John and Cynthia Singh, the couple now facing mounting public condemnation for racially offensive comments about their former maid, were investigated earlier this year after identical complaints were made by another woman of Amerindian ancestry, the Amerindian Affairs Ministry disclosed last evening.
Minister of Human Services Priya Manickchand, the Guyana Organisation of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) yesterday added their voices to the condemnation of the couple’s behaviour and to the call for the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) to investigate their remarks about their former employee and Amerindians in general.
The Singhs, the owners of the Guyana Variety Store & Nut Centre, publicly disparaged their former maid, after she was removed from their home last week Thursday by officials responding to reports that she had been imprisoned. They also repeatedly said they would not hire another Amerindian, saying they are exploiting business persons. Cynthia Singh, in the presence of officials from the ministries of Amerindian Affairs and Labour, used the derogatory term used to refer to Amerindians while the couple used the words “idiot” and “sucker” to describe their former maid.
“The matter under investigation is not new to the ministry, because in June of this year, the ministry had cause to investigate a similar incident involving the same couple (Singhs) and an Amerindian housekeeper,” the Amerindian Affairs Ministry said in a statement yesterday. “It is unfortunate that Ms Singh would make remarks of hiring another person of Amerindian ancestry when she had hired a person of the same ethnic background and similar occurrences were reported, except that that the earlier case was not widely publicized,” it added.
The ministry also described as “insensitive and uncalled for” the call by Cynthia Singh for an apology from the ministry, following the maid’s decision to drop the wages issue.
The ministry pointed out that investigation into other aspects of the matter is ongoing. The ministry objected to the tone and use of “unethical language” by the couple to describe their former employee and Amerindian people. The ministry made no mention of the fact that one of its officers was present when the couple made the initial statements.
“The ministry stands firm in providing representation of any such case that may be brought before us and to ensure that where the rights of Amerindians are suspected of being violated that such case/individual is provided with fair investigation and representation,” the statement said.
‘Horrified’
“I am horrified and outraged at the statements attributed to the business people by all of the print and some of the electronic media. It is extremely encouraging to know that this backwardness, that is racially demeaning someone, does not reflect Guyana’s reality and is the exception rather than the norm,” Minister Manickchand told Stabroek News yesterday.
And the AFC said that it views the remarks attributed to John and Cynthia Singh in response to allegations made against them by their former Amerindian as “racist, discriminatory and atrocious.” The party called for a “speedy” investigation by the ERC, the police and the Ministry of Labour into the matter.
Meanwhile, Chief of GOIP Dr George Norton said his organisation condemns the statements in “no uncertain terms” and he added his voice to that of Amerindian People’s Association (APA) Programme Manager Jean La Rose who on Wednesday called on the ERC, the National Toshaos’ Council and the newly formed Indigenous People’s Commission to investigate the statements. Dr Norton pointed out that while the ERC might say no one made an official complaint, the issue has been reported in the media and the commissioners “should not be reactive but proactive on such a sensitive matter.”
Stabroek News contacted the ERC and was told that Chairman Bishop Juan Edghill was out of the country. Public Relations Officer Azeem Khan stated that the commission has taken note of the issue and is in the process of gathering information and if it is deemed “necessary a statement would be made this afternoon [yesterday afternoon] or by tomorrow afternoon.”
On Tuesday, the Singhs had a meeting with officials from the Labour Ministry and the young woman to discuss the issue of non-payment of wages. At the end of the meeting, the woman decided to “finish the matter.” However, Minister Manickchand said that investigations are still ongoing as all of the allegations are being treated seriously. The Guyana Police Force is also continuing its investigations into allegations of sexual advances and human trafficking. The minister pointed out that the National Insurance Scheme is also investigating the statement made by Cynthia Singh that she made no NIS payments for the maid. Singh had said that she did not make NIS payments for her maids because “they could not afford it.” The minister reminded that her ministry will be paying for cosmetology classes for the young woman and sustaining her during the period.
‘Upsetting’
Meanwhile, Manickchand said that it is “extremely upsetting” that one human being could see another as worthless, simply because they are of a different ethnicity and/or has less financial capacity. She pointed out that Guyana of today has no place for these “backward types.
“The government has made no secret of the fact that it believes all of our people are beautiful and are of immense value to our beloved Guyana and all are to be treated equally and equitably.” She added that many different pieces of legislation, programmes and policies manifest this belief.
“Racism and derogatory name-calling based on race has no place in our dear land. I call on all right thinking Guyanese to shun those amongst us who try to reverse the progress of our country in this area and to be intolerant of any racial behaviour,” the upset sounding minister said.
“It is alleged that they said they will not employ another Amerindian because that particular ethnic group is not trustworthy. This is obviously stereotyping a given ethnic group, as is their statement that Amerindian women are targeting business people especially men. Such assertions warrant an investigation by the appropriate authorities,” she added.
Meanwhile, the AFC in its statement said that it is common knowledge that persons of Amerindian descent, especially women, are preyed upon by some businessmen for cheap labour and other inappropriate social acts in favour of their businesses. “We do acknowledge that on the other hand there are many business persons who retain Amerindians and treat them justly. Hats off to them!” the party said.
“The maid in question may have done wrong and if she did, there are appropriate civil and legal ways to address the matter,” it suggested. The party said that the Singhs’ approach leaves much to “be desired” and questioned how they would feel if their store is singled out and targeted for non-patronage. “The multi-ethnic nature of society demands that we show greater tolerance and respect for each other,” it added.
‘Not surprised’
GOIP’s Chief Dr Norton, in an interview with this newspaper, said that he was not surprised at the recent events, especially during the month when Amerindian heritage is being celebrated. Dr Norton said his group is not surprised because the powers that be see it sufficient to address indigenous people with political jargon and political rhetoric such as “accelerated Amerindian development” and it is accepted by them.
He said the Singhs should be ashamed of themselves for the manner in which they treated their former maid, who, like many indigenous females, is the victim of “social reality in Guyana and the body politic at large.” Dr Norton stated that Amerindians would continue to be exploited until they are empowered by being sufficiently and adequately educated and when domestic jobs would no longer be their main source of employment.
And on the issue of the young woman not being imprisoned because she was sent on errands with money, Norton said that someone did not have to be chained or locked up to be imprisoned; rather, their minds can also be imprisoned. He said the young woman could have been afraid to leave and, because her village was one day away from the city, may not have known how to get there.
However, Dr Norton said he would be “really happy” if the Singhs would not only refuse to hire another Amerindian person but refuse to hire any young female “because if Mr Singh is prepared to have his maid massage his leg for $1,500 one can only imagine what might be proposed for a larger sum of money.”
The GOIP head said he is happy that Human Services Ministry has stepped in and is assisting the young woman even as he pointed out that it was specifically because of the role the ministry can play in these situations that it was selected as an entity to nominate a person to sit on the Indigenous Peoples’ Commission. But instead, the ministry selected someone who is not from the ministry. He called for the government to be more sensitive to the cause of the plight of the indigenous minority population and for them to be looked at as more than votes to be won at elections time. He said unless this is done Amerindians would continue to be exploited in Guyana.
Dr Norton also made mention of an issue that involves the non payment of some Amerindian men who were brought out of the interior to do work at Parika. He said while the Ministry of Labour is aware of this matter, no action is being taken and the contractor in question continues to receive government contracts.