Give them their pensions

Mar 02, 2013 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
The piece by Mr. Lionel Peters (KN Feb 21) caught my attention. I agree that those who worked for government (government agencies included), as long as they meet the qualification requirements, are entitled to a pension and should be so remunerated.
This would include people like Adam Harris who is now editor of KN.
I previously wrote that neither the PNC nor the PPP government should have denied Dr. Fenton Ramsahoye and Balram Singh Rai their much deserved and earned pensions.
Now about the writer, Mr. Lionel Peters. I hold no brief for him and in fact he has been a regular critic of mine. I can attest to frequent arrests and abuses at the hands of agents of the dictatorship. I admire and respect his contribution to political struggle in Guyana. I don’t think he served in any government agency (although I do recall he briefly worked with GEC) and as such will not be entitled to any government pension. But he served the PPP and Mirror newspaper for many, many years, much longer than some who are earning huge benefits from government titles, and that has earned him the right to some form of compensation from that political party.
While many others served in government and as such are entitled to or are receiving government pension, Lio, as he was popularly called, does not have the good fortune to enjoy that benefit. If he qualifies for a pension working at GEC, then he should also be awarded what is rightfully his.
I am aware of Lio’s activism on behalf of the PPP and people of Guyana during the struggle for freedom against the dictatorship. I used to travel to Guyana regularly between 1981 and 1992 during the struggle to restore democratic rule and joined forces with so many opposed to the dictatorship.
I met Lio at various locations including in Port Mourant, Whim, Albion, Black Bush and Georgetown. He used to sell Mirror newspapers and I faintly recollect him also delivering GEC bills. He was also a reporter for Mirror and I recall him penning several investigative pieces. He was very committed and dedicated to the PPP. I also recall his party activism; organizing sporting activities to build support for the party and in organizing party cells in greater Georgetown. In short, he was indisputably a terrific worker and political organizer.
Sadly, Lio has become a fierce critic of the PPP ever since a fallout with the party around 1997, similar to the fallout involving Moses Nagamootoo, Ralph Ramkarran, Prakash Ramjattan, etc., other stalwarts in the struggle for the restoration of democratic rule. And many seem to forget or negate Lio’s contributions to the freedom movement just because he is on the other political side. Those of us who were part of the struggle for free and fair elections will not forget the contributions of so many who have not been recognized.
As Lio says, give those who are entitled their due pensions!
Vishnu Bisram

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Give them their pensions

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