Address by GAWU President, Komal Chand to FITUG May Day Rally 2008

Today, this rally under the theme “FIGHTING FOR WORKERS’ ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ADVANCEMENT” is indeed a National Event. It is being held jointly by the FITUG Unions representing thousands of unionised workers in strategic sectors of the national economy. It is with pleasure, therefore, that I extend this year a hearty and fraternal welcome to you all. GAWU is pleased to acknowledge the presence of and expresses its sincere appreciation in collaboration on this May Day with our sister unions of FITUG – the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU), the Guyana Labour Union (GLU) and the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE). This May Day Rally marks FITUG’s second May Day Rally since we regrouped. May this demonstration of unity continue in the coming years. May this unity of action consolidate and expand in the future.

This year’s venue is both practical and symbolic of FITUG’s growth and unity and respect it enjoys in our nation’s working class. We hope that its symbolism indicates further the real possibilities of growing unity of the Guyanese working class as other segments seek to organize around the FITUG’s democratic leadership. Indeed we would welcome such initiatives.

On this May Day, let us remind ourselves that this day became memorable in 1886 – 122 years ago when on May 1st, 80,000 workers marched in Chicago to demand an 8-hour workday with no reduction in pay. Just after the Chicago’s march more than 350,000 workers went on strike throughout the United States of America demanding an 8-hour workday.

These workers militant actions formed the basis for the 1889 Congress of the Second International, an organization of socialist and labour parties, held in Paris, for a resolution which declared that May 1st to be celebrated as International Workers Day worldwide. Since then workers and workers organizations in many countries have used this day to celebrate the social and economic achievements won through their struggles, to express solidarity to their fellow workers and oppressed peoples and to take stock and assess the current stage of their continuing struggles to protect their rights and to bring about a just social and economic system within their respective countries.

In Guyana, this May Day 2008 marks the 50th Anniversary of May 1st as a National Holiday. It was approved by the then PPP Administration following a Motion in the Legislative Council moved by Mr Rupert Tello, who was at the time the General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress. May Day in our country is treasured by workers and Trade Unions and we are sure will remain with us in the years to come.

Crime

One year ago we met in the aftermath of several positive and successful events that have taken place in our country.

Recall the pride we felt in hosting the RIO Summit of Latin American Heads, then Cricket World Cup 2007 Super 8 matches, which was followed later by a Commonwealth Ministers of Finance Conference. These prestigious events made us proud especially as they were managed by our local officials. They strengthened Guyana’s prestige regionally and internationally.

We then celebrated our festivals of all types – ethnic, religious and national. The criminal enterprise of previous years seemed to be curbed by the year’s event as we grappled with economic challenges thrown our way by the European Union and the other powerful protectionist Power Blocs of this unfair world.

The New Year was not yet one month old when the nation was thrown into a state of shock. Organized crime and well supported banditry executed a massacre of innocent persons and families at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara and this was quickly followed by another massacre at Bartica twenty-three (23) days later. Twenty-three (23) simple, peaceful Guyanese – including women, children and policemen were mindlessly slaughtered in these incidents. The GAWU condemned these horrendous crimes then and do so again now.

Our nation was justly outraged as were peoples beyond our borders. The GAWU, on the other hand, was encouraged by the coming together of various stakeholders to grapple with such developments and willingly took part in those deliberations. The nation we felt was prepared to respond to the gruesome acts by criminals and it was ready to act with and support of the joint services charged with the task to bring the criminals to justice.

We were and are disappointed, however, that a motion to consolidate that united action agreed by stakeholders did not get the approval of several members when it was taken to Parliament. While some parliamentarians seek to play their games, the criminals are still at large raising the troubling questions, when and where and who will they hit next. Lusignan and Bartica underlines that we are all vulnerable. And no one can claim to be secure and safe. And, we roundly condemn those, in such a situation, who want to play childish political games with our future, our family’s future and our country’s future.

The GAWU supports the increased financing, improved training and technical equipment given to the joint forces by the government and other friendly governments in the Region for their crime fighting activities. We remain committed to all activities that are aimed to see an end to the criminal enterprise particularly of the kind we witnessed in Lusignan and Bartica.

Even against the backdrop of the murderous work of the criminal enterprise the climate of hope still features in our investment atmosphere.

