Injured after falling through NAREI bridge

May 13, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
On Friday, May 11, 2018, I visited the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) plant nursery at Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, to purchase plants.
I am a regular visitor to this facility over the past few years and enjoy a very cordial relationship with the staffers.
I drove south on to the bridge and, as per normal, stepped out of the vehicle on the eastern side to open the gate.
I closed the door to give myself space to walk and the portion of the bridge I was standing on broke off and fell into the trench.
My legs slipped through the bridge up to my knees and I fell backwards hitting my head, neck and back against my vehicle.
I stayed down for about 10 seconds then pulled myself out.
Staffers witnessed this horrific incident and one indicated that I should call headquarters immediately and notify them. I did.
She also took my information and made some notes.
I spoke to a senior person at NAREI headquarters who took my name and telephone number and promised to get back with me.
I was told that the boss wasn’t around and she would have to find out what to do.
That was at 12:30 pm on Friday.
I have not heard anything back from anyone at NAREI regarding this incident. It’s safe to assume that this is not a priority matter for them.
I spent the rest of Friday sorting out doctor, painkillers and treatment.
Yesterday, Saturday, I had an appointment to see another doctor regarding my injuries and not working.
I earn my daily bread as a farmer. I have young men working with me as well. For the next few days, I will be unable to work. Who is taking notes? Who is responsible? Who cares?
What systems are in place for other citizens of this country who endure all manner of suffering and injuries just going about their daily lives? Are they working?
Some Guyanese get upset when these matters are pointed out. But that is not a concern of mine. These things must be spoken about and changes implemented.
I have an order of classification in which I place incidents like these, “State-sponsored violence.”
For my entire adult lifetime, citizens of this country have been brutalized physically, mentally and psychologically by various arms of the state.
May 2015 was a watershed moment. Is it time or isn’t it?
I patiently await a response from NAREI channeling Frantz Fanon, a Martinican psychiatrist, philosopher, revolutionary and much much more.
“When we revolt it’s not for a particular culture. We revolt simply because, for many reasons, we can no longer breathe.”
Mark Jacobs

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