Guyanese ripping off Guyanese

Dec 24, 2021 Editorial

Kaieteur News – We have always had the devious and crooked in this country. What is different today, is that we have never had as many cheating leaders and citizens as before. Those who betray the trust of Guyanese, take advantage of them. Most political leaders and many citizens work overtime to get one over their fellow Guyanese. The time nor occasion does not matter, since anytime is good to mislead and rob.

A simple example in this holiday season should resonate with Guyanese. It came from a New York-based Guyanese, who was rather upset that Guyanese are deceiving their fellow overseas-based Guyanese with a product that falls short of expectations, with sharp regret following. Believe it or not, this involved cassareep. This unhappy Guyanese called upon us “to shed light on the unsavory practice of Guyanese who produce what is purported to be real, authentic Cassava Cassareep, but is really nothing more than a concoction of burnt sugar, molasses or whatever they could pass off onto the unsuspecting consumer as the real thing.”

We know that costly and scarce local items like these enjoy high demand in overseas locations, where Guyanese reside. Getting ripped off doesn’t sit well, which is best relayed by our reader.

“Here in the Diaspora, the one thing many of us look forward to at Christmas is our Pepperpot and we spare no expense purchasing our meats, etc. to ensure we have this Guyanese delicacy ready to serve on Christmas morning.
Cassareep however is a problem. It’s the one ingredient that is most important in the creation of the Guyanese Pepperpot and manufacturers of it knowingly and willfully sell us something that is not real Cassava Cassereep.”

Many Guyanese at home encounter the same problem with inferior products marketed by unscrupulous Guyanese. Assurances flourish that they are the real thing, only to discover that a fraud was perpetrated on the unsuspecting and trusting. We all know of people familiar to us, who swear that what they sell is from the Pomeroon, which means that it is as good as gold.

Regrettably, the situation is more often the opposite. This is realised when the pot is boiling and it is time for the serious business of finishing off what is hoped to be a delicious pepperpot meal, with plenty of leftovers. What required much cash, time, and energy in preparing, turns out to be a disappointment. The joy of the holiday season, and what was supposed to be the envy of friends and neighbours, and other visitors lucky enough to get a rich helping, ends up being no more than a dud, another failed promise. It is sometimes closer to an embarrassment. More and more, this has become the Guyana story, the national culture of trickery and thievery.

It does not matter that it is Christmas time. Or that custom and great care failed to present something superb. What matters is that some see an opening to rob their fellow Guyanese, by lying to them, cheating them, and disappointing them. Look at oil and our leaders. Look at the Natural Resources Fund 2021 Bill.

Political leaders throughout Guyana, from Government to Government, and Opposition to Opposition, have lied, distressed and disgusted locals. It could be Christmas time, Mash time, Easter time, religious time, and almost all the time. Once there is money to be made, they will do it. Citizens have learned well from them, which is why there are these cries of Christmas time cassareep crisis.

This rightly peeved Guyanese caught in the cold breath of winter, and looking forward to a steaming pepperpot dish is now forced to reach for something stronger. Usually, genuine Guyanese rum is the next best, most reliable substitute that fills the gap.

Last, he asked this question: “Why they have chosen to deceive us is the million-dollar question” along with the hard suspicion that “producing the real thing is too labor intensive.” We gently disagree, because the way we see this it comes down to some now vanishing ingredients in the Guyanese character. It is a lack of basic honesty and having no regard for principle or personal honour. What we have all around us are conmen for politicians and fellow citizens.