John and Cynthia Singh, owners of the Guyana Variety Store & Nut Centre on Robb Street, who were accused of breaching the labour laws in the treatment of an Amerindian maid in their employ, yesterday said they had been cleared of all the allegations made against them and threatened legal action against the woman.
The Singhs, who have now agreed for their identities to be made public, said that yesterday’s meeting with Chief Labour Officer Yoganand Persaud and other officials, including a representative of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, ended with the young woman signing a letter addressed to Persaud, indicating that she was willing to “finish this matter.” The letter, a copy of which was seen by this newspaper, was also signed by two witnesses, one of whom the Singhs said, was the woman’s aunt and the other an official from the Amerindian Affairs Ministry.
Efforts to contact Persaud or Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir proved to be futile but this newspaper understands that the ministry has wrapped its investigation and no action would be taken against the store owners.
According to the Singhs, the statement which they had initially given to the labour officials, detailing the amount of money they spent on the woman including shopping groceries for her mother and purchasing clothing for her son, was denied by the woman. But yesterday she admitted that she owed them $14,000 and they said they decided not to go after her for that sum.
No mention was made of the fact that Cynthia Singh had told the labour officer last Friday that she did not pay National Insurance Scheme (NIS) for her maids since “they could not afford it” or that her employee was only entitled to two days a night off a month. The Singhs said the woman admitted that for the three months she had three days and two nights off with pay.
Meanwhile, John Singh said that he has since given a statement to officers at the Albertown Police Station and ranks at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Eve Leary, denying allegations of sexual advances made to the woman. The man had told the media on Friday last that he had asked the woman to rub his upper leg while he was dressed in shorts because he had “pulled a vein” and he then paid her $1,500 because that was not part of her duties. He said the officers indicated to him that there was no evidence of sexual harassment or human trafficking.
Last Thursday the woman was removed from the Singhs’ Albertown home by officials of the Labour and Amerindian Affairs ministries and a police rank, after they had received reports that she was being held against her will. Stabroek News was later told that the woman was sent on several errands with money by the couple and never attempted to escape. She had reportedly said the couple had told her she would have to wait until they found a new maid before she could leave and she was afraid of them.
Cynthia Singh said yesterday said that last week Monday she had indicated to the woman that last Saturday would have been her last day since a maid she had had for five years would be returning. She said she found it strange that the incident occurred on Thursday.
‘A monster’
Cynthia Singh yesterday again reiterated that she would not hire another person of Amerindian ancestry. She was upset that the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security will now be paying for the young woman to take classes in cosmetology and will sustain her during the training; saying it is not right.
According to her, the woman was found to be lying and “they should not be paying her they should be locking her up.” The woman also said she would like to ask the government why it is “opening its arms and help these people” since more situations like theirs would arise and business people would be exploited by Amerindian girls.
Cynthia Singh said she is the victim, not the woman and the government is creating a “monster” by helping the young woman.
John Singh said he would be contacting the Toshao of the woman’s community to inform him of the woman’s actions since she is “a disgrace”.
“Business people are being targeted,” John Singh said.
“She was put up like a queen in my house in an AC room,” Cynthia Singh stressed in an effort to demonstrate that they treated the young woman well.
John Singh said the young woman has tarnished their business’s name while adding the situation was “turning out to be a prank to ruin my reputation”.
“She wanted money and I was not going to pay her, I did nothing wrong,” his wife added.
The woman also scoffed at the allegations of sexual harassment made against her husband stating that her husband does not have to go “to her with sexual advances there are so many other nice girls out there. Why her? She is just my maid.”
And in connection with their children missing DV Nintendo games and a pair of gold earrings the Singhs said they want not only the woman investigated but also the neighbour she reportedly passed a bag to a few days before she was removed from their home.
