Is Minister Patterson related to this gentleman?

Oct 06, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
Every day when I read about Guyana and its unending problems I feel sick and frustrated, unable to help in a practical way from this great distance. Because of my preference for complete independence plus what I regard as exploitation by pricing guest house accommodation in US dollars for even the ‘basics’, I am ‘put off’ visiting the land of my birth.
The 4-hour wait for plane-change in the Caribbean, arriving in Guyana at night does not help, but instead adds to one’s anxieties. No thanks!
Two well-meaning elderly women found apparently murdered in their home brought back personal memories of what hastened my departure from the country at the turn of the century. I have just read of the vendors at Vreed-en-Hoop in danger of being deprived of their livelihood and what happened to others a few years back (Freddie Kissoon column, Thursday, October 5, “The Vreed-en-Hoop assault on 30 women.”)
How can Establishment figures be so heartless and cruel? In fact, we are treating our sisters the way the whites we got rid of treated them in the past. I remember my grandmother telling me of her sister who worked as a ‘nanny’ to two children, but was required to ‘help out’ at evening cocktail functions to entertain overseas visitors.
At one party, she partook of some of the ‘leavings’ in glasses, dozed off in a chair, causing a shortage of serving staff. The “Master” became embarrassed, stormed into the kitchen, roughly shook her and threatened to “kick her down the back stairs” if she was not on steady feet serving immediately! She was – after a fashion.
On holiday in Hong Kong a few years ago, I saw street work being done at nights, when traffic was scarce. Lanterns were used. Why cannot Guyana do similar? Surely, women could come together and help in the process, perhaps minding the offspring of other women, freeing them to help. We had a saying “Circumstances alter cases”. Fancy destroying good FOOD. What a waste!
I saw the column mentioned the name of a Government Minister called ‘Patterson’ , and hoped he was not a descendant of the Mr. Patterson I knew as a youngster who lived in Camp Street next door to the Brethren Church. He was my father’s friend, a visitor to our home, a Christian gentleman, and highly principled.
I sincerely hope there is no connection between the two. Let us be kinder to our sisters trying to earn an honest living. He eventually worked in the shipping business. Sometimes the (man-made) law can be “an ass”. Use some discretion and humanity. My fervent prayer!
Geralda Dennison.

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