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Why does Guyana have to be such a stupid country?
Everywhere I go I meet people who would come up, introduce themselves, talk about my work, then I would hear of their plans to return to Guyana. I had a lot of such encounters during the Golden Jubilee Week. Wesley Kirton wrote that he saw me twice during the celebrations at Nicky’s Fish Shop on Drury Lane. I met many expatriates at Nicky’s who want to come back. For that week, I spoke with several overseas Guyanese in the National Park who want to return, including a medical doctor with a very specialist skill.
In my response to these folks over the long years, my attitude has been uniform, without even a slight diversion. I have advised everyone who told me of a desire to return that it is an immense decision that should not be made lightly, because Guyana is a dysfunctional society and an unbearable country. I have never, I repeat, never discouraged or encouraged them. I simply paint the realities of a country which they would not be familiar with in their adopted homeland.
I remember sitting quietly in a corner with Carlyle Goring of the AFC, who is currently a City Councillor, at the wake of Benjamin Gibson. An elderly couple came in, recognized me, and a long conversation started. They told me they intend to remigrate and wanted my opinion. I asked them about the little, civilized services in life in their adopted country that citizens in every country receive, because that is how modern civilization ought to be. They looked puzzled. I said, “If you come back here to live, prepare to endure painful hassles on the little, basic services a country must offer its citizens”.
The horror show that is this country can be seen in the absence of most services that people all over the world take for granted. It is as if this country does not exist. Why do humans in any country have to face these horrible things?
Here is my ordeal last Friday. The Bharrat Jagdeo libel case resumed last Friday after a break of two years. I attended court, chatted with my lawyer Nigel Hughes after the adjournment, then left for the offices of the Guyana Revenue Authority to get a compliance form.
I entered the GRA and asked the receptionist for direction. She directed me to two glass windows with the sign – Compliance. There were many persons waiting to be served and the two wickets had customers. All I wanted was a form. While waiting, it occurred to me that it was going to take several hours before I got a simple form. There were people in front of me that were being tended to. I could not wait hours, because I had to be at the funeral service of Naresh Singh. Naresh’s wife and my wife go back over forty years. Plus Naresh was kind to me to give my nephew employment when Naresh was the CEO of Guyoil.
I was not prepared to wait for hours just for a compliance application form. I returned to the receptionist with a loud protest. She said the form is a very complicated thing that citizens cannot simply pick up like that. She volunteered to get me one. At the same time I saw Navin Sankar whom I knew well, and he went to get me a form. Then he showed the compliance officials that I was at the window. Here is the part that is going to give you a heart attack. There is nothing complicated about the compliance form. All it requires is that you state the reason for the application, your name, address and TIN.
I was so disgusted with my country that on my way to Naresh’s funeral, I dropped in at Prime News’ offices and rested for a while. Adam Harris asked me if I was sick. I told him I was just tired. But I was sick alright. Sick at what Guyana is and always will be. I left Prime News and headed for Naresh’s funeral just around the corner. But I was late. A simple application form caused that.
Last Monday, after the Walter Rodney death anniversary event at Moray House was over, Dr. David Hinds and I stood next to my car and we were reflecting on our young days and how we are getting older. David said something that made me sad. He asked my age, then told me his age, then said, “Freddie, you know all our lives we have been fighting to change Guyana. I am in my sixties, and still fighting. Is it really worth it? I’m not sure!
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5 thoughts on “Why does Guyana have to be such a stupid country?”
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…so right ,Freddie.
First form a national government. The group forming the government should have at least sixty percent of the votes. This would force them to collate. We can take it from there.
Buddy, I had a laugh out loud on reading your post, because it is true yet unbelievably humorous. Happy Father’s Day. Still in Atlanta?
Guyana is “a pit latrine”…and now Guyana is “stupid “..,and no encouragement at re migration !!!…What’s up Freddie?…
Henry, Guyana having the brightest people in the world is a myth!!. Yes, we may be caring but we are losing that too. This article reflects on where Guyanese are with the rest of the world, at the back. To answer the caption’s question……because we are not SMART!