Govt should do more to ease the suffering of sugar workers

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor
Thousands of sugar workers of the Guyana Sugar Corporation from Skeldon, Rose Hall and East Demerara Estates will surely face the similarly harsh sufferings we are going through at Wales Estate.
Our children can’t get enough and proper meals; clearly, they are being malnourished. Some of them are forced to become school drop-outs. We are noticing many of the boys are attracted to stealing, while we are not pleased with the behaviour of some of our young daughters.
We did not expect, at the time of our redundancy, that we would have to encounter the present dreadful situation. Seeing is believing. Those who decided to close Wales, Rose Hall, Skeldon and East Demerara Estates must answer for the crime they committed against us before an impartial tribunal.
Those workers from Uitvlugt, Blairmont and Albion estates must take warning, for the Government will not spare their estates, despite the President’s assurance.
We believe that those of us – about 7,000 – who have been pushed to the breadline should obtain some monetary assistance every week. At least the sum of G$19,500 per month – a pensioner’s allowance, though highly inadequate, should be given to us. For 7,000 workers at G$19,500, the monthly sum is G$136.5 million. This is within the possibility of the Government.
Yours faithfully,
Liebert Alleyne

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