On this 61st anniversary of the commemoration of the Enmore Maryrs, I bring you greetings in the name of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) which represents among others, thousands of sugar workers who belong to an industry which largely influences our country’s development and impacted on our historic social and political events that would shape our anti-colonial struggle which resulted in our independence.

Some 80 unionised workers out of the approximate 1,800 workforce of Wales Estate are required to secure their emoluments in Georgetown since the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) which used to facilitate them became redundant some four (4) weeks ago.

Union representation to the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (Guysuco) for the unionized employees to be paid at the Estate’s location like the other hundreds have fallen on deaf ears.

The affected workers have to utilize their valuable time to travel across the Demerara River and to provide taxi fares from their earnings to encash their cheques in the City which is not a safe environment with cash in one’s pockets.

The Union calls upon the Management of Wales Estate to provide all workers’ wages/salaries at the location with effect from week-ending 13th June, 2009.

Part of the GAWU's Women Forum May Day contingent

I bring you warm and fraternal greetings from the GAWU Women’s Forum as we meet to celebrate May Day - a celebration of the social and economic achievements of the international labour movement.

Today, we join with sixty-six (66) countries around the world that have made this day a national holiday; where workers can join with their unions to highlight their problems and celebrate their achievements.

Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez

On Saturday March 28, at 88 years old and still active in the service of the best causes of humanity, Comrade Janet Jagan has died. Her death occurred in the beautiful city of Georgetown, the capital of our neighbouring country, on the eastern side of Guyana.

This sad and unfortunate news was communicated to me immediately by my esteemed friend Odeen Ishmael, Ambassador of the said country in ours and someone who knows about the fraternal ties of friendship for many years that I was privileged to cultivate with Janet and her late husband Cheddi Jagan. News, incidentally, that I have not encountered so far in any of the numerous so-called “news” that broadcast here or from the spokespersons of both the opposition and the government. In contrast, for example, the death in these same days of former Argentinean president Raúl Alfonsín, faithful servant of capitalism and monopolies, has received extraordinary attention.

Cde Janet Jagan

In paying tribute to Cde Janet Jagan, we do so by recognizing the principles, the ideals and values she personified, advocated and struggled for.

Those qualities which she represented are more relevant today when humankind are facing grim realities and live in troubled and dangerous times. As we gather here we are well aware of the economic crisis that has engulfed the world. Bankruptcies are the order of the day, governments fall or are threatened, tens of millions of workers are put on the streets with starvation haunting them and their families, millions more are forced from their homes into tent cities. Wars in several locations rain down devastation and destruction, killing tens of thousands of civilians. And ecological problems stand menacingly ready to wreck greater damage to civilization than they have already done.

Part of the large crowd at FITUG's May Day Rally

Under our May Day’s Theme: “Representing Labour’s Response to Global Challenges”, allow me to congratulate you and all Guyanese workers on this red-letter day when we join with workers in a number of countries who are celebrating and observing this day. GAWU is pleased to observe not only the large turnout, but the unity demonstrated by the leading Unions belonging to FITUG, whose members have just participated in the long parade starting from Parade Ground and covered many streets in Georgetown. Our march has been spirited and orderly befitting the class that history has called upon us to play, a significant role in the context of today’s global challenges.

Comrades, we from GAWU, are delighted to send May Day greetings to all working people of Guyana and the world. We are delighted to celebrate May Day with our fraternal brothers and sisters, our active affiliates, in national trade union solidarity at this Rally today. This is our third consecutive May Day Rally since FITUG’s resuscitation and the second to be held at this venue - the National Park - which, formerly, was the venue for GTUC’s Rally.

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) will convene its 19th Congress during August, 2009 and preparatory work is already proceeding apace. The Opening Session will be held at the Guyana International Conference Centre on August 15, 2009 and the Business Session at J.C. Chandisingh Secondary School, Corentyne, Berbice on August 17-18, 2009.

A seminar organized by the GAWU Women’s Forum on May 09, 2009 at the Union’s Head Office, 59 High Street and Wight’s Lane, Kingston, Georgetown, saw thirty five (35) participants drawn from the Union’s various bargaining units in Demerara.

The GAWU Women’s Forum joins with the Guyanese people in extending condolences to the family and friends of the late Cde Janet Jagan. Cde Janet was an incomparable woman and along with her husband, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, former Honorary President of our Union, spent their lives ensuring a better Guyana for us all.

Week after week, we see the global economy contracting at a pace worse than predicted by the gloomiest analysts. We are now, it is clear, in no ordinary recession but are headed for a global depression that could last for many years.