Guyana, Stop! Look where we are heading

Nov 30, 2019 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

During this week, a series of events took place that raised many people’s eyebrows. There were several deadly accidents in a matter of days. Is there a rush or are the drivers just careless? Even though there is police presence all over, the mayhem still continues. Careless accidents and causing death by dangerous driving attract some serious jail time, and despite that, drivers are still killing people on the road. Are they just desperate to go to jail?
They could go there without killing innocent people, especially children.
Videos and allegations of school bullying have been circulating on social media for quite a while. The latest video circulating was that of a male student physically assaulting a female student.
Now our Education Minister makes a statement that has many people peeved at her. While I was attending school, there were many fights – I was even involved in a few; but none was with females or I never witnessed a boy assaulting a girl in that manner.
Well, her statement has me scared for my children going to school.
For a Minister to make a statement like that which has been reported is very embarrassing, especially when Guyana is becoming popular with the oil discoveries and everyone has an interest.
Another video is circulating of females ‘busing’ down one another and eventually, a fight breaks out which manifests into a group fight. Sadly, mostly males could be heard in the background either encouraging or saying what they would do sexually to certain females in the scene.
What is really sad to see, is that one of the females is seemingly pregnant. And between the crowd and fights, small children/child could be seen. The fight escalates to a point where two of the females ended up in what looks like a middle walk or small trench and one of the fighters was attempting to drown the other, until another went to the rescue. The situation could have ended up worse and I am wondering if those involved would have been prepared to face the consequences?
Then there was the firing of the gun by the security guard at Movie Towne. The quick dismissal of the guard is highly commendable, but then we have to question the judgment of these young men that are given guns by security firms for people’s protection. Are they capable of handling themselves properly should an event occur and there are patrons/shoppers around, especially if it’s a crime?
Speaking to a few persons a couple of days ago on Regent Street, they informed me that they would be glad if someone or a set of bandits, decided to try robbing any of the establishments around where we were standing. Their exact words were ‘They would make them a strainer’.
Even though that might sound comforting to hear, it is also very scary, because criminals have no particular time when they commit a crime, and should they decide to do so when the place is crowded, then we all would have to pray.
Finally, Editor, we would see many videos from other countries that show similar to what is now flooding social media and quite frankly, I am under the impression that the overseas videos are motivating our locals to do the same. It’s as if they are competing, which is very dangerous, and they have no regard for anything at the said time. Some could clearly be seen looking to see if they are being filmed and then started acting up more.
Then we have cases abroad, where people are filming the police when they are executing their duties. Some have some serious attitudes towards lawmen, and that has started here too. The sad thing about it here is that many of those acting up do not know the law, but they are trying to intimidate or provoke the police to do something drastic.
What these people fail to understand, is that things could get out of hand and they would not be given any satisfaction. In developed countries, justice might be served, but in Guyana, it’s a different situation.
Guyana, Stop! Look where we are heading. All of this is arising because of our careless actions, and it is nothing to be proud of. We are going too fast. It cannot be that we are frustrated; I am wondering if the oil is already flying towards our heads.
Sahadeo Bates

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