‘In time we will ride out this crisis’-President says in May Day message
-confident that with Gov’t measures, workers will overcome current crises

Georgetown, GINA, April 30, 2008

In his May Day 2008 message to workers, President Bharrat Jagdeo is calling for ‘new forms of solidarity’ in the face of current challenges being experienced and not the types of solidarity that encourage confrontation and division nor those that pits workers against employers.
            “But rather, innovative forms of cooperation in which labour, employers and the government work together to find solutions to ameliorate the effects of the global food   and energy crises,” he added.
            The message is to mark Labour Day which will be observed tomorrow and which will see workers taking to the streets for the annual May Day parade and rally.
            In extending best wishes to all workers and trade unions on the occasion, the Head of State said May Day ‘gives due recognition to workers and their representative organisations, who, through their unceasing and tireless efforts, have throughout history, humanised our physical, economic, political and social landscape’.
            “The forte of workers has always been their resilience and especially their ability to surmount difficult circumstances. The Guyanese working class has, on many occasions in our history, confronted great adversity. Through their remarkable resourcefulness and their amazing capacity to be innovative, the working class have defied the prophets of doom and overcome testing times.”
            It was here that he lamented the times in which May Day has found the country, noting that they are now confronted with a global food and energy crisis which has adversely impacted on their cost of living.
            “I am however, confident that with the measures that my Government is implementing, and those which are currently evolving and with the support and understanding of our workers, we have the capacity to ensure that the gains achieved by you over the years are not eroded and that in time we will ride out this crisis and emerge stronger as a nation,” President Jagdeo posited.
            Against the backdrop of this and other crises and his call for new forms of solidarity, the Head of State believes that it is unfortunate that another May Day has found the labour movement ‘fragmented’.
            “This is unfortunate and I urge that greater efforts be made to ensure that the causes of the divisions are addressed since a strong labour movement is critical to defending the interests of the working class,” he said.

            The President concluded that despite the lack of unity, he is hopeful ‘that the labour movement will make a concerted effort to work together with all stakeholders in furthering the interests of the working class and work towards the development of Guyana.

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