Latest update January 17th, 2025 6:30 AM
We could not afforded the lavishness of the 50 year celebration
Dear Editor;
To fête or not to fête- That’s the Question. It has been one month since we (Guyanese) reached and celebrated fifty years as an “ independent” nation. There have been (and still is) lots of debates by my fellow Guyanese at all levels as to the wisdom of celebrating the Golden Jubilee in such a grand, lavish manner. I read in the press, on the telly, the radio, the man and woman on the street, every form of rationalization in support of and against the lavishness of the celebrations. The Collation Government for a certainty, made the event one to remember. Don’t get me wrong, I fully appreciate the celebration of any milestone, any birth anniversary. I do believe that any celebration must be measured with the prevailing economics of the time. In simple language, I am saying that any celebration must be celebrated based on the affordability that goes along with the ability to pay for that event.
I do compare the Jubilee celebration we undertook akin to a man who has no viable means of financial support — the economic state of our country. The lack of real hard cash to support basic necessities. The “poor man” holding his birthday bash at the Pegasus or Marriott, inviting one and all to partake in the extravaganza. But at the same time, his roof has missing “zinc sheets”, when it rains, the house leaks in a hundred places. Guyana’s need to cover the holes of the country, i.e. fix downward spiral of the economy (despite what they are telling us that things are on the “up” when I see the “average man in the street” having a harder and harder time to afford basic necessities, that is a tell-tale-sign that things are not getting easy.
The house steps are falling apart, difficult for anyone to gain access to his dwelling space— the difficulty of the average Guyanese to climb the economic ladder. The windows of the house are dilapidated, missing windows inviting all kinds of critters access to enter — Guyana situation where we are faced with the horrible cases of undesirables elements roaming and gaining access to our dwellings. Fix the crime situation.
The man’s kids having to beg the neighbors for material help to get by — our Guyana situation of having to beg the world for every possible handout to accomplish our every task and needs. Dear Editor, the cost does not justify the need. The money spent (and to date, no one knows exactly how much or what was spent), could have been spent elsewhere. It was not worth it…..
Muhammad Raoof
USA.
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