Melissa Charley, Gleaner Writer
WESTMORELAND:
WORKERS AT the Frome Sugar Factory in West-moreland staged a massive protest on Saturday calling for the immediate removal of Corbett Victoreen, a Guyanese national, employed as an operations manager.
The protest, which began on Friday, escalated on the second day when workers reportedly kicked off the door to Mr. Victoreen's office on Saturday morning. He was eventually whisked off the property by the police, with the mob in hot pursuit.
NO MORE WORK UNTIL ...
The angry workers, who used a cane cart to block the main gate to the factory, vowed to discontinue their service until he is removed.
"The cane fields are filled with grass and as such the farms are not able to adequately supply the factory," said Michael Sinnanon, worker representative. The manager snubs at the recommendations to give priority to the field and he refuses to buy material.
"The factory has in recent times reportedly run out of cane as there is not enough of the raw material coming in to keep it running putting excess pressure on the factory," Mr. Sinnanan continued. He added that the workers are demanding that Mr. Victoreen vacate the estate, the factory and accompanying housing.
"Since Mr. Victoreen came to the factory four years ago, the plant has seen a significant decline in the quantity and quality of cane produced."
POOR EQUIPMENT
The demonstrators added too that the quality of cane produced and reaped is also affected by poor equipment at the plant some of which is outdated and in dire need of repairs. As a result of this, when the cane comes in, it is spoiled. Leroy Turner, factory worker told The Gleaner that the situation was unavoidable.
"It is unfortunate that a decision which was expected to be taken by management had to be taken by workers as the deplorable conditions became more than they could bear," Mr. Turner said.
Efforts to contact factory officials proved futile.
