Latest update October 27th, 2026 10:25 AM
The things I see in Guyana that disgust me
Dear Editor,
As we get closer to celebrating fifty years of independence. I remember as a youngster growing up in Guyana, doing silly, immature thing, things that we all do as youngsters. I do remember vividly “older” folks would always admonish us and put in their “two-cents” saying that in time as we get older, we will get wiser and all the FOOLISH traits will naturally disappear.
But looking back at our Guyana situation, it can be concluded that the THEORY of growing wiser got lost where Guyana is concerned. Within the past few years I have had the unfortunate chance of seeing, hearing reading of so much backward habits from my GT people. Compared to the traits and habits of other people I have observed in other countries.
One very striking and I must add “ bizarre” things I’ve witnessed, is the driving habits demonstrated by my fellow Guyanese— some of my fellow Guyanese, to be fair. I do wonder if many of these drivers ever took or were required to take a driving test ever, before being issued a driving license I once witnessed some driving that could only be described as crazy and out of this world. I was standing on Brickdam, waiting to catch a taxi to take me down town. I saw a mini bus trying to overtake a private car, guess the bus driver figured that the car was moving too slow. The bus overtaking the car was normal …no big deal, not an issue. I would say that’s OK. What was surprising and had me awe struck, was when I saw another mini bus trying to overtake the bus that was overtaking the car. There I was watching three vehicles stretches across Brickdam with no driver giving any chance to the other driver to be in the lead. Even more bizarre was the fact that vehicles ware coming in the opposite direction. It was a miracle that no collision occurred that time. I stood there shaking my head in total disbelief and astonishment.
Another instant I was in a taxi traveling on King Street. Traffic was moving slow as usual but to my surprise out of the corner of my eyes, I saw another taxi overtaking the cab I was in. the overtaking cab was riding up on the pavement. I was happy to see that no pedestrian got MOWED down.
My other PEEVED I have much dislike for is the attitude of those who feel that they have the God given right to ”cut lines” You see them in the supermarket check-out lines, you see them at the bank lines. All trying to exercise their God given right to get in front of everyone. This is a most ill-mannered trait that is very distasteful in every respect. Go anywhere and you will find them, in their faces you will see that LOOK they display. The look that lines are not meant for them. Cutters, lines are there to provide order in society. Lines make our day go so much smoother.
Littering….where do I begin? I am mostly disturbed not only with the litter on the ground. It is really the manner how the litter gets there. I have witnessed on numerous occasions, people throwing their litter out the windows of passing vehicles. Candy wrappers, empty or not so empty food containers, soda cans and bottles. That is such a distasteful sight to see. Then there are the walkers, walking and eating and just spewing scraps all over the place. I witnessed one guy walking, I guess that he read the papers and was done, guess what, he just dropped it in his wake. Fifty years of going backwards. My fellow Guyanese, I do hope and trust that on our 50th birthday, we will reflect on our actions and attitude and duly make the necessary adjustment, getting ourselves in line with the rest of the CIVILIZED world.
Muhammad Raoof.
USA
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