Christmas Village

Dec 21, 2021 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Kaieteur News – The Christmas Village which has been established along Georgetown’s Main Street Avenue is sort of a social facility – though temporary – which is desired by families. It provides the opportunity for family-styled recreation that is cheap, clean and inexpensive.
No wonder so many families have been coming out evening after evening to stroll along the tree-lit avenue. It is a welcome respite from having to be holed-up at home watching television.
Families with small children are often limited in their recreational choices. They can choose from spending a day in the park or relaxing at the Georgetown Seawall or going to one of the creeks. But all of these take time and cost money, the latter a great deal.
The Georgetown Seawall remains a favourite haunt for families on weekend. But we know the vendors and tents and trampolines and music boxes have invaded that location and punt-paid to plan for a quiet, relaxing experience.
The national gardens were closed for some time because of the pandemic. And with the rainy weather, outdoor picnics at these locations are out of the question.
Another option would be to have a quiet stroll along our pavements. But this has become a far from enjoyable experience and dangerous given that most of the country’s pavements have become congested with vendors.
There used to be a time when the cinema provided an outlet for family entertainment. Families would pack small bags and go to see one of the movies. But then television came and the cinema went.
It has returned with more comfortable facilities but with a higher price tag. With the high admission prices, and the concession booths selling popcorn and soda, it can cost quite a fortune to take the family out to the cinema. And ever since, it is now only one movie per screening, the experience is diminished.
Even a visit to the ice cream parlours can leave a deep hole on your pocket. As such, cheap and inexpensive family-styled recreational activity is much needed not only in Georgetown but in other parts of the country.
It is therefore a welcome development that the government has created a space for families to go out and enjoy the ambience. But it is not the first time that this has happened. When the now President was the Minister of Tourism, he had done something similar during the Christmas Season.
Christmas is a special time of the year and a time for family members to enjoy with each other. The Christmas Village is a good initiative.
It brings back memories of poorer but better times when during the holiday season, families used to go for evening strolls to admire windows of businesses. It used to be called window-shopping.
The many businesses in the commercial district would have beautiful and creatively decorated show windows where they would display their products. The businesses went to great lengths to decorate their showcases and make them attractive while advertising their products on same. And families would walk along the pavements and admire these showcases and get an idea of what they need for the holidays and where they can purchase same.
Crime and the times put an end to that tradition. The show windows soon had to be grilled to prevent theft and later had to be covered with steel shields to prevent entry by the rioters and looters. Perhaps one day, this tradition will return. But given Guyana’s crime situation and its volatile political climate, that may be too optimistic.
The Christmas Village is not the only development, which is creating national excitement. It is understood that a walkway is being planned between the old train terminus on Main Street and Vlissengen Road. This is another excellent idea, which will spur family-styled recreation in the capital city. Not sure what will be done about the high-voltage power lines above.
It also is understood that enhancement works are being done at the Georgetown Sea Wall. The ongoing development could see the return of weekly band concerts at the bandstand. These concerts used to be regular features in colonial days. However, without a National Sea Wall Authority to manage the entire area and to guard against indiscriminate vending, the planned development can be overrun by the return to the disorder and confusion, which existed at the Sea Wall.
The best laid plans are subject therefore to failure unless there is strong enforcement. Unless therefore, the statutory authorities are created to prevent a vending ‘free-for-all’, the planned developments will all be reduced to chaos and confusion.
(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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