Gov’t kicks off $250k severance payments to laid-off sugar workers

-Over $600M distributed at Enmore and Wales

Hundreds of severed sugar workers who lost their jobs as a result of the former Government, turned out at the Enmore and Wales Sugar Estates to receive their $250,000 severance payment as committed by the PPP/C Government.

On Saturday, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh and Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha spearheaded the distribution of over 2,500 cheques to the severed workers of the East Coast and West Bank villages. In total, over $600 million in cheques were distributed to the former sugar workers. 

At Enmore, Dr Singh told participants that the sugar industry is part of the social and economic fabric of Guyana.

“In many respects, sugar has been at the heart and soul of the very existence of Guyana. Entire communities were built around sugar,” the Finance Minister pointed out.  

Dr. Singh went on to highlight that any responsible government would understand the importance of the sugar industry, not just to communities, but the country at large. It is against this background that he denounced the former APNU+AFC government for shutting down four major estates, thereby putting thousands on the breadline.

“The decision to close the sugar industry, the decision to padlock the gates throughout the length and breadth of Guyana, and that was a decision made by the APNU+AFC Government shortly after they came into office, was one of the most callous, cruel and unconscionable decisions made by any government in the history of this country,” the Senior Minister expressed.

Not only were the 7,500 sugar workers laid off of their jobs in 2017, Minister Singh recalled, but there were also no systems in place to economically support or even rehire them.

“Former President Jagdeo when he was Opposition Leader indicated that for all of the persons who were severed, we would provide direct support to them, and that is why we are here today,” Dr Singh said.

In delivering his remarks, Minister Mustapha indicated that due to the closure of the estates, workers were forced to move to different parts of Guyana and even migrate to other countries in search of jobs and a better life. He added that based on engagements with the former sugar workers, many of whom were parents, they were unable to send their children to school.

“Not only sugars workers’ lives changed for the worse,” the Minister noted, but also the village economy. Today we are here to fix that.” 

Minister Mustapha also shared that the government is “aggressively” pursuing the reopening of the sugar estates. In keeping with this, he noted that some laid-off workers have already been rehired by the sugar company.

“As I am speaking here today, more than 1,200 sugar workers who were fired, who were severed have already been employed. We are working to reopen the sugar estates, and we said that we will do it in phases,” the Agriculture Minister explained.

Further, Minister Zulfikar went on to recall that in the 2021 budget, almost $12 billion was injected into the sugar industry. As part of the government’s efforts to revitalise the sugar industry, when the PPP/C assumed office, it elected new management to prudently manage the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).  

“Our government will protect GuySuCo and move it forward,” the Minister assured.

At Enmore and Wales, beneficiaries of the $250,000 cheques spoke to DPI on how they plan to utilise the money, as well as the hardships they faced after being laid off of their jobs.

Anthony Dean, now a Corporal in the Guyana Police Force (GPF) worked at the Enmore Sugar Estate for 12 years as a Shift Manager before being laid off under the former administration. After he was fired, he said that he found it very “frustrating” to provide for his wife and two children. It took months for finances to stabilise in his household, he said.

“I would like to thank the President for taking this great opportunity for the sugar workers. It will help me and my family in these hard times because you know the cost of living is going up, goods are very high,” Dean expressed to DPI.

Another beneficiary, Geeta Lakeram told DPI that she worked at GuySuCo for 32 years as a field worker until being laid off in 2017. She relayed that she was unable to find a job after being relieved and depended on her son and husband to provide for her.

“When I collect the $250,000, I plan on restarting my farm so I can sell some produce in the market,” Lakeram told DPI.

Going forward, Minister Singh announced that the Government is identifying how the skills and expertise of the sugar workers can be redirected to other sectors such as infrastructure and even the oil and gas industry.