks ago by GAWU, but the workers said that they will continue to picket until they get the attention of the President of the Vice President to listen to their concerns.

Despite the protest, Guysuco reported this week that it was able to surpass its targets at all estates for the week.

Related posts:

Striking Albion and Blairmont workers call off protest following agreement not to transfer them to Rose Hall Albion and Blairmont sugar workers continue protest over Rose Hall severance package Transferred Rose Hall sugar workers protest over “harsh” working conditions at Albion Sugar workers protest outside Parliament over severance and salaries