Accusations against Red Thread and other women’s groups

Dec 13, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
During the time of the PPP/C Government, the public saw groups such as Red Thread, Guyana Human Rights and other women and social groups protesting over every issue under the sun about how hard life was for the poor, the single parent mothers, the grassroots women, the unemployed, etc. As gallant knights of the poor and the down-trodden, Red Thread and all these groups (and the many popular faces like Karen De Souza and Sherlina Nageer, etc) were always in the public domain holding placards and demanding better living conditions and economic and social benefits for women and children.
We have just seen the 2017 Budget come out and only heaven can help us with the burden that has been placed on every citizen in the country. Imagine that even the wealthy are crying out, as are the businesses. And if they are crying out, I ask myself: then what is happening to the poor? Every single item that was once zero-rated is now taxed and the poor have many other tax burdens to bear, including paying tax on water, electricity, basic foods, school and baby items, and medicines. The usual basket of goods has been drastically reduced for the poor, and the single-parent mothers among others. But yet, over a week has passed and I can’t see any group that represents the poor as they did back in PPP days. Just where are these groups and people? What has become of them?
How come they are not protesting and holding placards outside the Parliament and ministries stating how hard life is for the poor and asking how the poor single-parent mothers will raise 5 children with all these taxes and so forth? Editor, allow me to share this bit of information I got just out of a quick research. Stabroek News (March 24, 2007): note that the PPP was in office during this period. The title of the article: “Grassroots women in moves to hold politicians to campaign promises”.
I quote from that article: “Forty-eight women from across the country have launched a campaign to write to political leaders about the issues affecting them as a way of dealing with the “unfulfilled promises” made to them. They say they are holding the parties in Parliament accountable to all grassroots women for the promises made in their manifestoes at the time of national elections in relation to a living income; affordable access to goods and services; protection of women and children from violence and a strong political voice for all women. The women decided on these four priorities last year. The group held a press briefing on Thursday to officially launch their campaign which is being supported by Red Thread and Canada Fund.”
And there are other parts of that article:
• “The main concern is that grassroots women continue to struggle to get their households going because promises were not fulfilled.”
• “The group will be writing to the various political parties next week informing them of the campaign and based on the response they will decide what action would be taken. Having a march would be considered as a possible action.”
• “The group will also be sending out constant reminders via the media to remind the politicians of their promises. ‘If we don’t get satisfaction, we will take action,’ she said.”
• “Another woman, who was obviously upset, said that they are fed up of being ill-treated by politicians who make lots of promises to them during elections. ‘We are totally disgusted with the way grassroots women are treated… They would just wash us over like how the flood washed us over’. These comments were met with nods and applause. Another woman stated that for too long grassroots women have been sitting down. She said that ‘enough is enough’.”
Now that we have a little into the past work of Red Thread and other groups and their militancy back then, what can we conclude about them today? Are these groups political extensions of the APNU, tasked to bring down and shame the PPP Government by using the poor, the single-parent mothers and grassroots women?
I am tempted to conclude this because in less than 2 years, Guyana’s economy has declined and many industries (all affecting the grassroots people) are struggling and thousands of people have lost their jobs including those poor Amerindians (many of whom were represented in this Red Thread event in 2007). Despite all of this there is not a word from Red Thread. Now with a burdensome Budget as put out by the APNU/AFC Government, who promised a good life for all people, we see a great deception by the APNU/AFC and the poor are the ones who feel it the most. Then how come we are not seeing and hearing from Red Thread and other women and social groups? Are these groups carrying out political mandates under the guise of representing the poor of Guyana? Why the silence?
Daren Jaipaul

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One thought on “Accusations against Red Thread and other women’s groups”

Kassem_B December 13, 2016 at 6:50 am

‘ Despite all of this there is not a word from Red Thread.’
Lesson learned
But for many the signs were there a long time ago
This is Guyana 2016

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