SECURITY guard Oodhow Katwaru of Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara (WBD), who had been dismissed without pay from his employment at Aracari Resort at Versailles, WBD, yesterday received all outstanding money owed to him by the management of Aracari Resort. The 76-year-old also took time to refute allegations that had swirled in the public domain to the effect that Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, Simona Broomes, is racial.
In an interview with this publication, Katwaru said the allegations of racism that had been levelled against Broomes are untrue.
“Let me tell you (that) I have been running to this ministry for six months. Every time I come here, the minister checks on me; she would ask if I am getting through,” he said.
Katwaru explained that for all the times he had visited the Ministry of Social Protection’s Department of Labour at its Brickdam office, there were always many Indian persons seeking help.
“On every occasion, the minister comes outside, talks to every person and finds out if they are getting through and so on,” he said.
The man said he was surprised when he read statements attributed to the owner of the resort, Sase Shewnarain, to the effect that the Labour officer dealing with the matter was racist.
NONSENSE
“I don’t know where he got that from! The minister is not racist, the staff is not racist. I went there frequently over the last six months,” he told Guyana Chronicle.
“I said ‘no’, this is nonsense; the minister is not a racist. And I told my colleagues, and let them know (that) every time the minister comes in office, most of the Indian people does be there, and she always finds out if we are getting through. I don’t see how they can say the minister is a racist,” Katwaru declared.
In November, Shewnarain, in a letter addressed to President David Granger, said, “Bottom line: In my opinion, you (Labour officer) are a racist, and you seem to be confident that you have the strength of the Government of Guyana to support you in your racism. Your follow-up visit today further confirms my assessment of you. Despite knowing that I have an open-door policy and you could come and meet me, you met only with my Manager, Shanta Ranglall.”
Katwaru, who worked for Aracari since October 2014, was dismissed from his post as security at the Versailles complex because he refused to chase dogs out of the compound while he was not yet on duty. He recounted what transpired on the day in question:
“On the 30th June, I was supposed to be working on the 9am-5pm shift, but I reported for duty at 8:25am. On arrival, the phone rang and I was nearby, so I answered the phone. The boss instructed me to go chase out two dogs from within the compound. I told him, ‘With all due respect sir, kindly speak to the man on duty’. He said, ‘Ok, let me talk to him’, and I hand the phone over to the guard on duty.”
Katraru was off-duty on July 1, and while at home, he received a call from the security supervisor, who asked what had transpired between him (Katwaru) and the boss (Shewnarain).
SUSPENDED
“I told him, ‘Nothing’, and he told me I was being suspended for seven days. I asked him why, and he said the boss said I refused to chase out dogs. I told him I never refused, but he said I had to take my suspension.”
The following day, Katwaru said, he went to the resort to speak with the security manager with the aim of speaking with Shewnarain. “I went in to see the security manager, and asked him if he can allow me to talk to the boss. He said, ‘No’, I can’t see the boss, and he is very surprised by me and don’t want to see me. I pleaded with him to (let me) see the boss, and he said, ‘No’. Take your suspension and go,” Katwaru said he was told.
He was scheduled to work the following Thursday, so he decided to visit the office the day before. It was then he was informed that his service had been terminated. “The supervisor said they don’t want you on the service; that the manager says he doesn’t want you anymore, and I said, ‘Ok’. I went and collect the two uniform shirts and bring them back,” Katwaru explained.
He said that while he was entering the premises to return the shirts, the manager was leaving. “I said, ‘GM, I would like to have a word with you.’ She said, ‘No, I don’t want to have a word with you. What you have here?’”
Katwaru said he told her, and she instructed him to hand them over to the supervisor. “I don’t want you here anymore,” Katwaru said the manager told him.
He submitted the shirts and then visited the Ministry of Labour, where he made a complaint. The Ministry of Labour visited the Aracari Resort on more than one occasion to carry out inspections. Several violations of the labour laws were discovered, and the Ministry filed five charges against the owner: failure to pay sum in lieu of termination, failure to produce records requested, failure to grant leave with pay, failure to give notice of termination, and failure to pay overtime.
Management of Aracari Resort was reportedly invited to the Ministry of Social Protection on many occasions. Promises to visit were made, but none was ever fulfilled. Katwaru said he remembers vividly four occasions when plans were made for management to meet him at the Ministry, but no one ever showed up. Now employed elsewhere, Katwaru said he is satisfied with the work of the Ministry of Social Protection.