FITUG pledges loyalty to Irfaan Ali

Last Updated on Saturday, 2 May 2026, 1:46 by Writer

As the decades-old politically motivated split in the labour movement continues, the Federation of Independent Trades Unions of Guyana  (FITUG) on this Labour Day pledged loyalty to President Irfaan Ali.

Addressing a brunch on the lawns of State House, FITUG President Carville Duncan hailed the Guyanese leader for being very worker-oriented and trade union-friendly. “On behalf of the trade union movement, let me say this: comrade Ali if you had a chance to run again, you will have the trade union support,” he said.

He said the trade union movement and its membership are greater than any political party in Guyana’s history.

Mr Duncan added that FITUG represents the largest number of organised labour in Guyana and “if, we like the doctor, say you dead, you dead and once we say you good, you good.”

Mr Duncan said the President shares ideas with FITUG so that they could transform themselves from trade unionists to entrepreneurs. “Comrade Ali you’ve done well, Sir, and may you live longer to do better than you’re doing now because you have the workers who are with you,” he said.

FITUG’s affiliates include the historically pro-PPP Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees, Guyana Labour Union, and Clerical and Commercial Workers Union.

In his address, President Ali made no mention of the need for trade union unity but remarked that Guyana has sufficient resources to forge national unity under the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) as it had been prior to that party’s split in 1955.

He also urged attendees not to engage in division.

“This not the moment where we play divisive games. This is not the moment when we run around to find spectacles of humour. This is not the moment when we are childish on social media and social media posts. This is the moment when we embrace a much larger picture. This is a moment where we confront a future that is grand,” he said.

He said “our political door and our social door remain open” and people are empowered through home-ownership, shared values, opportunities and social programmes.

While FITUG has openly backed the PPP over the years, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) has been pushing for the removal of that party from office.

At its rally, GTUC President Norris Witter and We Invest in Nationhood associate Jinnah Rahman explicitly called for the PPP to be ousted from power.

Opposition Leader and leader of We Invest in Nationhood political party, Azruddin Mohamed and parliamentary leader of A Partnership for National Unity urged GTUC affiliates to strengthen themselves and be part of efforts to dislodge the PPP-Civic from office.

Among the GTUC affiliates are the Guyana Public Service Union, Guyana Teachers Union, Guyana Workers Union, Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers Union, and Clerical and Commercial Workers Union.