Dear Editor
I AM a resident of Zeelandia Estate, Wakenaam Island, a father of five who climbs coconut trees for estate owners, gets paid seven hundred Guyana dollars for every one hundred coconuts I pick and peel to send my kids to school and put food on the table.
I am not as educated as I had wanted to be, however, I am trying my utmost to ensure I meet my children’s expenditures in the field of education to secure them a bright future. I consider that my obligation. My wife would also clean the branches of the coconut trees and make brooms which she sells at Parika for a cost of three hundred Guyana dollars for one. I am poor and fight for the survival of my family daily.

On November 20, 2016, one of my children fell ill and was rushed to the Wakenaam Cottage Hospital from where he was referred to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH). My wife and I along with our child left Wakenaam for WDRH immediately. We spent a total of $6000 to get to the WDRH. The cost from Zeelandia to Wakenaam Cottage Hospital was two thousand Guyana Dollars and three thousand Guyana dollars was the cost for the speedboat. From Parika to WDRH we paid one thousand Guyana dollars – giving a total of six thousand Guyana dollars. The doctors and other staff at WDRH were kind and courteous and provided very good service. My child had to stay in for observation. The next morning my child was released into our care around 08:40 hrs with medication and health advice from the doctor. We left for home. We reached Parika around 10:00 hrs.

Editor, frustration began at this juncture. Can you believe we sat in a boat from 10:00 hrs to 14:30 hrs? It was a dull Monday and people were just not travelling. This turn system is really a grave annoyance to us poor people from the island. If I had money I would have just hired the entire boat and pay the fifteen thousand Guyana dollars but unfortunately, I am not and many more like me are not rich. I therefore request that this system be immediately revoked and replaced with the system we had before which was a time-scheduled system. It hurts me to have found out that people are sitting in Georgetown in their borrowed robes and making decisions that worsen instead of better us poor people. What hurts me even more is when my own village people tell me that it is my government that has done this to us and all I can do is watch them in total dismay.

Editor, I campaigned heavily for this government and the coordinator of the island can attest to this. I campaigned against the PPP because I was frankly upset that even though we as a family worked so hard, progress was a no under the PPP, but it looks worse under my government. I don’t think I want to see this government for another term.

Regards
Narindra Sahadeo