The dress code and my impending visit to President Granger

Jul 21, 2016 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

I have done about eight columns in my journalistic career on the unbearable stupidity of the dress code enforcement in backward Guyana. Here are a few extracts from my writings on the asininity of the draconian dress code. On August 26, 2013, under the caption, “A thing that bothers my primary school teacher,” I wrote the following, “The primitive dress code that is stipulated in many, many public institutions, the worst manifestation of it is at the High Court. People who have cases in front of Judges and those that have to give evidence have been turned away.
“Many of us have witnessed these cruel acts. For example, your shirt or T-shirt or jersey cannot have a marking on it. I have seen too many instances of these wrong things. Where is this backed by law and why are policemen permitted to be the aesthetic judges of what Guyanese must wear.”
In another column on the same subject I wrote, “In one instance, Leonard Craig refused to tuck his shirt in his pants because he argued that the fashion of the shirt which resembles a shirt-jac was not made to be inside his pants. The policeman was annoyed and threatened him with arrest. In many public places, women are not allowed with sleeveless tops or dresses. What is wrong with such a top or dress? And to think the feminist society in Guyana has not protested that absurdity.”
In yet another column, under the title, “Speaker Trotman’s dress code and his barricades,” I wrote; “I journeyed down to the House (Parliament) where I enquired about the treatment of Leonard Craig. It turned out that the enforcer was not the security official but a telephone operator. She said she knows the dress code drafted by the Speaker and it excludes blue jeans, not jeans in general but blue jeans (I was wearing black jeans at the time which is what I testified with in court earlier in the day in my Jagdeo libel trial.)”
In another column of Thursday, April 21, 2016, with the heading, “One simply gives up on this silly country,” here is what I penned; “On Tuesday morning, I dropped into the GRA’s office to collect a driver’s licence application. While waiting for the metal detector, the lady in front of me was refused entry. I saw the security rank holding her shirt sleeve indicating it was inappropriate.
After I passed through the scanner I asked why she was barred. I was told her shirt sleeve was too exposing. I did not agree. I asked to see the dress code, was directed to it and it unambiguously stated: “sleeveless shirts.” The lady’s shirt had a short sleeve to her elbow with a split in the middle. Her shoulder blades were not exposed. Her arm pit was not exposed.”
It is not only the dress code nonsense that makes a mockery of this country but so many other things like the signing of a Life Certificate for UG pensioners and NIS pensioners. I did two columns on this moronic aspect of living in Guyana. Only ten categories of people, the NIS accepts as signatories on a pension form.
They are Justice of the Peace, Commissioner of Oaths, Notary Public, Minister of Religion, Medical Practitioner, Head Teacher, Senior Public Servant, Superintendent of Police, Bank Manager and Trade Union Secretary.
In the case of the UG pension form only seven categories can sign it. Those are the seven listed above minus Trade Union Secretary, Justice of the Peace, Senior Public Servant.
One day I walked into the bank to check on my pension from both NIS and UG. I was informed that for four months there was no submission by NIS. On enquiry, NIS told me they did not accept the signature of my form. But the NIS didn’t inform me. Had I not gone to the bank, my pension would have stopped coming in.
The signature on my form was a UG lecturer who held a doctorate in International Relations with ten years service at UG.
What this stupidity, asininity and backwardness mean is that even though I am a columnist at Kaieteur News, the Editor or the Publisher cannot sign my form. An army officer, lawyer, engineer, computer expert, private business owner, cannot sign. Even President Granger cannot sign because he does not fall within the ten stipulated categories. President Granger knows me. He knows I am alive, so next week I am going to his house or office to ask him to sign my form. I know he will. I want to see if UG and the NIS will refuse his signature.

3 thoughts on “The dress code and my impending visit to President Granger”

carl veecock July 21, 2016 at 2:52 am

Freddie you losing it!
What article is this?
You start of with your columns on the idiotic dress code and end up with your going to the Pressee to sign your form?
Where is your link?

Freddie…stop and do a check check on yourself.
You walking straight?
Not canting to one side?
You seeing the way ahead clearly and not cloudy?

You completely fooled me with your headline.
I thought that you were wondering if in visiting the Pressee you would be joining him with an open neck shirt. no jacket and no tie, just like how he greets visitors, but then I suspected that you would not have so appeared as you would show great respect for his office and dress smartly. But you let my thoughts vapourized as I read your article.

Now do an article on why the Pressee should dress up when he is taking pictures with foreign dignitaries.
I have very strong views on that!
And of course that silly dress code when visiting government offices is the height of stupidity.
modesty BLAZE July 21, 2016 at 10:49 am

I am in total agreement with you on this draconian dress code. We are now in the 21st century and Guyana needs to move forward in the updated modern way of dressing especially since we are a tropical country.
Today , even in churches, people no longer dress to their 99.You can wear whatever you like to attend ( render your heart and not your garments), sometimes I wear my short pants to church and its not offensive to the pastor nor the other church goers.
Now , I am not saying to dress half naked, but one should be conscionable as to the situation or matter they are attending and dress appropriately.
We have long done away ( I believe approximately over 50 years now) with the everyday mandatory suit and ties, unless you are in a specific profession ( lawyer).
Which brings me to another issue, I am told lawyers are mandated to wear somber colours (only white or cream). My question- isn’t dark blue , purple, grey or even pale colours somber?
I know court cases are of serious nature, but a lawyer is not on trial and should be allowed to dress with a free conscience and spirit to defend his client( he /she can always cover up with the robe) but allow freedom of choice of shirt.
Why must a man whose only accessory is his tie wear white and cream- that is a standard uniform for waiters .
Back to the dress code when conducting business – this too is appalling, Guyanese is exposed to the world through TV and even the announcers are sleeveless and showing cleavage.
If there is a law or policy on dress code, the public needs to be educated about it and the companies implementing such policy needs to have it prominently displayed outside of the building and not have a receptionist or security guard address the matter unless the person is naked. What if that is all the person has in their wardrobe?
Betsy
carl veecock July 21, 2016 at 12:34 pm

Wow!