We have some of the most unique experiences in Guyana

Jan 04, 2010 Letters

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Dear Editor,

Oh, how I’ve relished the moment I would pen this letter. All year, I’ve been making my observations, going through the experiences, and taking note — note of the typical occurrences in the life of a Guyanese.

In 2005, my satirical essay saw Santa distributing gifts to a few persons whom I noted; in 2006, I made a few New Year’s wishes; in 2007, I penned my ‘New Rules’; last year, I wrote about unique incidents/events/situations which bring us back to reality that we know we’re in Guyana.

This time, I would like to bring forward to the public a few “Guyanese” experiences not only unique to Guyana but that which stands out. I want to express thanks to the team at ‘Stretched-out Magazine’, and Prime News Company Ltd, for very good satirical programmes.

The other one that aired on the State media was a rehash of last year, poor writing and acting. The newspapers have been satirisng all year round with their editorial cartoons. Congrats to the SN and Kaieteur News. Kudos to the Kaieteur News for the Christmas Day edition, which was very-well put forward. Satire began around 475BC and since then has continued to demonstrate its effectiveness in dealing with pertinent matters, issues and personalities, but with a funny twist.

One of the most classical Guyanese experiences is going to the bank. If you’ve got time to waste in your day, then just visit one of the banks in Guyana. There seems to be a teller-shortage in these parts of the world. You go in Scotia bank in New Amsterdam on any given day and there is just one or two tellers working.

If you’re lucky, there are three. You just feel more depressed in the line when you see a person going up to a teller (probably the only one available) and taking out bundles of cash (either to deposit or to change). You know that you won’t be leaving there any time soon.

Then there is the post office. This one’s a classic too. You turn up at New Amsterdam post office on parcel days (Tuesday and Thursday) and you wish you didn’t go.

The scene is chaotic. I avoid going to the post office on those days. The Customs officers are always late (many times they arrive half hour later than schedule, and that’s on a good day). This long wait and confusion can be avoidable.

Why can’t Customs have a permanent office at these places? If you want to send certain items overseas, you can only do so on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This is ridiculous in this day and age. The way how we operate at post offices in Guyana certainly needs revamping.

It’s not good for tourism, because many foreigners visit the post offices frequently, and boy, what an experience they must have! The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and N/A Post Office are just two places whose locations and reach bring pain and inconvenience especially to our elder folks to access.

Is being discourteous the new fad? I’ve noticed that courtesy levels are dropping and persons with common courtesies are diminishing slowly in our society. Just visit a few businesses in the town of New Amsterdam (and I am presuming this is a problem in wider society), and you will notice the ‘cold-shoulders’ you get when you ask for the price of an item or items.

Just imagine, the other day I was shopping at the chain-store next to the New Amsterdam Stelling and the sales girls did not even know (or remember) the prices for certain items. They were sending us downstairs “to ask for the price”. Something is definitely wrong. Where is our business ethics? Is this how we behave towards our customers?

But this reflects a bigger problem. Nowadays everyone is having a bad day. People are so fragile these days. You step on their toes and they’re angry for the rest of the day. If they’re having a bad day, then it does not make sense to take it out on everyone (or customers). Don’t we sit and talk about our problems anymore? Do we have to resort to being discourteous and verbal with others? This is the same attitude when you visit government offices and buildings for services. If people don’t like their jobs or the amount of monies they are paid for it, then I think they should find something else to do.

Next up is the wonderful experience of the morning after events like the town days, Christmas Eve night and the big limes like the one Georgetown had the other day.

The sights and smells the next morning just takes one’s breath away (literally). Wear protective shoes (preferably steel boots) to traverse the areas as there are pieces of broken glass all over. Wear nose masks, too, to block the fresh crisp air. And yes, the night before, the kids are allowed to gamble and drink alcohol.

The Kaieteur News front-page showing children gambling at the Main Big Lime is not a surprise. These events encourage such lewd behaviour. Yet, they are held every year. And what about the big fight they had at Duke Street? These encompass true experiences you would not want to miss.

