Dear Editor,
As a born and bred Guyanese, I would like to share my experience of the disrespectful abuse and blatant robbery I suffered at the hands of a Foreign National cashier on May 18, 2022. About 8:15 pm, I went to purchase some items at a supermarket in Canefield, East Canje Berbice. I bought a packet of Bounty chicken with the price $108, a ¼ lb of cheese with the price $400, a small bag of garlic for $275 and a small bag of onion with the cost of $175. Upon bringing the items to the counter, I noticed that for each item without a rounded price, money was being added. Based on my calculations everything should have amounted to $958 yet the cashier showed me his calculator which read $1054 to which I started enquiring about. He then said “I give you all for $1060 cause me no have change.” To which I told him that is robbery, he could give me a mint for the six dollars because I cannot come to him with short money and also because he has been adding extra money to each item. He immediately flew into a rage, took a Guyana $100 bill and tore six pieces from a corner while shouting at me. He took some other bills and threw it at me shouting “you want money tek money”. I told him you cannot come into my country and tear our money while trying to rob me. I cannot even short a dollar on my income tax.
Two armed guards carrying long black guns hurriedly came and encircled me. Another local employer told me “cashier don’t have change that’s why he round off the money”. I told the cashier to give me back my money. Again he threw the money on the counter. Within seconds he came around the counter yelling at me to get out. I did so while telling him I am going to report him for robbing Guyanese and for destroying our currency. It is sad to know that as the only Afro Guyanese in the supermarket, about eight Indo Guyanese stood at different angles looking on and even to the tearing of the money, no one said anything. I told the cashier I am going to shop where I used to shop before. I subsequently left Canje and went to B’s Mart where I got the same items for $900. Many of these foreigners come to our country and behave as though we are blunt and stupid. I do hope and wish to see many more abused Guyanese come forward and speak up against each and every dollar we are robbed of. If fifty times daily a cashier short change a customer by six dollars, calculate monthly then yearly to see how much extra monies they are taking from us, while we have to pay tax and they don’t.
Sincerely,
Concerned Citizen
