Dear Editor,
I was a guest at a presentation function at the Rose Hall Estate Staff Club on Saturday, 20th instant. The occasion was to award certificates to 119 graduands in areas of Information Technology, Cake Decorating, Sewing and Floral Arrangements.
I was advised that the graduation was the 7th of its kind, testimony to the continuing participation of the Rose Hall community, but moreso to the exemplary leadership and commitment of the estate management led by Estate Manager, Mr Deodat Singh and Personnel Manager, Mr Raymond Haniff. I do not think that these good people would have overstepped their mandates as GuySuCo’s managers.
I understand that Albion Estate and Skeldon Estate have similar programmes.
I am resident in Enmore and am aware that no such programmes exist at either the Enmore or LBI Community Centres. Where are the IT and other courses in the East Demerara estates? Don’t the functions of the personnel managers and welfare officers of these estates embrace these activities?
Perhaps, this is a Berbice estates thing only. Or maybe the mandate of the HR and welfare personnel on the East Demerara estates is different from that at the Berbice estates. Is that the reason that the LBI Community Centre is in a state of near collapse? A similar fate was averted at Enmore owing to the involvement of a handful of residents of Enmore and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
When one reflects on the days when the sugar estates produced the best in skills, sports, national income, etc, because of the industry’s community consciousness and corporate culture, it is a major embarrassment to see what passes for GuySuCo’s involvement in community development in the East Demerara estates, the seat of GuySuCo being at Ogle.
Isolating the community is hardly the way to encourage it to become part of GuySuCo’s corporate development. We will do well to learn from our past – both distant and recent.
Well done, Rose Hall Estate!
Yours faithfully,
T Jadunauth
