…on Uitvlugt
“Uitvlugt” used to be one of the “hard words” used by teachers of yore to torture kids in primary school with “Spelling”. If this Government has its way it’ll make Uitvlugt famous again for the reintroduction of “involuntary servitude” – like in slavery and indentureship.
Uitvlugt came to the fore last year when the Government unilaterally closed Wales Estate. But there were some loose ends. What to do with the 14,000 acres of drained and irrigated lands with cane? Well, as owners of Wales, the Government blithely proclaimed they’ll cultivate 500 acres into rice and were silent on the rest. Meaning it’ll revert to “bush”. Yep!! Lands that god knows how many of our forefathers died to make habitable, reverting to bush – and fulfilling Naipaul’s prophesy!
Then there were farmers’ cane that supplied one-third of the Wales Factory intake. What to do with that? At first the Government said they’ll build a road to take the cane to Uitvlugt. But now they say that’s “down the road a bit” – and most of the canes will have to be left standing. Other farmers are now offered cane land at Uitvlugt to cultivate. As to who’ll whole pay for the abandoned cane and for preparing the land at Uitvlugt that’s – under bush right now – is up in the air.
And lastly – in the Government scheme of things – there were the 1700 workers, who’ve lost their jobs. The Government gave “severance” pay to about 1100 and told the remaining 600 “cane-cutters” to show up at Uitvlugt. Now this sounds reasonable doesn’t it? Well only to those uninitiated into the demands of cane-cutting!
In Guyana, the freshly-burnt cane has to be cut in the comparatively cool early morning hours. Otherwise, you’ll die of heatstroke. And the cane must be fetched and loaded into punts by midday. You can’t get to the fields to be cut late in the morning – it’ll be impossible to cut and load the minimum two and a half tonnes before midday. And that’s why, after decades of agitation – the contract for cane cutters prohibits sending them more than 10 miles from their original factory. Uitvlugt’s 22 miles from Wales.
Not surprisingly the workers have balked and demanded severance pay. But the Government/GuySuCo insists the Union’s putting them up to this –for their own nefarious purposes – and insist they go to Uitvlugt. INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE!
Rather cunningly, the Govt/ GuySuCo’s resorted to blackmail. If the cane-cutters don’t show up at Uitvlugt, the latter will have to be shuttered also. And woe to thousands on West Coast who’ll also be thrown on the breadlines.
How low can the Government get?? Like a snake!
…by abusing the legal process
Some folks are wondering why is the Government – led by its legal whiz, Basil Williams, bringing all these frivolous cases against PPP operatives or some with the most tenuous links? Like the law books case against Nandlall where the Government could’ve easily ascertained – as Nandall just did – as with whom the contract with the Publisher was signed. Or the case against select GRDB members for a “ledger entry”!! While it is petty and spiteful – words that are redundant when linked to the actions of Basil Williams, who’s now advised by a covey of eminent old heads – it’s more than that.
The Government is really playing to its supporters in the gallery. They know it doesn’t matter whether the charges are later dropped – or Williams is compelled to reverse gear like on the Registry appointments.
The PNC faithful will only remember the charges – which are supposed to make the PPP “untouchables” come 2020.
So what if the incumbents are wallowing in corruption? They’re not charged, are they?
…by Constabulary
Some earnest burgher of our (fair?) city claims Mayor Chase Green knows the City Police are corrupt – but does nothing. Of course she knows!!
But she also knows THEY know SHE’S corrupt!!
