Dear Editor,
In December 2017, I read an emotionally moving article in the Department of Public Information (DPI) publication. President Granger had visited an orphanage for baby elephants in Nairobi, Kenya, and he had even taken the time to capture a photographic moment with one on these orphaned elephants. I am sure that it should have been a heart-changing moment, since if one can care so much for an orphaned elephant then we can expect far greater commitment to give the Guyanese people, especially our droves of dismissed workers, our unemployed youths and impoverished children, the ‘good life’ as is promised day after day and year after year.
Unfortunately, during this same time in 2017, the dismissed Wales sugar workers were subjected to dire poverty barely eking out a living and unable to send their children to school. Compliments of the Granger Administration! There were numerous articles which gave graphic accounts of the hardships faced by these workers and their families. We read headlines such as, ‘Wales feeling the squeeze…’, ‘Closure of Wales Estate now taking its toll…’,’Closure of Wales Estate a strategy to suffocate…’ and numerous letters highlighting the plight of these workers. However, like the Pharaoh of Moses times, these did nothing to soften the hearts of Granger and his Administration. The next year they callously closed the Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon estates and flung another 6000 workers and their families into grave poverty. Not to mention the negative ripple effect to the surrounding communities and businesses.
Let us now fast forward to October 18, 2018, nearly one year after the Nairobi visit. There was a massive picketing demonstration outside of Parliament which includes the dismissed Wales Sugar workers and their families who since the closure of the estate are still to receive their severance pay. That is nearly two years ago. The orphaned baby elephant must now be quite grown up and must be fending for itself, whilst the ‘orphaned’ sugar workers and their families are still suffering from hunger and poverty directly caused by the deliberately myopic policies of Granger and his Administration. But that’s not all! The Granger Administration unleashed its thugs to harass these impoverished sugar workers. The message is clear. The People’s National Congress’ thuggery and bullyism days are back!
Now the President is quite sympathetic to the Venezuelans refugees and this is not a problem. We are obligated to help our neighbours. Already a homestead development was proposed and now $19.2 million is allocated towards providing relief to these refugees. However, there is an old adage which says that ‘charity begins at home’, but this Government tends to be more sympathetic in gaining international accolades than looking after its starving people at home. At the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) level for the past months, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillors have been tirelessly agitating for a bus to be purchased by the Government to assist in transporting the dismissed sugar workers’ children at Rose Hall and even though it was passed at the RDC level, nothing is done by this ‘caring’ Government. They are simply not good enough. I would love to see the Presidents posing with one of these poor children!
Furthermore, why are the dismissed sugar workers at Wales not getting their severance pay? It is a grave travesty and a national disgrace to see these workers standing in the sweltering heat protesting for what they are legally entitled to. Should they not be treated as humans? Why is this Government prolonging their misery? It is already devastating to lose one’s job but it is more devastating to be denied the right to survival and this is exactly what this ‘good life’ government is doing. Why did they not pay the sugar workers their full severances immediately upon being severed? That is the law! But instead they are treated as criminals!
But what is even worse is the fact that the President and his ministers completely ignored these workers in front of Parliament, the place where elected representatives must serve all Guyanese. In fact, they proudly strutted away from the victims of their deliberate and calculated attack leaving them in the hands of their thugs. They had destroyed their livelihoods perceiving them to be supporters of the PPP and not citizens of this country whose rights have been trampled upon. It is a clear message that these ‘orphaned’ sugar workers have been totally abandoned by this ‘soucouyant’ Government.
Yours sincerely,
Haseef Yusuf
RDC Councillor, Region
Six
