Dear Editor,
I apologize for taking up space recently in your newspaper to express the wrong I see in our society and particularly that of our government. My beef today is about the shameful settlement of any possible claims arising out of the recent Mahdia dormitory fire. The settlement is equivalent to the cost of two used vehicles as sold by all car dealers in Guyana. A tear came to my eye when I saw the dozen or so faces you published on Tuesday July18th in your feature of the shameful settlement. (All happily smiling). What was our “Caring Government” thinking when this insignificant sum was agreed upon in Lieu of any further claim even before a Commission of Inquest and terms of reference thereof is even laid out?
The phrase that comes immediately to mind is “Eye Pass”. A total disregard not only for those who lost the lives of their little angels but contempt for the nation as a whole. Would any minister of government have settled for this insultive sum had it been their own child? Editor, this is a fire which occurred at a public institution overseen by our government and one which they obviously had concerns about, and which prompted them to commission UNICEF to investigate. Our very own Fire Service condemned the hazardous conditions there. This heartless settlement must never be forgotten by this nation as one of the lowest points of this government.
When I read the explanation of how the families had completely read and understood what they were committing to I shook my head and wondered who spun the explanation to these poor families who are mostly unfamiliar with legal jargon.
This is nothing more than advantage on poor struggling people who they felt would grab at these crumbs to make their lives a little more bearable at least for a little while. Oh, and before I am criticized, let me hasten to say that a few other perks were thrown in to sweeten the deal.
My heart bleeds and hopefully that of our nation to think that our children’s lives have so little value to those who say that they are our future. Nothing Prepares you for Guyana, nothing.
Sincerely,
B.A Ramsay
