Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 5, 2015 (SKNIS): Relatives of former workers of the Sugar Manufacturing Corporation (SSMC) expressed gratitude to the Government of National Unity on Thursday, November 5, 2015, as they received cheques of gratuitous payments on behalf of their loved ones who had worked tirelessly in the sugar industry for many years.
Speaking to SKNIS, Gloria Griffin said that she was collecting on behalf of her deceased father. Ms. Griffin said that her father, who was originally from Montserrat, worked on the estate in West Farm for over twenty years. She said that she felt privileged to receive such as payment and that she was certain that he father would have been happy to know that his children and grandchildren would now benefit from his years of hard work.
In a direct message of gratitude to Prime Minister Harris, Ms. Griffin said, “It is really good that his grandchildren and I will inherit from his hard work. I would like to encourage Prime Minister Harris to continue looking after the poor and needy in the Federation.”
One gentleman, who preferred to remain anonymous, revealed that he had journeyed from Nevis to receive payment for his sister. While he was not certain about the exact number of years that his sister worked in the sugar industry, he said that he knew that she worked at Needsmust Estate.
He said “my sister would be proud to know that I was able to collect on her behalf.”
Anthea Earl also collected a cheque on behalf of her father Franklin Rawlins, who resides in the US Virgin Islands. Ms. Earl also expressed gratitude to the Government of National Unity.
“I would really like to thank the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis for taking time out in this way to really look for the people who have worked in the sugar industry for many years. I am happy that I could collect a little something on behalf of my father and I am sure he would really appreciate what he got because it is something that he thought that he would never have gotten,” she said.