Developed USA uses elderly experienced workers, backward Guyana discards them

Oct 12, 2015 Letters

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Dear Editor,
During the early 1980s I worked as an Industrial Welfare officer with Guysuco stationed at estate located at LBI. At that time I remember the estate having a number of elderly men working at its factory. On inquiring I was told they worked in the boiler room. Later I found out that these men had worked with the sugar industry in their younger days, had retired and left Guyana to work in the sugar industry of one or the other Caribbean Islands. It seemed that in the old days Guyana was known for producing master boilers. In the late 1907s and early 1980s they were returning home and being swallowed up by the local industry that had come to recognize their worth.
These men walked around with their heads held high, confident of their capability and assured of their importance. I remember noticing how some of the most boisterous youngsters at the factory would be on their best behavior when these men were around, going out of their way to be kind and respectful to these elderly men.
I remember before leaving Guyana the regular complaint was that our schools were unable to deliver to our children a ‘proper education,’ and that it was the incompetence of the modern teachers that was the problem. Indeed those of us who attended school in the 50s, 60s and 70s longed for those days to return, for, we argue, those were the days when teachers were committed and competent and Guyana turned out notable scholars abundantly, like ants from a provoked nest.
I thought of these things as I read about activities in Guyana in celebration of the International Year of the Elderly. I noted the theme for the occasion – “Sustainability and Age Inclusiveness in the Urban Environment,” a very impressive theme that suggests the country is very serious about the role of the elderly in national development. So I read on to familiarize myself with what those in the corridors of power and influence in Guyana had planned. I read that the first lady and her group, in commemorating that day, spoke of the need for the government and organizations to do all possible “to keep our senior citizens active and engaged.”
Not sure what is meant by ‘active and engaged’ in the context of the elderly in Guyana, but I chose to view the comment positively. Then I read the Minister of Social Protection’s comments to residents of the Palms Geriatric Institution in which the honorable minister was reported as saying “government is committed to ensuring a better life for the elderly.” She then went on to qualify what some aspects of this “better life” would look like – “government would like to build a modern facility for the elderly” she disclosed.
Also the government was working to “address some of the administrative issues” and she encouraged residents “to improve their relations with each other, as love can replace the loneliness they may sometimes feel.” “That’s all?” I thought to myself as I looked to the end of the page to find directions on which other page to turn to for a continuation of the report. There was no such direction, what I had read was the ‘meat’ of the minister’s presentation, I was sad, disappointed. If what I read was a reflection of the depth of the thinking of these two outstanding ladies on the matter of a better life for our seniors, then the future looks bleak for the elderly, nothing will change and we are in trouble as a people.
If there is one thing we know it is that persons who contribute to the wellbeing of others are usually respected, and their self – esteem is enhanced, allowing them to lead productive and contented lives. Work in the interest of others is the source of the greatest satisfaction known to man. This is no idle statement, and age should not be used to deny citizens the opportunity to serve their fellow man and their country in ways they are best capable of so doing.
The boiler men at Guysuco factors of whom I spoke earlier are a good example of elderly men being respected and allowed to contribute. We complain of teachers today not being as efficient as they use to be generations ago. Yet we can find no role for tried and proven educators like Oswald Kendall at the highest level of the Ministry of Education leading a return to the supposed ‘glory days.’ We struggle to find ways of organizing youth to play a leading role in planning national development and reducing youth unemployment. I looked at a photograph in one of the dailies which captured the persons leading the discussion on the creation of a youth policy, no Lynette
Seabra was there. Mrs. Seabra was the person who started the community youth training program which saw research being done in a number of communities which led to a register of small businesses in each community to which youths from the said community were attached and later, with the help of the Commonwealth Youth Programmme, seed money was provided to give them a start in their own business. She was also responsible for the creation of the Georgetown Youth Council which was intended to be an example to all the regions of how youths could be encouraged to organize themselves.
The Georgetown Youth Leaders Council eventually had its own restaurant which was housed at the YMCA, Thomas land, that restaurant provided lunch for hundreds of students from Queens College and GTI five days per week while providing employment for about six youths. You mean there is no role for such a person in our search for novel ways of involving our young people as we plot youth development? True persons like the two names I mentioned might not want to serve any more in their areas of known competence, but they deserved to be asked. Were they asked? I suppose people like Mrs. Seabra and Mr. Oswald Kendall are considered too old even to be asked.
Seemingly, when the elderly were told the Government “is committed to ensuring a better life for the elderly,” that was not intended to suggest action will be taken to encourage the elderly to lead productive lives if they so choose. The residents of the Palms were not encouraged to organize themselves into production units designed to produce hand towels, foot mats and black-board dusters for schools.
The elderly were not promised training in how to bargain in their own interest or how to ensure representation on all regional councils. The length and breadth of what government conceives as providing “a better life for the elderly,” was really made clear when the Minister of Social Development told them “government would like to build a modern facility for the elderly.” One gets the impression that this government; much like the previous government; does not have a clue on how to involve the elderly in national development.
I think worldwide some of the healthiest people – both physically and mentally, between age 60 and 75 are Caribbean and Guyanese people. Here in the USA one is frequently reminded of this as one watches Caribbean persons in that age group hurrying to be on time for the train taking them to work, where many of them work six days per week. Developed USA is still hungry for elderly experienced workers, while backward and poverty stricken Guyana can think of no way of harnessing their skills for development. In Guyana we are satisfied to direct our energy each year to organizing banquets and the giving of cheap gifts to our senior citizens as we celebrate International Year of the Elderly.
Shortage of skills meh foot!
Claudius Prince

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