An open letter to Pauline Sukhai

Mar 12, 2014 Letters

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Dear Minister Sukhai,
It is with grave concern that I write to you with regards to my mother’s land in Moruca.
From what I understand Ms. Margaret Abraham is claiming that the new Toshao, Mr. Richard Cornelius, and his councilors have decided to give half of my mother’s legally owned land to her, a highly illegal action since my mother possesses all documents to prove that she is the legal owner of this particular piece of land.
Mrs. Josepha Garrido, my mother, is a born and bred Morucian. Her father was Mr. Nulverto Abraham and her mom was Euphrasia Torres. Her mom died when she was one year old so she was brought up by her father and grandmother. After several years her father married Martha James and they had four children of which one died at a very young age.
Grandma Martha, as we refer to her, already had a daughter of her own before the marriage to my grandfather. This daughter’s name was Lucy who is the mother of Margaret Abraham, the woman who is trespassing on my mother’s land. Lucy was my grandfather’s (Nulverto Abraham’s) stepdaughter.
As life would have it, my mother married Mr. Ignatius Garrido and because of his work they travelled to various villages in the Rupununi for several years. Her father, since then, had already indicated that the land at the “ball field” (the land being referred to here) was to be my mother’s land so she would send money every once in a while to help keep the land clean.
I can remember when Grandma Martha had her granddaughter Lucy Ann (Lucy’s daughter) staying with her and Grandpa since she was a little girl until she grew into a young woman and married and moved away. They helped to “grow her up” because Auntie Lucy had many children and Lucy Ann was very tiny and frail. Whenever we visited or stayed over for days Lucy Ann was always there.
Then my grandfather died. After that, my uncle Patrick died. In the meanwhile my father got posted to Santa Cruz and then to Kwebana to teach. My mom always accompanied him but would send monies to upkeep the land and to help Grandma Martha financially. Whenever mom visited she would shop and leave food supplies for Grandma and I did so myself on several occasions.
In fact, when I got married it was from Grandma and Grandpa’s house. I was teaching at Kwebana then, so their home was always our home too.
Then Margaret Abraham (Auntie Lucy’s daughter also and the woman involved here) went to stay with grandma which pleased my mom very much. She was always worried about grandma staying alone when Lucy Ann left.
However, after some time Grandma started reminding my mom to start preparing the legal papers for her land so she could put her thumb print on it. Mommy told her she would do so but keep forgetting.
Mom was not worried about her land because grandpa had already made it clear that the land belonged to her but she had to allow her step mom, Grandma Martha, to continue living on it until she died. So mom was not worried about the land. However, every time mom visited, grandma would tell her to hurry and get the papers in order so she can put her sign on it.
My mom eventually got it done and grandma put her thumbprint on it. In retrospect, my mom came to the understanding that the reason why grandma was always “bothering” her to get the papers in order was because Margaret Abraham had started telling grandma to leave the land to her and grandma did not want that to happen.
After all, the land belonged to my mom, given to her by her father and grandma, like most wives in that era, listened to her husband and carried out his wishes.
The other piece of land owned by my grandfather was given to his second daughter, Aunty Bannie. That is located along the Kumaka road.
Since my grandma died Margaret Abraham has refused to move from the land and is telling all who would listen that the land is hers. It is not. It belongs to my mom; it is her birthright left to her by her father and her stepmom who made doubly sure before she died that she got it.
The claims by Margaret Abraham have no merit. It is left to my mom whether she wants to share her land with anyone and she has made it clear that she does not want to share it with Margaret Abraham because she is an abusive and disrespectful woman – not fit to be considered for a gift of land from my mom.
She has disrespected and abused both my mom and my sister, Deana, who now lives on the land, and so far has got away with such actions.
It must be noted, too, that although my mom has all the legal documents the matter was brought to the attention of the then Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues, who agreed that the land was my mother’s own. This of course, was done in the presence of the then council.
It seems, however, that Margaret Abraham is above the law. She ignored the Minister’s decision and continues to live on the land, continuously abusing and threatening my mother whenever she tries to work on her land while the Council does nothing about it.
I am kindly asking this current council to proceed to find a piece of land for Margaret Abraham as they promised and have the courage to do their duty and ask her to vacate my mother’s land.
My mother is a decent woman and needs to feel at peace on her own land; likewise my sister and her children also need to live in peace without the almost daily abuse or threats from Margaret Abraham.
Margaret Abraham has parents of her own; where is the plot of land they left her? And they do have land? Like a good father my grandfather made sure that he left land for his daughters.
The abuse and disrespect towards my mom, my sister and her children has to stop – it has gone on long enough. Margaret Abraham must move and I am begging the Council to do their duty and see that this happens.
Thank you.
Name withheld

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