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Komal Chand remains wife return home after stuck 5 months in Cuba
The body of the late trade unionist, Komal Chand, arrived on Friday evening at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on a Caribbean Airlines flight from Cuba.
The body of the late Komal Chand being offloaded.
The late Komal Chand with wife, Rukhmin and three children – Yohani, Mavendra and Navi
Chand died in April while receiving treatment for pneumonia in Havana, Cuba. He was accompanied by his wife, Rukhmin, who was also stuck for the last five months there.
In the latter half of May, the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) granted approval for the body of the late trade unionist to return to Guyana from Cuba.
Chand joined the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) in 1975 as the union’s organising secretary and later served as the organisation’s President up to the time of his passing.
Described as an individual who was committed to his work, Chand dedicated his career to fighting for the protection and rights of workers in the sugar, rice and numerous other industries in Guyana.
Chand, 75, was accompanied by his wife, 64, on February 22nd. He died in Cuba on April 8th.
With Guyana on a lockdown with its borders and airports closed, the family has been desperate to bring his body home.
However, there had been no permission from the National COVID-19 Task Force until the issue was raised by the worried family.
The flight Friday also included several students who were studying medicine in Cuba.
The Chand family met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings on the matter.
Chand’s son, Mavendra, 34, yesterday indicated that arrangements are being made with regards to the funeral.
While the plane had been arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with assistance from the Cuban government, the passengers and the Chand’s family had to pay their part of the expenses.
The local health authorities have been slowly allowing controlled flights in to bring Guyanese who are stuck abroad.
In fact, officials said that they remain fearful that the floodgates would be open at this time when the country remains on partial lockdown and with limited space to quarantine persons.
GAWU itself had been critical of the decision by Government not to allow the union leader’s remains to be brought home.
The union said that it had written President David Granger for his intervention.
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