When an ambulance itself becomes a medical patient

Mar 09, 2012 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

I got a call from Gerhard Ramsaroop at 5.45 A.M. on Phagwah morning that Enmore cane cutters were on strike and we should go and talk to them. It was a bad time to call. I went to bed on Phagwah morning at 2.30 A.M. after watching three movies. I have never done that before. Two not three. First was Alfred Hitchcock’s most philosophical film, “Rope” in which a teacher imbued his students with the teaching of Nietzsche. They and their teacher misinterpreted Nietzsche with tragic consequences.
That was followed by a modern version of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus. This 2011 film by Ralph Fiennes was a failure for me with the only bright spot being the acting of the brilliant Vanessa Redgrave. Before I went to bed I saw “Wild is the Wind,” a classic film of triangular love that inevitably had to end in tragedy. This film for me the best movie Anthony Quinn ever acted in. I went to bed very late. Nevertheless I answered Gerhard’s request and traveled up at 6 A.M. with him to Enmore.
When I arrived, there were about 125 sugar workers on the road, and they warmly greeted us with the chief spokesperson telling the crowd, “Here is Freddie Kissoon, the man Bharrat Jagdeo said was ugly.” He was referring to Jagdeo’s classification of me after I described the Berbice Bridge as ugly. There was laughter from everyone. Then I addressed them and asked them to look at me closely with my long hair and tell me who was uglier. There was a huge roar of laughter from the cane cutters.
The most hilarious moment came when the estate bus was entering the compound. The workers blocked the road and declared that they want us to see the type of service GuySuCo offers its workers. This minibus was registered 25 years ago when it was bought by the now closed Diamond estate. This vehicle is totally unfit to carry out ambulatory services. All the windows have been replaced with Perspex.
The ambulance is completely bare inside with a cupboard that supposed to be a first-aid kit but it had nothing inside. There was an old broom and an empty Coke bottle. The inside is dirty. All over the bus are little plasters of the adhesive known as euroband. Large sections of the side and front of the ambulance are patched up with euroband. It is as if the ambulance is a sick patient with plaster all over its body.
The workers insisted that Dale Andrews of this newspaper and Dennis Chabrol of demerawaves.com take photographs of the vehicle. They willingly complied but were laughing their head off at the state of this thing called an ambulance.
I have been to every cane cutter strike since 2012 began and one complaint permeates the protest and one suggestion is always present. The complaint is that GuySuCo’s NIS records are horrible and workers are losing out big time from their NIS benefits.
At Blairmont, Rose Hall, Enterprise, now Enmore, the cry is the same – NIS contributions are not properly recorded so benefits are lost.
There is absolutely no question in my mind; GuSuCo is an oppressive employer and the employee sees it as “massa come back.” At every cane cuter strike I have been to, the workers hate GuySuCo and reject it as their own company now that the colonial master is gone. What is clear to me also, is that GuySuCo is disintegrating.
All around the estates you see waste and neglect. After two decades in power, sugar workers have come to the realisation that Cheddi Jagan’s party has failed them.
This particular strike on Phagwah Day has to do with the mistreatment of workers. Cane cutters downed tools because some of their colleagues have been ordered back to work by the Medex even though their medical conditions are worsening. The press was shown a medical certificate from the Georgetown Public Hospital which describes a serious heart condition but the victim was told that he has to turn out to work.
We saw another cane cutter with a swollen leg but he too was told that he has to report for duty.
I come now to the suggestion. At all the strikes I have been to, the call is vociferous and frenetic – can we help form another union. As soon as the discussion began with the Enmore workers, they were all suggesting that I help to form another union. They don’t want GAWU.
I wish I could help but that is something that the TUC, APNU, AFC and others have to discuss with the sugar workers.

Latest News

When an ambulance itself becomes a medical patient

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 14th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Ramdheol fifty leads pilots Guyana to 6-wicket win

Berbice thrash Demerara by 82-runs after Fraser...

Guyana Rainforest Rangers to bowl encampment...

A tribute to Milton Robert Pydana aka ‘Golden...

GCB expresses condolence on the passing of former...

Covent Garden Secondary boys on course for Region...

Features/Columnists

In praise of the Almighty Executive Order

Collaborative Government–Private Sector Action Imperative for a Resilient Trade Future

World coming to an end

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

When an ambulance itself becomes a medical patient

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 14th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]