I don’t think everyone who attends or attended the University of Guyana Berbice Campus (UGBC) is au fait with this next experience. When you meet and deal with the kind and helpful persons in the General Office (or Bursary) at Tain Campus, you’d just want to go more often for assistance.

They’re always ready to help you no matter what the problem is. They’re so kind that they’ll go all out to help you. It’s a typical example of “service with a smile” — at the U.G.B.C General Office. Man, I think the people would do well if they share their interpersonal skills with members of the public. What a society that would be!

Still on UG, what a wonderful experience it at the beginning of the semester when this university’s time-table changes not one, not two, not three — five times! It’s a pleasant experience when you know that the online application and registration processes were smooth as ever without any hiccups. Kudos to the University for implementing online registration which proved to be a breeze.

I am sure that many students found this process easy, efficient and quite reliable, even though they had to attend classes or paid for courses which they were not registered for. It was all a big, exciting and mixed- up process. This place certainly deserves the name someone I know gave to it the other day: “the world of confusion”.

We have some of the most unique experiences in Guyana. In 2009, we had to put up with much of the same where the President spends more time outside the country he was elected to govern; where corruption is rewarded even though the media (especially the newspapers) try to expose what happens behind the doors; where the Kaieteur News has been publishing “Wanted: Answers! Answers! Answers! In each of its Sunday editions, but sadly none is forthcoming from the government; where millions are spent to build infrastructure and they are never used or wear and tear as quickly as time passes; where political indoctrination continues to be used in the State media; where government officials can commit horrendous acts and crimes but whose deeds fade with the passing time, forgotten, erased from the minds of everyone (too many come to mind this past year); where citizens are fed lies and more lies by the power company, and to an extent, the government about the blackout issue we faced so badly in 2009 and which is bound to get worse this year.

Kaieteur News front page (December 30) tells it all about our next true Guyanese experience. You cannot top this anywhere else. Just imagine a pack of cows walking in Time Square and later crossing the Brooklyn Bridge! On Thursday, December 10, just that happened — on the East Canje Road in Berbice.

Traffic was at a standstill at around 7:30 am (rush hour). A herd of cattle (nuff nuff too) paraded at a snail’s pace on the roadway, and then made their way onto the Canje Bridge. It was a scene to behold. They took about 10 minutes to get over the bridge. In the process, they defecated all through the roads and on the Canje Bridge. It was a dirty scene.

How can this be allowed on our roadways? How can the police consent this nonsense on our roadways? There was also massive overtaking on the bridge that morning. This is an experience certainly that will be hard to forget. Couldn’t a better time have been chosen for such an activity? Or, as the Kaieteur News asked, will lawlessness be allowed to continue?

Best wishes for the new year, and thanks to all persons who called me during the year about my letters in the press. I treasure both the negative and positive comments. Many persons tell me I am in the wrong profession, but Guyana’s children need me more than my journalistic pursuits. However, my teaching career would not deter me from my deep passion for journalism especially in the Guyanese context.

In the new year, I shall continue doing the same; penning the important issues and those which needs exposition in the press; exposing those who deserve such; going around like a mad-man with my digital camera photographing the ordinary way of life in our country and important events and places for my website (overseas Guyanese love these); and speaking my mind and being honest and tact on the issues that matter. Someday I’d like to do some academic studies into this exciting field of life. Journalists are an asset to any country.

Do they know the important role they play in their country’s development? Some of their work might be of higher standards and they’d be more passionate about what they do. Are today’s journalists (especially in Guyana) allowed to reach their fullest potentials? Many times, the situations or persons they work with do not allow them to. And that’s a sad thing to happen.

Until next time, the word ‘stelling’ seems to be only used in a Guyanese context. Don’t think you can Google this word and get a definition, because there isn’t. Save for a few names of persons named ‘Stelling’, the word’s origin and use in Guyana to name the structures and places where ferries transport passengers, cargo and vehicles is a pure mystery. My love affair with this column continues in 2010.

Leon Jameson Suseran

 

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