Yesterday we showed you the pair of protesters Charlie and Hirian Good. He, the gallant if briefly fallen soldier and husband, she, the jobless wife. Today, they were back at their protest corner, camped out at the edge of the Supreme court grounds – on a small patch of stones. They’re protesting because she claims she was fired from her job as a school warden because she is a PUP. The mother of four says she needs her 640 dollar a month salary because she had four children in school. Last night on this newscast, Minister of Education, Patrick Faber said he offered to help her children with their educational costs. Today, she agreed, but said it’s not that simple.
Hirian Good, Protesting
“I won’t lie. He told me to take the paper to the Education Department by housing. The way he was talking to me I didn’t believe it because but I still took it and when I went upstairs I asked the secretary if I could leave this paper here for my pickney. I told her I have already seen the Minister and he told me to drop it here. She said but you can’t just bring the paper like that. She says you have a letter, I asked her which letter and she said I need a letter from my area representative. I told her but he told me to drop it here and for me to bring it at the office here. She said no, you have to get a letter from your area representative. He has to sign the paper and then you bring or sometimes she said they keep it and they send it up themselves to Belmopan. And then I told her but right now we don’t have a UDP representative, we only have Francis who won in the elections. She said we have one already. So I asked which one and she said, how the man name, Lee Mark, the chiney man. She said take it there, that is by Chon Saan Palace, she said take it there for him to sign the paper for you, and make him give you a letter that he is….what is the word she used, that he is supporting it, that he is supporting me with this and then I could bring it back. I said why would I go to ask Chiney man to sign a paper for me and me nuh know he like for somebody who is running in Belama, why would I take it to him. Well I didn’t waste my time.
Really I don’t know what will happen at the end of the day. I know for sure I know I won’t get back my job because I hear it from him personally before he went on TV, he is not giving me my job back and I understand that. I don’t have to be a school warden, I just need a job. It doesn’t have to be in that area but one thing I will ask for from Mr. Faber is please help those kids at Trinity School. He said it won’t make a difference if I am not there. I know I am not a superwoman but what I used to do for that school, they won’t find nobody else to do it. They could ask the principal what all I used to do. I used to cook everyday for those pickney.”
Jules Vasquez,
“How long will you continue?”
Hirian Good,
“Well we will continue until we get help. I di ask because Friday we had an appointment to go by the Prime Minister’s office but to tell you the truth we don’t have money to go. My husband had to pawn out his wedding ring so we could be up and down right now. Really all I want is a job and help for my kids.”
Charles Good, Protesting
“I am telling you Jules, I felt so embarrassed. The last thing I remember was the push and it happened in a coward like manner. I was turning towards my wife after he told me shut up. I repeated the same thing to him and I said, ‘you shut up.’ And turning to my wife who was, you see how far the chain is away, we were right here, and when I turned to my who was over there he pushed this side of the neck very hard. I didn’t expect his weight and everything and I went towards the chain, even if the chain was not there I would have fell and I got tangled up in the chain at the same time and with the placard I was kind of handicapped.”
Jules Vasquez,
“How long are you prepared to maintain this?”
Charles Good,
“Well sir yesterday the only reason I didn’t spend the night is because I ended up in the hospital. Tonight, I am going all the way, me and mi wife going all the way. She will take a break with changeover and so forth, she will go and rest and she will come back. I will hold the fort tonight. She will be here so, anyway I done give away my secret, but no secret so if any of you want to send unu thug for me I’ll be ready and prepared.”
Hirian Good also told us that Faber gave her assistance for her schoolchildren last year. Regardless, that’s long past, and the family is determined to continue its protest throughout the weekend. They were joined today by media personality and human rights crusader Ya Ya Marin.
