I am donating $10, 000 if you guess right

Sep 16, 2018 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

In my heart, mind and soul, I know that Guyana is not the most psychologically disheveled land in the world. The other countries on the globe (especially autocracies like Russia, China) have stupid leaders, silly bureaucrats and they are characterized by mores, norms and values that are disheartening. This scenario applies even to democratic developed nations of which the US is one of the most disturbing examples.
The US since 1945 has emerged as the top territory on the map. This is because of the sheer strength of its fantastic wealth, which found expression in its fantastic military might. But in terms of racial tolerance, individual peace of mind, sociology, psychology, philosophy and the essential values that hold civilization together, the US is way behind many, many democratic countries on Planet Earth.
I honestly would not choose the US to spend my life in preference to many democratic developed countries and some Third World states. The US is a great country but it is also a very troubled land that predates Trump.
Having said that, I find social characteristics and forms of thinking in Guyana that are extremely worrying, foolish and surreal that set Guyana apart from maybe, (I am being cautious, by saying, maybe) other nations. Someone is still to convince me that the commercial banking system in any other country insists that a person must produce a post office envelope with date stamp as the most verifiable form of proof of address.
I get tons of emails from folks who describe unpleasant bureaucracy and backward thinking in even post-modern countries but I still stick to my thesis of Guyana being a special case of an embattled banana republic. A friend from Canada responded to a column of mine on a misleading road sign at Camp Road that was there for four years. He pointed to a similar situation in Toronto, which he said was there for months.
Here is what I said to him. If the Toronto newspapers had written about the sign, officials would have removed it the next day. From the President including Prime Minister and Cabinet to the most senior bureaucrat at the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, they looked at that sign perhaps each day. And no one ever thought that in service to citizens, a four-year misleading sign should be removed.
I would like to play a little game. I hope my editor Adam Harris gets into the act because we are always joking and I know this would be fun for Adam. Below is evidence where Guyana is a negatively incredible land and an unimaginably silly place. When you guess the right number, please remember that the exchange rate with the American dollar is about $210 -$215. As you guess the figure, remember this is the 21st century.
My daughter won a prestigious award for topping her class at UG in the second year as the best performer for that year in her the programme. The award came from a reputable Guyanese organization in Canada attached to UG and has an ongoing functional relation with UG. If you guess close to the right amount, I will donate $10,000 to whatever purpose or cause you suggest. If Adam wins, I know he will say to buy some beers. I will go to his home in Tucville and give him the money.
You will never come close to knowing the amount. I repeat; in your wildest imagination, you would never believe the number. So the nearer you get, you will be the winner. This is Guyana where incredibly stupid things take place. You will be shocked to know the figure. It was best to give the student a plaque or a book. But to give the student that amount was poisonously insulting. This is my only kid you are talking about. I am protective of her so why should I let some fools in Canada insult her.
I have the cheque in front of me. The letter-head reads; “Hand-in-Hand Trust Corporation (with address) and it is a GBTI cheque, number 2027978510. It says; “pay to the order of Kavita Kissoon the sum of…”
I will ask those who receive it in their year of study to be honest and not tell others. It is just a fun thing so let’s play fairly. I close by saying unless someone alerted you to the amount, you would never believe in the 21st century, a Canadian organization attached to UG can insult one of UG’s students so nastily by giving them that sum of money. Guyanese are an irredeemable nationality. My cell is 614-5927. My email is [email protected].

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