Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) President Seepaul Narine delivered a stirring tribute to the Enmore Martyrs last Monday, June 16th, marking the 77th anniversary of the brutal 1948 killings of five sugar workers during a historic strike against colonial oppression.
Speaking at the site where Lallabagee, Dookie, Rambarran, Harry, and Pooran were gunned down, Narine recalled the tragic events of June 16, 1948, and the broader legacy of resistance and labour struggle that emerged from their sacrifice.
“They were shot in the back, not just by bullets, but by a system rooted in exploitation, colonial arrogance, and a heartless disregard for human life and labour,” Narine said, addressing workers, union officials, and government representatives gathered at the Enmore Martyrs Monument.
Framing the massacre as more than just a labour dispute, Narine described it as a defining moment in the confrontation “between an elite colonial class and the working class.” He said the reaction of the authorities was “high-handed and cold-blooded” and intended to suppress a growing workers’ movement.
“But comrades, they were wrong,” he declared. “Out of the ashes of that terrible day, rose a fire that could not be extinguished.”
Narine traced that fire through the birth of the Guiana Industrial Workers Union (GIWU) under the leadership of Dr. Cheddi Jagan, to the eventual establishment of GAWU, describing the unions as “torchbearers of that struggle” that ultimately led to Guyana’s political independence in 1966.
“The legacy of Enmore is etched in every gain we have made as a nation,” he said.
Closure of sugar estates and job lost
Turning to the present, Narine condemned the closure of several sugar estates under the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition administration, calling it a betrayal of the working class. “Thousands were thrown on the breadline. Families were broken. Communities were devastated, a few committed suicide, while promises of diversification and compensation were all hollow.”
Under the APNU+AFC administration, four estates—Skeldon, Rose Hall, Enmore, and Wales—were shut down, resulting in the loss of approximately 5,160 sugar-worker jobs. In contrast, during the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government’s tenure (1992–2015), the Diamond and La Bonne Intention (LBI) estates were closed, leading to significant workforce reductions
The APNU+AFC closed Skeldon, Rose Hall, Enmore and Wales, resulting in the lost of 5160 workers. Comparatively the People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) government closed the Diamond and La Bonne Intent (LBI) estates. As a result, the number of sugar workers who lost their jobs during the PPP/C administration exceeded the total under both the PNC and APNU+AFC governments combined.
According to a 2021 International Labour Organisation (ILO) study, under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration (1992–2015), GuySuCo’s workforce shrank from 28,081 to 16,927—resulting in a loss of 11,154 jobs. Under the People’s National Congress (PNC) (1976–1992), 325 jobs were lost. Under the APNU+AFC administration (2015–2020), 5,160 jobs were lost.
Thus, PPP-era sugar-industry job losses (11,154) exceeded the combined total of losses under PNC and APNU+AFC (5,485), confirming that more than double the number of workers lost their jobs during the PPP/C tenure compared to those administrations combined.
However, Narine lauded the current PPP/C administration for its efforts to restore the sugar industry, citing wage increases, estate reopenings, and skills training as signs of renewed hope. He praised President Irfaan Ali’s leadership as “nothing short of transformative.”
“For the first time in the history of the sugar industry in 2024, our Union and GuySuCo signed a three years wage/salary agreement that provides for increased remuneration and other improvements in conditions of work,” Narine said.
With this, Narine issued a clear endorsement of President Ali and the PPP/C for a second term in office. He cited the signing of 102 Collective Labour Agreements during President Ali’s term as evidence of a government that “has shown, in words and deeds, a deep and unwavering commitment to the working class.”
Ending on a note of remembrance and recommitment, Narine honoured the fallen workers by urging continued advocacy and progress.
“They were workers. They were sons. They were husbands. They were also dreamers for a better Guyana,” he said. “We honour them by building a society that is just, inclusive, and proud of its working-class roots.”
The Enmore Martyrs Day was made a national event in 1976, through the concerted efforts of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and the PNC government led by Forbes Burnham. The GTUC championed the recognition of the fallen sugar workers—Lallabagee, Dookie, Rambarran, Harry, and Pooran—at the Inter‑American Regional Organisation of Workers, leading to Forbes Burnham formally adding the observance to the national calendar.
“Long live the memory of the Enmore Martyrs! Long live the sugar workers of Guyana! Solidarity forever,” Narine concluded.
