The agriculture ministry and representatives from social services agencies met last week with field and factory union representatives from the East Demerara sugar estates to discuss issues affecting its workers.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release Minister Robert Persaud told representatives from La Bonne Intention, Enmore and Diamond that production has not met the desired level. The estates had been hit by a number of strikes over issues such as the cost of living and services by the NIS.
He said too there has been a reduction in the number of opportunity days which has resulted in work being done day and night. In order to facilitate this and boost security at night an arrangement is being worked out with the joint services.
At the same time workers voiced concerns about issues such as no record of their National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contributions; the unavailability of the Tax Identification Number (TIN) certificates and contaminated tap water. As regard the NIS issues, representative Marilyn Selman said the discrepancy in no account being given for contributions was because the information is currently being computerised and this has caused a gap in the contribution records. Employees then suggested that a record of their contributions be sent to the company. Selman noted that statements are sent to employers for perusal for any deficiencies in order to pre-empt problems in processing claims.
The workers then highlighted a case concerning disability benefits where the company’s doctor’s judgement that a person is unfit to work differs with the NIS’s doctor diagnosis. Selman said in order to obtain disability benefits a person must be deemed permanently incapable of working. She explained that though the individual’s disability may cause him/her to be unable to do cane harvesting they may still be fit enough to work in another area. The minister then told workers that the NIS has started a reform process.
As regard the unavailability of TIN certificates from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), representative Simone Beckles said this was due to glitches in the system. He said too the distribution process for TIN certificates was decentralized but because of issues such as duplication of applications the system has again been centralized. Certificates are now available at the GRA’s post office location. Beckles said TIN can be received by calling GRA’s hotline and providing National Identification or passport number.
Workers also told the meeting that the implementation of the Value Added Tax (VAT) was affecting them as some shop owners had increased cost prices as well. Beckles advised that they make a report and the GRA’s field officers will investigate the issue. The workers were advised not to pay VAT on zero-rated items and persons applying the tax to such items can be prosecuted.
The workers said they also had a number of concerns about water supplied by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI). They said there were several leaks in their communities which contaminated the tap water. In response, the GWI representative said there are current interventions to repair leaks and that the company’s workers and contractors are working on a backlog of leak repairs. The backlog on the East Coast has been cleared and work is ongoing along the East Bank.
As regard invoices, the representative said some persons leave their taps running and others allow their water tanks to overflow and that this can incur huge costs. In relation to the discrepancy for connection fees the representative said in the new government housing developments the cost is $1000 but in established developments it is $13,000 because they use imported material which is costly. In response to workers’ claims that they cannot easily access water through stand pipes they were told that this occurs because some communities are more elevated than others.
The meeting was held at the LBI Community Centre Ground.
