PNCR says budget holds no hope for working people
Stabroek News
May 1, 2004
The PNCR says in its May Day message that the celebration follows on the heels of the recent presentation of the national budget which holds no hope of improvement for the working people of Guyana.
However, the party extended happy May Day greetings to all workers.
Speaking at the party's weekly press conference on Thursday, Central Executive member, Basil Williams noted that as is customary, workers will march today under the banner of their unions to demonstrate solidarity with one another in their common struggle for improved working conditions and more generally a better way of life for their families.
He said, however, that with spiralling unemployment the order of the day, this year's budget did not project any new policies aimed at creating employment for the thousands of graduates from tertiary institutions, including the University of Guyana. He lamented that many of them cannot access lawful employment.
"As we celebrate this May Day it is an appropriate opportunity to recount the PPP/C regime's contemptuous behaviour towards the Guyanese workers and their unions."
Williams lamented that despite its claims of being a workers party, the PPP/C continues to undermine the collective bargaining process as well as internationally-accepted industrial relations norms and practices.
Williams charged that the government threatens and uses big stick methods against trade unions which pursue their constitutional rights to protest, demonstrate and identify with any lawful struggle. Moreover, he charged that the government continues to corrupt the trade union recognition process, while denying workers the fruits of court judgements and withholding the customary and much needed annual subvention to the Guyana Trades Union Congress.
The PNCR reiterates its solidarity with the workers, Williams said, noting that the party continues to struggle against the vindictive closure of entities and the discriminatory lay off of workers, against widespread corruption, mismanagement, lack of accountability and injustice.
"We call on the government to heed our call for the involvement of civil society and the trade union movement in particular, in the search for a new system of governance before the next elections. The working people of Guyana deserve no less."