Young Workers Build the Future
ST. GEORGE'S--Queen's Park has been the scene of many important rallies and demonstrations for the people of revolutionary Grenada. Many of their projects, problems, and aspirations have been discussed at huge rallies here. Many of the revolution's battles have been launched from its platform.
The park overlooks Queen's Park Concrete Manufacturers, where an equally important battle is now under way--the battle for production and economic independence.
1 was shown around the small quarry and production site by Martin, the company's twenty-one-year-old assistant project supervisor. Martin explained that the gravel taken from the quarry goes to help build Grenada's new international airport, "and to repair and build roads. It also goes to make breeze blocks for building new houses and schools, and is made into concrete culverts for drainage. "
### REGULAR MEETINGS
OF WORKERS
It was a hot day, and about forty women were laboring in the sun. The process is almost completely manual. The only mechanized parts are the loader, or bulldozer, and one small cement mixer. Everything else is done by manual labor. The plant employs seventy-five workers, and of that total sixty are women. Even the screens for sifting the gravel are powered by hand.
The plant produces between five and ten tons of gravel per day, along with breeze blocks and concrete culverts. asked if they have plans to increase production, since 1982 is the "Year of Economic Construction." "Yes," replied Martin, "we are discussing this in all our meetings.
There are plenty of opportunities for discussing the progress of the plant. There is a monthly mass meeting during working hours for all the workers. They also attend monthly parish council meetings. And there are fortnightly meetings of their union, the Technical and Allied Workers Union. Martin explained that they always have full attendance at evening union meetings. "Workers know that what is discussed at these meetings is in their interests, so they all come along."
Every Thursday, they have a meeting of the National Women's Organization for the plant's sixty women. Again, it is during working hours.
Irva, a young woman worker, told me, "We talk about fundraising, cake sales, what is happening in the country. "
"Do you discuss politics?" Irva smiled, and said, "Of course we do. We have already talked about the new budget, and made our suggestions. always get reports on defense of the coun try, and things like that."
She explained that the revolution has brought many benefits to the island's women, including the right to work. "We have had three pay raises, and women are equal in production. If there is a job that a man can do, then a woman can also do it. We have equal pay for work that both men and women do. " Irva is also a member of the island's militia.
On another part of the site, they make concrete culverts used to drain away the island's frequent tropical rain storms. met Brian, another twenty-one-year-old, who guided me around this part of the plant.
His enthusiasm was infectious. I thought he was the supervisor, he was so knowledgable about the workings of the company. "No, I am the gateman, " he told me.
They make culverts up to two feet in diameter and about two feet long. The cement, which comes from Cuba, is loaded along with the gravel by hand into the mixer, which holds half a ton. The cement is poured onto the ground at the other end and then packed by hand into wooden molds. Again, except for the mixer, the whole process is manual.
"We supply culverts to government ministries and to private people, " Brian ex-
"With all the new roads being built, there is a lot needed. They put them under the roads to take the rainwater away. We make seventeen culverts each
As I stood there, someone came in with an order for forty-one culverts. work, " I said. "The revo's moving forward, " replied Brian.
Culverts and gravel are given free of charge to community development projects such as new schools and community centers.
These projects are carried out by volunteer community work brigades.
The work at the gravel yard is hard, but the workers all seemed determined to reach their targets before lunchbreak. They had a little discussion at the cement mixer about whether to stop to talk to me, and they decided to keep on working.
Martin commented later, "That is the difference between socialist workers and capitalist workers. Capitalist workers want to laze, and do as little as possible. Only too right. But we know that we are working for ourselves, our country and the revolution."
I asked Martin and Brian if they were in any other organizations, apart from their union. Both were in the militia and the National Youth Organization. Both had attended the NYO congress as delegates from the NYO Social Projects Unit, which coordinates voluntary work in the community.
Brian added proudly, "Martin has been selected as a New Jewel Movement party applicant. " Martin explained, "I have been an applicant for about a year now. It takes between two and three years to join our party. I go to study classes every
As I was leaving the plant, I asked Martin what he would like most from the United States for the plant. He thought I had asked him what he wanted for himself personally.
Quickly and decisively he said, "Books. All kinds of books, but especially books about the history of the American Indians, about the history of the unions, about Malcolm X and the history of the Black Power movement. That is what I would like."
These determined young workers are the future of a new and free Grenada. They are also the reason why the U.S. rulers are so hostile to tiny Grenada. Ronald Reagan despises freedom, and there is no one more free than Irva, Martin, and Brian. They mold more than concrete culverts in their little factory--they are molding their country's future.
(Intercontinental Press/ Inprecor, February 22, 1982)