Guyana is a terrible place that time forgot about

Apr 03, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
Please permit me a space in your column to express my appreciation to some real nice people I met at the National Insurance Scheme office in Brickdam. The people I am about to depict did not talk about love and appreciation for senior citizen, they demonstrated it, chief among them is a security personnel at the office.
Let me start at the beginning. I lost my ID on the 4th March, 2016. I was devastated. (1) Because I don’t like losing things (2) NIS was due to pay on the 7th March, 2016 and (3) L.G.E. was to be held on the 18th March, 2016. I was up and about early Monday morning because of the L.G.E. I said that there might have been an emergency something in the place for such happenings. There was none. What I was told was that I would have to wait three (3) weeks before I can access my ID. My hope of being able to vote at the L.G.E. was dashed. Question: Do we have anywhere of anything in this country that we can truly call on emergency? After three (3) weeks I went back to the Church street outlet of GECOM to uplift my card only to be told that it is not ready.
I am a senior citizen. I do construction work when it is available hence I am able to juggle things more easily than one who depends solely on the pensions. On 30th March, 2016 I was desperately short on cash. I had in my possession the slip for my ID replacement. I had two photographs from the ID camera that they did not want to use. I have an outdated passport and an outdated driver license. All of these photographs no matter how you look at them you will see a resemblance of me. Along with the security personnel who was going to vouch for me, endorsing the fact that I am me, all of this was refused saying that I must produce an ID card. The security personnel left and he brought a supervisor who also tried with no success. It was then decided that I go see the manager, but with the assistance of these two human beings (not everyone of us who wear pants and dresses are human beings) who took my document and interfaced with the managers who after checking, signed my book and cash the vouchers.
Frederick Kissoon has said it many times, Guyana is a land that time has forgotten and I endorse it. Here is a senior citizen who has lost his ID card, has a slip of paper purporting to be from GECOM; there written on the paper is a set of numbers along with the name Ewart Small and a contact number from the office. How come is it that three people in such a big establishment have the will to assist a senior citizen not knowing if this pittance is his only means of survival? What kind of laws we have governing our institutions? Are there any clauses that can deal with an emergency? Do we envisage emergency in our society or our life? I wonder.
Freddie spoke of situations like the one I am going to explain. I am in Western Union outlet waiting in the line to transact a business. I am with the teller and have started the transaction when my cell rang, I checked the screen and saw that it was my wife calling. It was then that a guard told me that I cannot answer the phone in the office. I must go outside. I had to leave the transaction half done because my wife only calls me on matters of importance within the hours 8 to 5. What a country we live in. just one more case to prove that Guyana has been forgotten by time.
Oh beautiful Guyana When David took the reins of rulership over Israel, Israel was devastated because of Saul’s tenure asking but David with the help of almighty God was able to put Israel on fir footing. Can David Granger do the same for Guyana? Yes he can, but only if he allow God to have his way. There is so much to be done.
Elder Ewart Small

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