Blairmont Sugars Workers Call for the Removal of the Estate Manager, Field Manager

Berbice: Hundreds of sugar workers attached to the Blairmont Estate, West Bank Berbice have assembled in front of the estate's Administrative Office for the third time protesting for the resignation of the Estate Manager, Mr. Corbette Victorine.
Several workers, including harvesters, cultivators, factory and workshop operators among others are participating in the protest thus resulting in the total shut down of the estate.
The workers said that they are dissatisfied with the type of management that has been demonstrated by their new estate Manager, and that their protest action will continue until he is removed from the estate.
Speaking on behalf of the sugar workers, one of the harvesters stated, “The estate Manager lately come here and we used to have a lot of benefits before [he came] such as obstacle benefits in the harvesting fields, standby payments for firemen;, all them things he want to take away from people so we ain’t choose to work along with him…We want another estate Manager or we will not get production going at this estate.”
He also said that the Manager “never wants to hold any meeting with the reps to discuss anything…The workers choose that they don’t want him and don’t want to discuss with him. They padlock the estate like a prison, and we don’t want to stay in prison, we are not prisoners…massa day done.”
“We used to get $40 for obstacle payment and this estate Manager now implemented $20.” Every time a worker encounters obstacles such as vines, bushes, etc, while cutting cane they were normally paid $40 per obstacle.
Another harvester of the 6B2 Harvesting Gang said that “this estate manager is trying to de- recognize the union and we are not going to allow that.”
 
 Shaik Baksh, another representative, argued that “when you do task work, you have to get pass to leave the compound…If there is any fire or emergency, you have to get a pass to leave the estate compound. We want to remove the padlocks! The customer practice must remain and let good sense remain.”
Customer Practice, in estate terminology, talks about several workers’ benefits to which they are entitled. The workers noted that many of these benefits are now being compromised.
Complaints were also made against Anil Seepersaud, the Field Manager. The sugar workers referred to both Seepersaud and Victorine as "dictators" because "they don’t compromise with you or give you what you suppose to get and how long they ain’t come out nobody going to wuk!”
The workers' representatives informed TrakkerNews that they haven't received any type of communication from the Minister of Agriculture in regards to their issues. And efforts to solicit statements from Estate Manager, Mr. Corbette Victorine and Field Manager Anil Seepersaud proved to be futile.