Serious complaints against hotel owner

Aug 12, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor;
This is the reason why we graduates want to migrate badly from Guyana. We have been treated with disrespect by our own employers in the Private Sector or more or less, the Business Community.
Our labour rights continue to be trampled upon and some labour officers seem to be ill equipped to deal with some of our concerns, and disrespectful employers who are failing to pay over employees’ taxes, NIS and overtime pay over to us and the relevant authorities. I am the father of the child who gained perfect score in the English Language at the National Grade Six Examination 2016 and who also gained a place at Queen’s College and topped the country in the above subject area. To God Be the Glory.
On the 20th April,2016 I indicated to my ‘Boss’ who is, the owner of a certain hotel via email that I cannot continue to work (6) six nights a week including Saturdays, Sundays and National holidays without being compensated for my labour. I also outlined to him my NIS, P.A.Y.E and overtime not being paid over to the relevant authorities. I knew my days would be numbered thereafter because I gave him until May month-end to fix my benefits. However, being an auditor, I had to see that the right things are done for the benefit of me, the employees and the hotel business itself. Further, by the 1st June there was threat to me and my daughter’s life.
I ordered two boxes of food for lunch to take home. Thank God my daughter did not eat from the bottom box. When I got home my wife and I decided to share the food from the bottom box among ourselves and children and guest what we found in the food as I dip the first spoon; I found one broad headed galvanized zinc sheet nail which I showed to the owner on the 7th June,2016.
As a result, things took a different turn with my employer’s wife who came to Guyana from overseas in early July 2016 with her disrespectful attitude towards employees. In this regard, she claimed that she is a minority shareholder in her husband’s business and she has the right to hire and fire as she likes. Well, I was relieved of my Auditing duties on the 5th August, 2016 and was told verbally that she is going to pay me all that I deserve.
In conclusion, I am asking the Minister of Labour and my Government to urgently address this wanton abuse on my labour rights, coupled with my fellow employees who are afraid to speak out.
I believed that I should be paid compensation for the past (10) ten months working six nights a week including Saturdays, Sundays and National holidays. My wife and children who made the sacrifices for me in the nights deserve every cent.
Rawle Charles

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