One hundred Canje fathers who were laid off from the Rose Hall sugar estate last year, yesterday received food hampers from the Golden Om Dharmic Youth Organisation in Berbice.
The hampers contained rice, oil and other food items.
Pandit Deodat Persaud yesterday said that the organisation recognizes the importance of supporting the families who are suffering due to the closure of the estates. He noted, “Today we are focusing on fathers, we believe as an organisation that you are very important…We share this feeling and empathy with you, we recognize that it is not easy in your family at this time and we know that especially when you don’t have a job the kind of depression it can sink you in”.
Persaud reminded the men present that as fathers they have responsibilities towards their children. He encouraged them to be strong, “… never allow any thoughts of negativity to go into your mind, we know frustration can lead to a lot of things”.
He then encouraged the former sugar workers present to go into small farming in their yards in order to sustain themselves until they are able to secure another job.
The workers present were thankful for the distribution of the hampers. One former worker Shaheed Jahoor, a father of nine, told Stabroek News, that he has since acquired a job at a sawmill.
