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I missed one of the greatest shows on earth

Apr 02, 2011 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

In a country like Guyana where people are burdened with permanent angst, a touch of humour is liberating to the soul. I thought of doing this column yesterday with the announcement of a curious decision in the caption, then declare in the opening lines that it was an April Fool’s joke.
The idea that intrigued me was to declare that I was one of the lucky draws to see the World Cup Final with all expenses paid by the Office of the President and with a chartered flight that would leave Friday morning for Mumbai.
Then suddenly it dawned on me that I should write on the other World Cup that I missed on Wednesday morning – the semi-final between the two arch-rivals. Once Pakistan and India are playing cricket for a major international prize then that is a World Cup final in itself. Cricket between Indian and Pakistan is cricket plus something else. It is not just normal cricket.
There is something else in the game that all the players carry with them and that intrigues the spectators and watchers. My wife got me up just as the game was five overs old. Then blackout came. I saw the final few overs when the lights came back. But by then there was no intrigue anymore – India was in sight of victory.
I really don’t back any side when the two countries meet. My star is the West Indies. I have no interest in any other cricket team.
I tend to be sympathetic with Pakistan for two reasons. My wife is a Muslim. And Pakistani cricketers need a boost given the ostracization their country endures from the cricketing world.
I have fondness for India because that is where my grandparents came from and my parents practised the religion and culture of India.
When Pakistan and India meet I really don’t have a choice except to say that outside of the West Indies, my favourite cricketer is M.S. Dhoni, the Indian captain. I do not like Harbhajan Singh at all. He made a racist remark to an African player from Australia, Andrew Symonds.
There aren’t words to describe how I felt when blackout came. The anger in me was uncontrollable. Billions of people in the world had an interest in that game. Once you like cricket, you wanted to view that spectacle. Thousands of Guyanese didn’t get to see it.
Think of an older person, confined to bed because of illness, and he/she found comfort in watching the contest. Think of those who skipped work just to view this extraordinary show on earth. Do we deserve this primitive mistreatment in the 21st century?
I am not really thrilled at seeing the final today. I have an important task that I could miss in order to see the game but I wouldn’t. I am not staying home because there is the distinct feeling that blackout will come. Last year, it was once a day. Since 2011 began, it is about five days in the week.
What gets you extremely mad is that modern electricity service has to be a priority for any government in the 2ist century. Is it so for the regime in Guyana? I don’t think it is.
Look at the money the Office of the President is spending on the laptop project and the colossal sum utilized on the LCDS campaign.
Here is where the irony comes in. And it is a double irony. If you don’t have electricity supply how can the laptop recipient operate the item?
Secondly, we want to be part of the future through forestry conservation and we are doing just that by living in the jungle. We live in the jungle like primitive people because we do not have electricity supply.
There is more irony. Guyana has an Olympic size swimming pool. Guyana has a brand new international convention centre. But Guyana doesn’t have stable power generation. And this is putting it mildly. I live yards away from the Convention Centre and I hear the sound of the generator each time blackouts come.
There probable will be a generator for the swimming pool. This is life in Guyana. Two weeks ago I was watching the older film adaptation of the only novel Tennessee Williams wrote, “The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone” that starred two screen giants, Vivian Leigh and Warren Beatty (there is also a newer version with Academy Award winner, Helen Mirren). Didn’t finish my viewing. Halfway through, blackout came.
Can someone save Guyana?

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