Guysuco workers strike after snake bites worker

More than  90 workers of the harvesting E Gang of the Guysuco Rose Hall Estate on Wednesday walked off the job to protest the treatment meted out to a colleague who was bitten by a snake whilst cutting cane.
The man, Indernauth Jugisteer, 29, of Betsy Ground, Canje, was bitten by a dangerous snake whilst at work at Enterprise C in the back dam on Monday. He was rushed to the New Amsterdam hospital, but after his condition worsened he was transferred to the Georgetown Hospital where he is receiving treatment.
According to information the workers used the incident to protest a number of related issues.
According to his father, M.P Jugisteer, who himself is a cane harvester; his son has been working for a number of years in the cane fields. He stated that they are upset because the cane fields were not burnt properly.
“First time the entire field use to be burn now only half is burnt. First time when cane burn, everything use to dead, burn up or they had to get away. Now, because it don’t be done properly, the fire just pass top, top. We are upset; we want 100 per cent burning.”
The snake was hiding under the leaves. He said that the area is a known snake infested area and the corporation should have done a better job in terms of burning the cane.
He also stated that since the incident no one from the Sugar Corporation has visited their home to inquiry what is the situation. All the expenses are on them. They want a full investigation into the matter.
Indernaut’s uncle, T.P Jugisteer, also a cane harvester corroborated most of what his brother said. He stated that his nephew was working alongside him on a next bed. They were cutting cane for a bell loader.
He said that his nephew had already cut the cane and was about to take off the leaves. As he held the leaves the three-foot long labaria bit him on his right hand. The man said that his nephew called out to him and showed him that he was bitten by a snake.
He immediately went to the young man’s assistance. But he did not see the reptile which had returned under the leaves.
He said that he then took a piece of cane and started poking the area. The snake was found under the leaves and was striking at the cane. He subsequently killed the reptile.
He then had the ardent task to ferrying his nephew out of the cane fields for medical attention.
The man said that the canals were filled with weeds and he and some colleagues had to place his nephew on a water punt and go into the trench and pull the punt through the waterway before they could get to the dam.
The injured man was ferried by ambulance to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he was admitted.
The workers said that they are unhappy with how Guysuco is handling the matter.
“All GuySuCo is concerned with is production; they don’t care anything about the workers.”