The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) has just had the sod turned for its multimillion dollar edifice going up now.

Another bank from Trinidad is nearing completion in the heart of Georgetown and, by and large, the financial and fiscal sectors are in good shape even as excess liquidity is still NOT threatening exchange rates.

We hear of a massive investment involving Guyanese in the Diaspora – pharmaceutical and printing complex at the Sanata Site and Marriot Hotel not far from this venue. When you list those alongside local investments by the Linden LEAP programme and other local commercial enterprises you get the sense of hope that says this struggling economy can come alive with.

This year the Guyana Sugar Corporation will see its new state-of-the-art US$110 million sugar factory in operation at Skeldon. The factory is capable of producing 110,000 tonnes sugar per year at US9 cents per pound according to Guysuco. This will greatly assist in making the sugar industry competitive especially in light of the 36 per cent cut in the price of our sugar to the EU.

On the supply of electricity front, GAWU – and I daresay FITUG is steadfast that HYDRO-ELECTRICITY is the answer to our woes. Overseas fuel costs are not likely to come down. Our rivers and creeks, however, will hardly all run dry. What is needed is an inventory of all possible HYDRO-ELECTRIC potential sites, then an aggressive drive to woo new investors.

CARIFESTA TEN, that cultural mass-event, now slated to attract massive particular patrons from all CARICOM member states and much beyond, will be staged here in late August in four month’s time.

We see the festival as a catalyst for the demonstration of regional oneness, the expression of our common cultural heritage AND an opportunity to give meaning to the Caribbean and Guyanese Common Market of ideas, economic enterprise and joint development.

We as Guyanese must be the traditional hosts of hospitality and courtesy whilst we ensure benefits from the marketing of our creativity and commerce.

Rising Food Prices

Comrades, in recent months our country, the rest of the region and the world have witnessed staggering increases in food prices. In just two months, rice prices have risen by around seventy-five (75) per cent globally and the price of wheat has risen by one hundred and twenty (120) per cent over the past year.

Higher food consumption in India and China which have witnessed almost double digit growth rates for almost a decade is given as one of the reasons of the rising prices.

Just last week Venezuelan President Hugo Chaves said that rising food prices are a “massacre of the world’s poor and are creating a global nutritional crisis.” Two days ago the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said the world faced “widespread hunger, malnutrition and social unrest on an unprecedented scale” because of soaring food prices. Referring to a meeting of agency heads in the Swiss Capital, Berne, he said “the first and immediate priority issues that we all agreed was that we must feed the hungry.” He stated further “without full funding of these emergency requirements, we risk again the spectre of widespread hunger, malnutrition and social unrest on an unprecedented scale.”

The astronomical rise in food prices is rooted in the greed of multinationals agro-business and of the huge oil companies and their representatives in the corridor of powers in the developed countries. Increases especially in the past five years can neither be delinked to the invasion of Iraq led by the US and UK. Let us be clear that the main reason of the invasion was to take control of that country’s vast oil resources. Among others, most notably Nelson Mandela attributed the invasion to this factor.

In September 2003 the price of a barrel of oil stood at just about US$25, last Monday it skyrocketed to a staggering US$119.93 a barrel an approximate 380% increase over the last five years. Oil which is a primary ingredient in the production of fertilizers had led to doubling of prices of this commodity in the last six months. This coupled with an increased cost of transportation for agricultural produce has definitely contributed in the prices of food reaching staggering heights and out of reach of millions of poor and working families.

The craze towards bio-fuel production is also seen as reason for skyrocketing food prices. Land previously used for food production is now being earmarked and utilized for fuel production. Corn, a staple for many people throughout the world and the main ingredient for the stock feed sector is now being used to produce bio-fuel. Today, you would be surprised that cars and not people utilize most of the world’s grain production. The World Bank has said that the grain required to fill the twenty-five (25) gallon tank of a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV)can feed a person for an entire year.

Fidel Castro said according to the Granma daily on March 29, 2007: “I think that reducing and recycling all fuel and electricity operated engines is an urgent and elemental necessity of all humanity. The dilemma is not in the reduction of energy costs, but in the idea of turning foodstuffs into fuel.” He was referring to President Bush on March 26, 2007 touting the benefits of “flexible fuel” vehicles running on ethanol and bio-diesel when he met automakers.

