Driving alongside the Atlantic in Region 3 yesterday

Jan 03, 2023 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

Kaieteur News – Yesterday was a public holiday. My wife and I decided to visit West Coast Demerara because we haven’t been there for a long time. When I was growing up, I read in novels and saw in the movies people exuberating about the sea breeze in their hair while driving.

I once read long ago where the founder of Stabroek News, David DeCaires wrote that Guyana is the only country where the Atlantic Ocean runs right into the capital of a country. I don’t know if he is right or wrong but you are literally driving alongside the Atlantic when you are going up East Coast Demerara, West Coast Demerara (WCD) and East Bank Essequibo (EBE).

After I began driving, I came face to face with what I read about the wind in your hair. Today I am still baffled by the mystery of Guyanese driving alongside the Atlantic with their windows tightly shut. It is an indescribable feeling to have the Atlantic breeze tossing your hair in wild fantasy. I looked out my window when we were on the WCD yesterday and most of the cars that passed me at Windsor Forest had their windows closed. What a strange set of philistines Guyanese are.

I passed three groups of traffic ranks from the Harbour Bridge right up to Parika randomly stopping vehicles. As soon as you enter the bridge from Peter’s Hall, a trio of police stops you with the wave of a hand.

I said to one who waved at me in a no-nonsense but not harsh tone; “Why are you stopping the car at random?” He waved me on. I didn’t move and was ready to discuss the issue with him. But I have a quiet wife that hates when I am in a quarrel and confrontation. She asked me to drive on.

I passed another group at Leonora but I was not intercepted but I was at Barnwell East Bank Essequibo and I repeated my exclamation; “Why are you making a random stop.” This time my wife remained quiet and I engaged all three of them.

This is Guyana, a truly lawless country but even though you know it is lawless you will still be surprised to hear what the rank said to me. He told me he is stopping drivers to ensure they have their seat belts on and to educate them on the use of the seatbelt. I told him he wasn’t educating drivers, he was harassing them.

The trip at WCD and EBE was worth it, really worth it. Political parties will fight down each other and there will be charges of political bias and ethnic discrimination that may very well be with us in the future. But what I saw in WCD is beyond doubt, development at a rapid pace. What I saw yesterday is the economic development of Guyana right in front of my eyes. No matter which political party you support, you cannot deny the positive things taking place at WCD and EBE.

WCD is going to challenge Georgetown to be the hub of Guyana. I have seen a plethora of business places that bears absolutely no resemblance to the WCD that I saw 20 years ago. There are also a few large (I mean colossal) constructions taking place.

Most interestingly, I saw a spanking, new private hospital that may offer healthy competition and that may relieve the burden at the private hospitals in Georgetown. The more private hospitals open, the more services are available. What this means is that if you want to see a bone specialist or a gynaecologist or eye doctor and the waiting list is long, you have other options.

When my daughter was at primary school, my wife and I would buy fast food and travel to Windsor Forest at WCD and sit on the Atlantic wall. Now the Windsor Forest seawall has been transformed.

A well landscaped park has been built right next to the ocean and it provides an outlet for the residents of Windsor Forest and surrounding areas. But Guyanese philistinism will not go away.

I couldn’t believe what I saw. Now a park is a place where families go to enjoy the beauty of nature. But in close physical proximity to the park is a makeshift alfresco bar frequented by the fishermen of Windsor Forest.

I am afraid when those guys get drunk and let off their scatological vocabulary, mothers in the park will have to pick up their children and run. Finally, the traffic situation at Parika is a nightmare. It reminds me of the horror show that is ubiquitous in Georgetown.

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

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