In a bold and uncompromising statement, veteran trade unionist and General Secretary of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), Lincoln Lewis, has publicly rejected an invitation to President Irfaan Ali’s post-Independence “Liberty Brunch,” condemning it as inappropriate and out of touch with the stark realities facing Guyanese workers and the nation’s sovereignty.
“While I’m invited to the branch that has been dubbed the ‘after-Liberty brunch’ hosted by the President, I find it very difficult to attend at this juncture of the country’s development for two reasons,” Lewis said. “One is that the trade union, over the years, has not even been engaged by the President.”
Lewis pointed to a clear and sustained pattern of government hostility toward trade unions, especially those perceived to be unaligned with the ruling PPP administration.
“Since he has assumed office, we have seen all the transgressions, mainly against a few unions. Look specifically at the Guyana Teachers’ Union. During the time they have been pleading for negotiations in good faith, we’ve seen no willingness to compromise from the government,” he charged.
The GPSU leader drew attention to the blatant defiance of court rulings in the government’s refusal to reinstate the GTU’s check-off system, despite a legal order to do so.
“The court made an order. But the government has decided it will not comply. One minister even had the temerity to say they will take the matter to the CCJ, which sends a chilling message: that even Guyana’s own courts and judges are not respected by this administration,” Lewis declared.
In a blistering critique, he accused the government of weaponizing taxpayer funds against its own people:
“The government is saying loud and clear that it will use the money of Guyanese workers to fight those very workers, denying them their fundamental rights and freedoms.”
The outspoken unionist also lambasted the government’s celebratory mood amid escalating threats from Venezuela, drawing parallels between Guyana’s precarious territorial defense and international injustices.
“At a time when we should be mobilizing this society to defend Essequibo, the government is throwing parties. They’re behaving like regimes that enable Israel’s annexation of Palestinian lands,” Lewis said. “Let me be clear: if we fail to defend Essequibo, we are enabling the same behavior, they will come next for the Pomeroon and Berbice.”
Lewis was unsparing in his final condemnation:
“We will not dance, we will not eat, we will not dine, while workers are under siege and our borders are in danger. What we want is serious dialogue. We demand a seat at the table, not an invitation to sip champagne while Venezuelan ambitions grow and Guyanese workers are trampled.”
In an era marked by government pageantry and public relations gloss, Lincoln Lewis has chosen resistance over revelry, reminding the nation that some leaders still measure patriotism not by appearances, but by action.
