…high on sugar workers’ blood
The sordid story of this PNC-led Government’s slow strangulation of the sugar industry and its workers continues to reveal levels of depravity that just boggles the mind. But then it’s said, “man’s inhumanity to man knows no bounds”. The latest episode in this serial, which began in December 2016 with the closing of Wales Estate, illustrates the sick mindset behind the tragedy.
Over in Skeldon last week, workers who’d been fired over a year ago were marching in the brutal sun to protest the remainder of their “severance pay” not being forked over. They’d only been paid half – even though the law demands payment in full. In the meantime, with no jobs on the horizon in an economy that’s moribund, they and their families were staring at starvation and hunger.
Over in Georgetown, on the other hand, the PRO of GuySuCo had halted the SPU — which was just supposed to sell off the four shuttered estates — from opening a Sports Bar at the LBI GuySuCo Headquarters!! Yes, dear reader, you didn’t have a sudden attack of dementia, you did read that right: A SPORTS BAR!!!
Last week, your Eyewitness had passed on info from a Chronic report on the very first spending the SPU had made from the G$30 billion bind they’d floated to “turn around” GuySuCo:
The SPU proudly announced it had “refurbished the LBI Estate lounge with a bar, tennis court, a pool, and other attractions”!! The swimming pool shown in the accompanying pic – costing millions and millions — was immaculately terraced to match anything Sandals could offer!! The Article explained that “the facility will be open to… the SPU, as well as for staff of various ministries”!! Now, if that splurging wasn’t outrageous enough when workers’ severance couldn’t be paid, we now hear of a “SPORTS BAR”??
What manner of persons are these? This is worse than Nero fiddling while Rome burnt!! This is Nero “sporting” in luxury by dipping from the blood of sugar workers, while those workers can’t even put food on the table. Back in the day when the much maligned ‘white man’ was ruling, sugar workers could only gaze through the fence in wonder at the extravagance of the senior staff in their gated compound. Today, forty years after nationalisation “on behalf of the people”, it’s clear the hand-picked appointees of the PNC-Government see themselves as the “new Massas”, to lord it over sugar workers.
And, dear reader, don’t pay any heed to the GuySuCo PRO sniping at the SPU: they all planned and built their special luxury getaway.
It was only when the SPU didn’t share the G$30 billion they balked!!
…in Nagga (la la) land
Your Eyewitness could’ve been knocked over with a feather when he read the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) – with pic with Nagamootoo smirking, naturally! — had forked over G$5 million to UG to fund “constitutional reform education”. If this isn’t rich, what is??!! The AFC’s biggest manifesto item had been “constitutional reform”, but they didn’t do squat on that front during the last three years!! And now they want UG to teach the subject to students??!
With their (in)actions, the AFC and Nagamootoo have already taught Guyanese all they need to know about “constitutional reform” — which is: it’s a great subject to TALK about when you’re in opposition, but it’s VERBOTEN once you sidle into Government! But the irony is: Nagamootoo himself is the biggest loser from the constipation on constitutional reform.
One of the PNC’s promises to inveigle Nagamootoo and the AFC into bed was that the OPM was going to be strengthened and given a host of powers that presently reside with the president.
But the mouth is muzzled…isn’t it?!
…on the edge of the margins
One vendor says she was thrown off her spot after giving evidence against the Town Clerk. But sadly, most of her comrades will still rally for Chase Green in her bid to return as Mayor.
Georgetown syndrome?