A stupid problem to have at Stabroek Market

Oct 27, 2019 Features / Columnists, News, The Story within the Story

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By Leonard Gildarie

Growing up, I was always drawn to the mystical lure of the Stabroek Market area.
The shouts of the vendors, the good-natured ribbing and laughter, and of course the smells.
Yes, there were two sections that had me, and even to today, although the trips are very infrequent, I still go.
There is a huge book stall which carried the best of novels located in the middle of the market. Only book lovers would understand the pull.
We had James Hadley Chase, Harold Robbins, Sydney Sheldon and of course, the comics.
Today, the stand is still there. The last time I went there, the operator was not present and someone else from a nearby stall sold me two novels for $2,000.
I loved books. I got into trouble for reading too much. While attending Queen’s College, I barely had money for lunch. Things were tough.
I would journey to La Penitence and borrow books from a stand in the market there.
Yes, I am not ashamed. I took off at midday as soon as we had lunch, and walked all the way to La Penitence, hurried my browsing and “rented” a few books and ran back to school.
I don’t know what happened to that man. I never told anyone of those trips. I feared that I would be scoffed at. I am not afraid anymore.
Down at Stabroek Market, even to today, if I happen to visit, I would make a beeline to the food area.
I swear they have the best ‘fry fish’ sandwich and peanut punch. Nothing beats it on a hot day.
Today, it has all changed. Under the clock, newcomers have taken over, doing another kind of business. Yes, from stolen cell phones to gold jewellery, to fake foreign currency, the hustle is real.
It has seen the growth of young gangs who operate in seeming impunity.
There is an outpost in the Stabroek Market lot area.
Yet, daily, the attacks on citizens have brought a pall over Stabroek.
I can tell you that I can count on my fingers the number of times when I have been back to Stabroek Market.
That area, if we can fix it, can become the biggest tourism attraction for Guyana if we can think it properly.
Picture tables and chairs in the square, with no minibuses and hire cars. Smell the breeze, with food on the grills and vendors in the background, with their fruits.
This country is blessed and we have it in our own backyard.
I have been talking to politicians, one on one in the last couple of weeks.
I am no radio personality. In fact, it is the first time I have done it.
I have learnt much of our people through the eyes of a few of our leaders.
One question I keep on asking is if there is any model that will see the sharing of power.
This one-party or winner-takes-all thing has not worked out so well for social cohesion.
There is one thing consistent from our leaders…there is a problem with race. We are voting along race lines.
I don’t even want to discuss this. My eldest child is from another race. Yes. I would and cannot contemplate racism. Yet a few of our leaders and their underlings, push it to the max.
The Stabroek Market area is a clear symptom of how we refuse to think outside the box.
We have to relocate the parking for the public transportation. The madness on the Avenue of the Republic in the Croal Street and Regent Street areas have been with us for years.
Yet, we can’t seem to tackle it.
We have installed cameras, that feed real time to systems that cost millions.
We know who the little men are that terrorise our students and hard working people.
In the last few weeks, the police would have been receiving reports of students from Queen’s College and other schools being brutally robbed.
My nephew was sitting in a bus when he was almost robbed.
Stabroek Market has cameras. We know who the members of the gangs are.
There were reports Friday from the police that more than 100 persons have been arrested in a clean-up of crime at Stabroek Market.
This has to be sustained.
The cameras have to be put to use. We must send a strong message that this country is serious.
We can no longer tolerate the lawlessness which a few, bent of not working honestly, would hold the country hostage, driving fear into our people, because we fail to act decisively.
We have to go back to the communities.
The police and politicians have to work together to build the trust.
The fact is our people have little trust for police. That has to be built.
I have quite a few friends in the police force. Decent men and women who are being underpaid but gave it their best shot nevertheless.
I applauded this government in 2015 in the clean-up and one would be blind if they can’t agree we have better roads and a cleaner city now. It is a fact.
Can we do the same for crime? Of course, we can. For the city, we can drastically reduce the incidences by making use of the resources.
The bike patrols and foot patrols have to restart.
I want back my Stabroek Market. I need to walk.
As we celebrate Diwali today, let us remember that over the years it has been an event for not only Hindus but all Guyana.
We have it within us.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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