The body of late Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) head Komal Chand is still in Cuba awaiting the completion of necessary paperwork in order for it to be transported back to Guyana.
Chand passed away on the morning of April 8 in Cuba, where he had been undergoing treatment for some time.
Tomorrow will be three weeks since Chand’s passing but his family has not heard from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Cuban Embassy on when his body can be brought home for burial. Chand’s widow,, who had accompanied him on the trip, is also in Cuba anticipating being reunited with her family here.
Nishal Chand said he currently has no idea when his father’s body will be flown back to Guyana. To date, he added, the family hasn’t seen a copy of his father’s autopsy report and does not know if the embalming of his body has been completed in preparation for a flight. At the moment, the family is more concerned about the well-being of Chand’s widow, who they fear may become depressed and sick with her being so far away from them and not having any physical support.
Chand and his wife left the country on February 22 and Nishal said at that time they had the permission of both the Guyana and Cuban governments. He added that while he has been trying to get word on all that’s been happening in Cuba and when measures will be put in place to have his father’s body flown in, the authorities have been tight-lipped. The Cuban Embassy here, he noted, has been trying to assist as much as it can but with limited resources. He added that any input from the Foreign Affairs Ministry would be welcomed.
The veteran trade unionist had been a key figure in championing the rights of sugar workers. Chand was also a former PPP/C parliamentarian in successive parliaments.
