Latest update March 26th, 2025 5:43 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

MAN’S INHUMANITY TO MAN

Nov 10, 2008 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

I had to read a particular story in yesterday’s edition of the Kaieteur News over and over again, because I could not believe what I was reading. I really could not believe what I was reading.

It has now been sixteen years since the PPP came to power.  And yet, onto this day, Uncle Adam has not been paid his benefits. This is unbelievable! This is shocking! This is disgraceful!

At first I said that something had to be wrong here. No democratic government committed to fairness would deny a human being the benefits he has earned; no government would deny that person for so long. 

Then I recalled the type of individuals we are dealing with, and I began to understand why Uncle Adam had not been paid sixteen years after he resigned his position.

 I have often wondered how we arrived at this point. How it is that we have reached the point of such mediocrity being entrusted with power in this country?  How is it that a man is still waiting for sixteen years to be paid what is due to him?

I think this is history.  I know of no case in human history where a person who resigned from his job in a State corporation had to wait so long for his benefits.

I have had my problems with Uncle Adam. I often do not see eye-to-eye with him on a number of issues.  But, on this one, I feel deeply for him. I believe that, of all the cases of injustice in this country, the denial of his benefits to Uncle Adam stand out. It ought not to have taken place, and I empathize with Uncle Adam.

When the PPP came to power in 1992, it was expected that there would be a number of persons with whom they would have been uncomfortable, and thus reluctant to have in the employ of the State. Some of those persons decided to give the PPP a difficult time and resisted.

Uncle Adam could have done the same. He could have refused to resign. He did not. He did the decent thing. He resigned. As someone who had worked for the State for donkey years, he was entitled to his benefits.

These are not benefits that are being begged for. These are benefits that have been earned and to which he is entitled. I am sure that, now that he is past the age of retirement, he can do with this money. Yet, for sixteen years, this spiteful administration has refused to pay the man. This is totally wrong, and all Guyanese should join in condemning it.

What is the Government waiting for? Are they waiting until he dies to claim they are ready to pay his benefits? Is he not entitled to enjoy, while he is alive, all that he has sweated for over the years? How can any caring government do this to one of its own citizens?

Uncle Adam should be paid. There are no two ways about it. It is his money. 
It is not anybody’s money to do with as they please. This is not a favour that the Government is doing anyone. This is a man’s entitlement, which he has earned through hard work.

When I read about man’s inhumanity to his fellow man, especially in Guyana, I wonder about the sort of individuals that we are dealing with in society, and whether they do sleep well at nights. Imagine, Uncle Adam is, after sixteen years, still waiting for his benefits which he has earned. Yet, we have a major supplier of medical supplies to the Government who is paid hundreds of millions of dollars up-front. How can these things be right?

The Guyanese people must throw their support behind Uncle Adam at this time. They must join in condemning the way he has been treated, because today it is Uncle Adam, tomorrow it could be you.
I am sure now that there must be others out there who are facing a plight similar to Uncle Adam’s. I am calling on those persons who have been denied their benefits, or who feel that they have been discriminated against by the Government, to come into Kaieteur News, so that their story can also be told.

We need to ensure that these matters are brought to the attention of the international community, which is pumping a great deal of funds into the coffers of the Government, including funding in the labour sector.

We have to begin to bring to the attention of the international community the abuses that are taking place. And we have to insist that no further funding should be released unless there is a proven commitment to respecting the rights of workers and to ensuring that there is fair play in the workings of the administration.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Groups, schedule announced for One Guyana 3×3 Quest

Groups, schedule announced for One Guyana 3×3 Quest

Mar 25, 2025

Kaieteur Sports- With just 11 days to go before Guyana welcomes 16 nations for the largest 3×3 basketball event ever hosted in the English-speaking Caribbean, excitement is building. The Guyana...
Read More
2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League Fixtures confirmed

2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League...

Mar 25, 2025

Virtual Meeting of Caribbean Boxing Promoters held, Guyana among six countries with interest

Virtual Meeting of Caribbean Boxing Promoters...

Mar 25, 2025

GBA AirBadminton Tournament spikes off with historic showing at St. Cuthbert’s Mission 

GBA AirBadminton Tournament spikes off with...

Mar 25, 2025

Briton John sets sights on another sweep with second leg win

Briton John sets sights on another sweep with...

Mar 25, 2025

Waramuri stuns Vreed-en-Hoop 7-1, as Bush Lot topple Ann’s Grove

Waramuri stuns Vreed-en-Hoop 7-1, as Bush Lot...

Mar 24, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]