Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Former banana workers Suriname prepare lawsuit against government

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

by: Ivan Cairo
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent
Email: ivan@caribbeannetnews.com

PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Banana workers in Suriname are preparing a lawsuit against the government for alleged fraud. Last week workers, who lost their jobs in 2002 when the state-owned banana company Surland closed, received back wages, but the unions’ claim that the workers received far less then they were entitled to.

Also in accepting the back payment, interested persons have to sign a document stating that they resign and don’t have any further financial claims on the company. The last time workers received money was in 2002.

“I don’t know exactly what I have signed, since I can’t read, but I needed the money. We had to sign some documents if we wanted our money,” said a former employee. He received about US$1,050, while he expected US$1,600. Several other former employees stated that they have signed the papers because they urgently needed the finances.

The back payment came from a loan totaling US$1,500,000 the Suriname government extended to the Foundation for Preservation of the Banana Sector (SBBS), which restarted banana production in 2004. According to SBBS manager Ramkisoensingh, 2,275 workers were scheduled to receive the back wages.

Union leader Stuart Codrington said that the organisation is preparing the lawsuit because the SBBS management has prohibited all union activities since the restart of banana production in 2004. He alleged that workers who are trying to organise the employees are being fired. Codrington claims that, according to the Constitution, workers are allowed to establish trade unions to look after their interests.

On the other hand, said the union leader, workers can’t be forced to resign since the state-owned company never filed for bankruptcy. He further stressed that if the company wants to fire the workers, the management should submit an application with the Ministry of Labour.

Member of Parliament, Jiwan Sital, a former union leader of the banana workers, has alleged that pension premiums and several other emoluments and financial benefits that were earned over the years weren’t included in the back pay, a claim Agriculture Minister Kermechend Raghoebarsing refutes.

According to the minister, the workers were paid exactly what the company owed them. He disclosed that over the past years, part of the salaries was already handed out to them.

Minister Raghoebarsingh further confirmed that the back payment is being settled as a buy out. “It is not that we don’t want to pay these people. In order to avoid that workers of Surland come with future financial claims individuals, we take this opportunity tot buy them out,” said the minister.

With a US$6 million loan from the Inter American Development Bank, the Suriname banana industry was revived and expectations are that exports to Europe this year will reach 60,000 tons. According to figures presented by the SBBS manager, 39,000 tons banana were exported to Europe and, in 2006, 47,000 tons.

Print Page