Wales Sugar Estate workers seek land for livelihoods

Former workers of the Wales Sugar Estate in Guyana are seeking government intervention to secure land for agricultural livelihoods. Despite promises from the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to reopen closed sugar estates upon returning to power in 2020, the Wales estate was excluded from reopening programs due to the sale or dismantling of its assets.

Representatives of a Workers-Farmers’ Committee, including Shyam Balkarran of the Guyana Cane Farmers Association, report that between 350 and 400 laid-off workers have applied for five to 10 acres of land each to pursue farming, poultry, livestock, and aquaculture. The workers claim they have received neither approval nor acknowledgement of their petitions, which were submitted to the Office of the President, the Office of the Prime Minister, and the Ministries of Agriculture and Labour.

While President Irfaan Ali has emphasized a development approach focused on transforming livelihoods and property ownership, former employees express feeling neglected. They are calling on the government to consider allocating idle sugarcane land from the Wales estate to these landless workers and peasant farmers to support their economic independence.