Comrades Global Warming continues to upset life on earth. The wanton destruction of forest and the inconsiderate burning of fossil fuels have resulted in irreparable damage to the ozone layer which acts as the planet’s shield against the harmful rays of the sun. This year the phenomenon has become more pronounced resulting in heat waves in California, unseasonable rains in India leading to loss of crops and higher prices, Drought in Australia destroyed ninety-eight (98) per cent of its rice production last year. Joseph Sitglitz, former Vice President of the World Bank and President Bill Clinton’s Chief Economic Advisor until 2002 noted that in a recently published book that the United States is the largest producer of Carbon Dioxide in the world, with annual emissions of six (6) billion tons of this gas which disturbs the atmosphere which we are so dependent upon.

Yes comrades, skyrocketing fuel prices, larger consumption in some countries, climate change are some of the major causes of the huge rise in food prices. However, we must not forget the most harmful to the world masses are the neoliberal policies promoted and institutionalized through organizations like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization. They have a common purpose to ensure profitability by corporate players. On the other hand they lament the effects of government spending in areas of subsidies to farmers, education, welfare, social security, health and hospital care, agriculture, etc.

In Guyana, we recognize the efforts by the Government vis a vis the rising food prices notably the removal of VAT on most food items, the financial backing to the Guyana Power and Light and the Guyana Water Inc to curtail high rates by these utility bodies, the reduction of excise tax on gasoline, the zero tax on kerosene and cooking gas, etc. However, in view of the steady deterioration with no end in sight we would like to see the Government subsidizing some basic food items, restricting the export of certain commodities to ensure adequate supplies locally, taking considered measures to cap prices on basic food items and at the same time introduce stringent anti-hoarding measures. Relief to workers would be most welcome at this time and we strongly advocate this. Importantly the Government must give priority to boosting agriculture, supplying seeds to people as a start. Depending on how the situation developed in the near and medium term, government intervention would be crucial. In this light we suggest the establishment of a broad-based National Task Force to monitor the situation.

Critchlow Labour College

The Critchlow Labour College was set up in the late 1960’s to provide workers education. Trade Union education among workers and shop stewards in the past and now remains an objective which all worthy trade unions ought to pursue vigourously.

It is sad that the objective of the College for many years now has been shattered in that workers education no longer has prominence. We are told that the role of the College is to offer another opportunity for school drop-outs. We do not wish to offer objection to giving persons another scholastic opportunity having failed to fully use the opportunities offered at primary and secondary schools. However, the College must focus primarily on workers education. Today more than ever this is required. Look around at some striving businesses, the influx of foreign enterprises and note the unimaginable exploitation of workers in many spheres of employment. Indeed the Critchlow Labour College needs to rediscover its objective. To this end a truly representative Board – workers bias – should be established and it should spare no efforts to ensure that funding which should be restored by the State, as early as possible, must be properly accountable and transparency must equally be observed.

International

Comrades as we meet today, the situation in Palestine is quickly deteriorating. As I speak, the 1.5 million Palestinian residents in the Gaza strip are all being held like prisoners. Indeed the whole of Palestine is one massive prison where movements are restricted and the killings of Palestinian civilians, including children continues on a daily basis. On top of this, they are presently being starved. A humanitarian crisis has now engulfed this country and people.

What is the latest “crime” of the Palestinians? They have elected a government of their choice. They held free and fair elections at the insistence of the US and European Union. A party called HAMAS won an outright majority. The result seemingly is not favoured by the US and the EU which have joined Israel in organizing blockade and with-holding aid for food and other basic necessities.

GAWU calls on the US, the EU the UN and the Israeli authorities to halt this inhumanity. The Palestinian people have a right to a viable, independent state, a right to be free from occupation, a right to independence, a right to life and to live.

Comrades, it would be remiss of me not to comment on the worsening situation in the African continent. Generally the invisible hand and, in some cases, not so invisible hand, of foreign forces are interfering in the affairs of several countries, spawning violent conflicts, destabilization and wars. We see such developments in the Congo, in Kenya, in Somalia, in the Darfur region of Sudan, in Nigeria and in Zimbabwe, a threatening conflict is hovering around the recently held elections in that country. Other countries are also affected and afflicted and the worrying thing is that the main victims of these conflicts and wars are the civilians, women, children and the innocent people. We empathize with those peoples suffering due to the conflicts and, at the same time condemn most strongly those forces and governments in and outside the region which have a hand in fanning those situations for their own selfish and greedy purposes.

