My take on women working at nights

Sep 11, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
On the subject of women working nights, bearing in mind Guyana’s economic situation, is it not possible to implement some sort of ‘condition’ for women to start and finish night work within certain hours? Not
possible for some job-sharing arrangement to be looked at, say two women working together, splitting the wages? It is less money, but at least “a small piece”, to help the domestic budget. Such an arrangement may also provide an opportunity for a welcome form of needed chit-chat and “sisterhood”.
As an OAP and sole carer for a housebound husband, I have found, while waiting at bus stops, just ‘small talking’ with other people (strangers), young and old, provides a level of companionship until the bus arrives. I equate my position with other ‘company-deprived” women. One of the most enjoyable groups to chat with happens to be secondary school children. They provide company. I pass on information to them.
Once, I reminded them that the Egyptians taught the Greeks, the Greeks taught the Romans, the Romans “spread the word’ abroad. In passing, I mentioned the stern correction by a guide when, as a tourist in Greece, the Greek guide corrected my pronunciation of the name of her countryman from “Pie-thag-oras” (Pythagoras) to “Pit-a-go-ras”, because he was GREEK! A matter of pride, one supposes. They seemed surprised, impressed.
I remember, roughly 10 years ago, walking home from evening classes around 10 pm, a group of Indian women from the pavement across the road, saw me on my own, one crossed over and started to speak to me in fractured English and accompanied me to my gate. Even today, I still get emotional just thinking about it. We were complete strangers to one another, and I could never recognise “the good Samaritan”, even if I saw her again. Let us try to help our ‘sisters’ who find themselves in any sort of need. “What goes around….”
Geralda Dennison

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