Nausea on the way to Kwakwani

Nov 13, 2011 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

The last time I suffered a discomforting bout of travel sickness was sixteen years ago when my cousin, William Cox, was getting married in Berbice. Catholic Standard editor Colin Smith and I traveled together in a rented car and once we reached in the territory of the upper East Coast, the vomiting came. I will always remember William Cox’s wedding for three reasons.
The first was the nausea I endured, which never ever happened in my life before and before that date, I have traveled widely in and out of Guyana. I couldn’t deliver my speech at William’s wedding because I was in a room trying to sleep. That incident remains a mystery in my life.
Secondly, at the wedding ceremony, Father Andrew Morrison, one of my heroes, was the Master of Ceremonies. He suffered an ephemeral bout of Alzheimer’s when in announcing the names of the speakers couldn’t remember who I was. Thirdly, on the way back to Georgetown, a minibus nearly smashed us into pieces. Women were screaming as if the dinosaurs were attacking them in Jurassic Park.
Last Thursday I set of to visit Kwakawni, site of accusations of Russian colonialism by the bauxite union. With me were Mark Benschop and Balwant Persaud in Balwant’s car. As we reached deep into the territory of the Linden highway, nausea took over. It wasn’t as bad as sixteen years ago, but it was there alright. Trying not to vomit, I tried to sleep. I vaguely heard Benschop explaining to Balwant why he chose AFC over APNU in the forthcoming election, then I just dosed off.
When we reached Linden, an irritating surprise greeted me. I checked into a pharmacy, which according to Mark is owned by a PPP member who is on that party’s regional list of candidates. I was refused the sale of the anti-vomit tablet, Gravol, because I was told it was a prescription drug. It is not.
When I was in Canada, Gravol was sold over the counter. Gravol is such a widely used travel sickness tablet that you can purchase it over the counter, and this is so at the pharmacies in Georgetown. Gravol has become like aspirin. When you go on long distances and you are susceptible to nausea, you drop some Gravol into your pocket.
So sick I was in Linden that I made the decision that I would stay in a hotel and Mark and Balwant would proceed to Kwakwani. It was a sad conclusion for me because I wanted to see my country that I love so much. I believe in my heart that in the CARICOM group of families, Guyanese are the most warm-hearted.
Outside of the hotel, I made the judgement that I wanted to see Kwakawni nausea or no nausea. So back to the pharmacy I went to get a sleeping tablet to help me on the long journey from Linden to Kwakwani. I was told that Valium is a prescription drug. They gave me an over-the-counter sleeping tablet. I took three. Sleep never came. I was wide awake on that long trail that took us almost three hours.
I love the people of Kwakwani. This country has really wonderful human beings. I intend to see more of my beloved Guyana. Every soul in Kwakwani was nice to me, Mark Benschop and Balwant Persaud. Mark Benschop took a photograph with me standing next to one of Kwakwani’s most famous residents, Uncle Freddie. Uncle Freddie’s wife made one of the baddest cook-up rice I ever ate, although the pig tail had too much fat on it, not to mention a wicked tamarind juice that we had several glasses of.
From what I saw being in Kwakwani and Aroaima for two days, that it is opposition territory alright. People are fully aware of the election campaign that is going on. I got the sense that RUSAL is resented as a manifestation of Russian colonialism. The RUSAL employers built their own swimming pool and have refused to rehabilitate the existing one which is in the heart of the community. Kwakwani needs modernizing.
What is RUSAL doing? Do they care about the people of Kwakwani? My opinion is that they do not. Back to Linden. We had lunch at the waterfront. And the picture is the same – Linden is opposition territory. I would advise Sam Hinds that if he is going to deliver Linden to the PPP, he has a gigantic task on his hand. My sincere thanks to a young Guyanese with a Russian first name, Vladimir. (last name Glasgow). Without him, I would have still been lying sick in Linden.
And finally, thanks to the beautiful people of Linden who treated us greatly.

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