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What is GTT doing with the Pinktober Funds?

Aug 21, 2023 Letters

Dear Editor,

There is a saying that goes “Little thieves are hanged, but great ones escape”. Today, I heard that saying and was immediately reminded of GTT and the Pinktober funds it has accumulated since 2017.

Mr. Editor, in 2017, GTT indicated it raised $4.7 million Guyana dollars. In 2018, reports indicated the company raised $11 million Guyana dollars and whopping $28 million Guyana dollars in 2019. Despite the covid-19 pandemic, the company still managed to raise $10 million dollars with a $4M Guyanese dollar allocation from one company. The public is still yet to find out how much money was raised in 2021, even though the company hadn’t many activities-again due to covid-19. It was observed that in 2022, there was no event and no one at the company saw it fit to announce a reason, despite many customers enquired.

My burning question, however, is where are the funds raised to support cancer victims and survivors? Many times, we fall prey to these marketing tactics of companies who portray an intent to help those who are vulnerable. But do companies really honour their word in ensuring the funds raised are indeed allocated to those who need it most?

Reports in the media indicated that GTT had donated its first $4.7 million dollars raised in 2017, in 2019 a $300,000- and $1.14 million-dollars cheques were handed over to the Giving Hope Foundation and the Guyana Parenthood Association. Finally, in 2022, GTT donated $4 million dollars to the Cancer Institute of Guyana.

Since the start of the year, I have seen GTT sponsor many shoddy events in the past months under its pillar “to strengthen our community”, but not one donation was made to cancer victims or survivors.

What has happened to the remaining $47.56 million dollars raised in support of cancer victims and survivors? Are these shoddy events being sponsored with the Pinktober funds? What is GTT’s intention with the remaining funds?

I recently accompanied a relative to the Cancer Institute at Georgetown hospital and was saddened to see the number of cancer victims there. Cancer is rampant in Guyana and the Caribbean and is affecting both young and senior aged persons. Many of the cancer victims there related the horrors of affording a CT scan, biopsy, blood test, among other tests. While some of these services are free at the hospital, many of the patients are not in a state to wait hours to get a test done and then wait on the results.

Persons living with cancer are oftentimes forced to change their diets and way of life. With the rise in cost of living, many of them are also unable to afford such a life, especially when some of them are the breadwinners for their family.

Again, I ask, what is GTT’s intention with the remaining Pinktober funds raised to help cancer patients and when will the company allocate the money to help those who it was intently raised to support?

Sincerely,

Cancer Advocate

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