PPP and GAWU using underage children for unsavoury political purposes

May 20, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
It is sad to see the length some will go to for their personal/political gains and power. I will like to bring to the attention of all, the recent act of child abuse, or political abuse in the form of using under aged children in protests, to score political points by the PPP and GAWU. On Wednesday 16th May 2017, I was looking at a video on GAWU’s Facebook page. It showed the protest that was held the same day by residents\sugar workers in the Canje area, Region 6.
On that video, the PPP’s MP in Region 6, Dr Mahadeo had the guts (during school hours) to commend a young man in school uniform for leading the protest.
That was very shameful that this MP who sits in the highest law-making institution would have encouraged a school child to stay away from school.
He also mentioned that there were other school children in the protest. It amazes me that when the PPP was in power the then Minister of Education introduced a “No Child Left Behind Policy.” She and the PPP were against children be absent from school\classes. Shame on this man that also preaches peace and religion! It seems that he too can use anyone for his personal and political gains, and goes for the rest of the PPP.
Those children have no idea what they were protesting for. They were used by the PPP and GAWU. I am sure that this PPP MP has relatives who were attending school at that moment. Why didn’t he encourage his underaged relatives to be part of something they know nothing about? He won’t do that but used other underaged children. The PPP and GAWU should be ashamed to use those children for their own political gains. If their voices spoke to truth then it would have been heard, and there would be no need to force persons to listen to what they are saying. Nothing on the video proved to those protesters that the PPP is on their side.
All that the MP and the rest of the speakers were doing was calling government members names and putting the people against each other. They didn’t tell the workers and protesters that they are the ones who ensured that sugar workers suffered.
They never told the protesters that under the PPP, they had plans to close the industry but were afraid because of their political future, if that was done.
They never told the workers that GAWU sold out their rights while the PPP was in power. They never told the workers about the estates they closed and many lost their jobs and livelihoods. It is a shame to see the nasty and dirty work that the PPP and GAWU officials are conducting. They are back to “Operation Destroy Guyana” if they can’t get power. All that the PPP wants is power.
I will say this, as long a country is on its way towards betterment and an opposition political party wants power, they will organise mass protest and strikes. I can recall in May 2015 it was the then PPP CEO of Guysuco who had wanted to close the entire operation of Guysuco down. Yet the workers and GAWU didn’t see it fit then to strike.
Today under this APNU+AFC Government, Guysuco will still survive and lots of workers will still be working. Yes, a few will be going. But if Guysuco is to remain, action needs to be taken. Under this government workers have the right to support each other in times as the need arises. So the PPP and GAWU should be ashamed to use school children for their political gains. But the PPP will do anything to gain power at this stage. The oil finds are making them lose their heads.
The PPP needs to tell the workers the truth. They need to stop lying and causing workers and their families to become stressed out. They need to ask GAWU to relax on collecting union dues for the next seven months from the workers, so that they can enjoy that amount being paid to GAWU. It will be spent on their children. If GAWU was so caring for the workers then relax on collecting union dues for the rest of the year. If the PPP so cared then take the raise that was given to MPs that you all said you will not accept and give it to the workers. PPP, if you so care for the worker then put all of the MPs monies for the rest of the year in a fund for the sugar workers’ children. Don’t just show the world you care; prove it. Don’t provoke the situation for political gains and power. Stop using the underaged children.
Abel Seetaram
APNU+AFC
Regional Councillor
Region 5

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