GAWU joins Cuban May Day Celebrations

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), participated among the large number of foreign delegations and the thousands of Cubans to celebrate May Day in Havana, Cuba, this year.

The celebration coincided with celebrations marking the 50th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution and the 70th Anniversary of the Confederation of Cuban Workers (CTC).

Addressing the mammoth gathering was General Secretary of the CTC, Salvador Valdes Mesa. He referred to last year’s destruction caused by three major hurricanes, noting the loss was close to US$4B. Valdes called upon Cuban workers to improve their productivity to allow for a growth in exports.

The May Day parade which traversed many streets in Havana culminated at Revolution Square with the different categories of workers marching behind their banners. The marchers were attired in colourful uniforms representing their workplaces. They carried red banners, flags, flowers, balloons, etc and moved like dancing waves in a calm sea to the rhythm of music. As they marched, they chanted Viva Fidel, Viva Raul, Viva La Revolucion. From as early as 5:00 in the morning, people of all ages from children to the elderly, began to flock the Square. Indeed, it was an experience to behold the wonderful Cuban people parading in the thousands and representing various sectors of the population

GAWU Women’s Forum Executives, Cdes Satyawattie Kadaru and Narda Mohamed represented the Union at the celebrations. They participated in the International Trade Union Solidarity Meeting which was held at Convention Palace of Havana and attended by representatives of a large number of countries. At the meeting Cde George Marvikos, General Secretary of the World Federation of Trade Union (WFTU), extended greetings to CTC on their anniversary. He spoke of Karl Marx’s predictions of the Capitalist crisis which is manifested in the present Global Economic Crisis and sent his solidarity with those who were being exploited by the policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. He also referred to the hunger and food crisis afflicting the people of the world, especially in Africa where he said according to UN data some 236 million people are undernourished and called for workers to unite to fight against the exploitation of man by man.

Comrades Kadaru and Mohamed renewed GAWU’s contacts with many fraternal unions and established new contacts. They also extended solidarity to the comrades of the CTC and supported an end to the cruel US Blockade and the release of five (5) Cuban patriots held in US prison. The comrades also had the opportunity to visit the Jose Marti’s Tobacco Factory and a Government owned Urban Farm and chatted with many of the employees.