Comrades, allow me to briefly deal with the growing threat to world peace that is taking place in Europe. We must not forget that the two world wars that were fought in the last century have their origins in Europe.

We had shared the relief of people everywhere when the cold war ended.

Unfortunately, this goodwill is being squandered by the NATO forces. Over the past years NATO has expanded and now is on the borders of Russia. They have decided to place missile and radar bases in Poland and the Czech Republic. And, this has caused Russia to see a real threat at its immediate borders.

Expectedly, Russia, is reacting what they perceive to be a threat to its security. Now, once again, the world may be seeing a real renewed danger of another arms race.

The GAWU feels that NATO’s actions are provocative. Their militarism and adventures and threats must stop. Countries of NATO bloc must be a force for peace and disarmament , now that the Cold War has receded into history.

GAWU stands, as it always stood, for world peace, for disarmament and for an end to militarism of some countries which dream of world hegemony.

Comrades there are some bright spots in the world that is demonstrating that a better world is possible. The tremendous growth in the People’s Republic of China is a great cause for optimism. Clearly we are beginning to see a more diversified world as it relates to economic development. We are seeing developing countries like India, South Africa, Brazil, to name a few, emerge from their developing status to stand beside the great economic world powers. There are still many problems for them to resolve but it shows that the equation in the world is changing.

Expectedly, other countries will benefit. In this context, we are concerned with attempts to put hurdles in the way of particularly China’s continuing development. We remain watchful of these intrigues and maneuvers on the world stage to undermine and hold back selective countries’ progress. Where they occur, we stand opposed to these schemes.

And, comrades, it has now become a tradition for us on May Day, to extend our solidarity with the Cuban Government and people. It is a country that has withstood tremendous pressures especially from the US but it is unwavering in its selfless assistance to peoples the world over, including Guyana. Since the Cuban revolution, this country has remained a shining example of principles, of country to country and people to people relationships. Now, that it has embarked on many reforms to improve the life of its people, GAWU sends to the government and people its solidarity and wish them well and every success. At the same time we wish Cde Fidel Castro, the great revolutionary and outstanding leader of the working class who has retired as President, good health and strength.

This year’s May Day find the world as dangerous as ever. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are still raging. The lies of the US and UK for invasion and occupation have been exposed. The two countries especially Iraq are being destroyed. Over one (1) million people, mainly civilians, have been killed in Iraq and an estimated four (4) million have been displaced. This is a tragedy for mankind, for civilization. The occupation forces are hiding behind the War on Terror, this genocide of our time. We, once again roundly condemn this illegal war and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the same breath, we condemn the threats of war in Iran. We notice the war drums are beating louder and faster. We call on the US and its surrogates to lay their hands off Iran. They must stop their wars and war-mongering now.

In these challenging and dangerous times, for the world and humanity, Guyana will not be insulated by developments. In times of crisis, our neighbours can be the first to respond to help.

Similarly, GAWU is of the view that Guyana should seek to strengthen its ties with its immediate neighbours, Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname and Trinidad. We need to examine deeply our old relationships and forge new ones that will pay economic, political and social dividends which will redound to our peoples benefits.

Our continent is going through an exciting period we cannot be oblivious to these developments. In many countries the working people and its political and social organizations are assisting themselves. They are rejecting the neo-liberal policies imposed on them and seeking to chart an independent path of development. They are doing so under difficult conditions. They need our moral and active support and solidarity.

As a working class organization, GAWU today sends its unwavering solidarity to all peoples of our Region, who, like us, are dreaming and struggling for a new and just world order, taking back their economic sovereignty and building a life based on steady progress, democracy and freedom.

Many decades ago, Karl Marx, a genius of the working class, issued the slogan: Workers of the World Unite! He urged the workers to struggle as they have nothing to lose but their chains.

In our times, comrades, more than ever, our watchwords must be Unity! Struggle! Solidarity! Let us commit ourselves to those slogans as we continue our march to a better and more fruitful life.

Long Live May Day

Long Live Workers Struggles

Long Live the Workers of Guyana

Long Live Proletarian Internationalism