The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) will be hosting its 5th Triennial Delegates Conference starting today and concluding Friday, at the Critchlow Labour College, Woolford Avenue, Georgetown. The Conference will be held under the theme “Advancing the Workers’ Struggle, for Social and Economic Justice”
In a release the GTUC said former government minister Mr. Carl Greenidge will deliver the Opening Address. November. Greenidge served as Minister of Finance in the People’s National Congress government and Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in the David Granger/Moses Nagamootoo government.
The conference is expected to attract approximately 120 delegates drawn from the affiliates of the GTUC. The GTUC has also invited Observers from non-affiliated unions to participate.
On days two and three delegates and observers will participate in business sessions covering areas such as the General Secretary’s Report, Governance (inclusionary democracy), Guyana/Venezuela border controversy, Cash Transfer/Direct Payment, Collective Bargaining, the sustainability of the National Insurance Scheme, among others.
Among the resource personnel who will be participating in the business sessions are Professor Clive Thomas, Mr. Christopher Ram, Dr. Gray Bess, Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde M.P, among others.
GTUC says the triennial conference comes at the time when workers’ rights are facing serious threats and the nation informed by President Irfaan Ali the population is expected to grow to three million by 2030. “This growth registered at least 2.1 million increase to the population. This expected increase comes at a time when unemployment is high and calls by the trade unions to create a national job policy ignored.”
GTUC reminded that the organisation is on record calling for concerted national efforts to equip our education system that would allow for building local capacity through training and education for the unemployed and removal of mandatory retirement age to expand opportunities for greater participation of Guyanese workers in the oil and gas economy.
“The conference also comes amidst intensified sabre rattling of the Venezuelan government in its continuous fall claim to two-thirds of Guyana’s territory. This has implications for frontline workers and their families who will be asked to sacrifice more to protect Guyana’s borders and for all workers/citizens who will share the responsibility for the protection and defence of our territorial integrity, which are deserving of urgent attention. Also on day three, there will be the election and installation of new office bearers.”
