BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE young man who was protesting outside Government Headquarters last Tuesday morning (Apr. 28), is of the view that many people have the wrong perception of his intension.
Speaking with SKNVibes on Saturday (May 2), Kevin Burroughs of Cunningham Village, Lower Cayon said he was disappointed over the comments some people made on the article - “Injured worker seeks Govt. assistance for compensation” - published by this media house.
“I was not protesting against the Government that I put into power. I was protesting against those labour laws that specifically protect employers and leave employees in the wilderness whenever they suffer injuries. I was also protesting against those at the Labour Department for not enforcing the laws that were enacted to protect us the poor employees against unscrupulous employers. Additionally, I was protesting with the hope that the Team Unity Government would hear my cry and ensure that workers in this Federation are not victimised,” Burroughs explained.
Burroughs, a former employee of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, claimed to have been twice kicked on the right knee by a donkey and is now partially physically disabled because of two damaged cartilage in that area.
The 27-year-old said the incident occurred on Friday, July 13, 2012 while he was working at the learning institution and “while thinking they would compensate me, they told me that they are not under any legal obligation whatsoever for me to be fully compensated”.
He however had a booklet in his possession, which he claimed is the Ross University School of Veterinary Employee Guide Book. A book he noted that the administration claimed was not approved and never issued to any employee.
But the question he asked was: “Since it was never issued, how come a copy is in my possession?”
Quoting from Section 6.45 Occupational Injury of the Guide Book, Burroughs said: “Where an associate becomes ill as a result of his or her occupation, or where an injury is sustained in the course of his or her employment, that associate is entitled to pay a maximum period of 26 weeks at the rate of 100 percent of the basic rate of the associate minus the amount received from Social Security.”
Reiterating the misperception of those who commented on the previous article, while stating that he is also fighting for other oppressed workers, Burroughs said: “People are saying that I am attacking the Government, but this is no attack on the Government. It is due to the fact that the previous Administration did nothing for me since I was injured, so I am going to make sure that this one does something through legislation.
“Many people look at me and say I am only one man. Yes, I am only one man, but so was Noah when he built the ark. Moses was also one man when he led the children of Israel out of the hands of Pharaoh, and Jesus Christ Himself was only one man when He came here and sacrificed His life for us. So, you want to tell me that I, a young man who had suffered and still suffering, cannot speak about the atrocities meted to me and many others by unscrupulous employers in my own land? The time for silence is over and I shall be the one to bell the cat.”
Burroughs also stated that it is a very long time since the matter is before the court but, to date, there has been no trial, and that he is finding it very hard to survive on EC$686 per month as a Social Security disabled pensioner.
