Despite labor laws outlined in CAFTA-DR, most are not enforced and sugar lobbyists like Fanjul Corp - the parent company of Domino Sugar that spends over $1M a year lobbying Congress and the USDA - are making sure it’s overlooked.
But if you ask the people living in the bateys, they’ll just say “It is what it is.” The kids here dream about becoming professional baseball players - like Albert Pujols or Sammy Sosa.
Organizations visit bateyes to provide medicine like deworming medication. Parasites are commonly found in the stomachs of children who live in bateyes. Sugarcane field workers get little pay and few benefits aside from housing.
Cups are washed with diluted bleach solution to prevent cross-contamination. After receiving the medicine, children get a figure drawn on their hand to prevent overdosing. Some children like the taste of the medicine and will try to get back in line for seconds.
Medical services like annual check-ups are also provided by volunteer doctors and nurses.
Services are sometimes brought to the bateyes for people who may not have the means to leave.
Other times, they’ll be held at a central location like a church. A small fee is charged, but accommodations are made for anyone who cannot pay. No one is turned away.
A mother brings her newborn for their first-time check-up.
Medical volunteers keep track of the availability of certain medicines. Scarcer drugs are saved for emergencies, and alternatives may be prescribed to those whose symptoms are not as severe.
