There is too much alcohol consumption among indigenous people

Sep 14, 2023 Letters

Dear Editor,

I begin my letter not wishing all my Guyanese Indigenous brethren a happy heritage month, because I don’t like what I am seeing. There is too much alcohol consumption and vulgar behaviors etc., of our people. September is Amerindian Heritage Month, but I am afraid the celebration activities are not showcasing a positive lifestyle of ours. We indigenous are more than drunkards and vulgar people, there being too much exaggerated fun and drinking spoiling our heritage celebrations, hence the need to strike a balance.

These sorts of behaviors show that all is not well with some indigenous men in Guyana. Many are suffering from excessive use of alcohol or to put it in a stronger term, alcohol abuse. It is a cause for concern that triggers problems, such as domestic abuse and other illnesses in families and communities. I am not saying that alcohol consumption is bad but abusing the use of it has consequences on health, economic and family related matters at homes. As such, there is need to exercise the human wisdom of common sense and self-control when drinking and be courageous to say to friends I am Ok, I had enough.

This worrying reality of exaggerated alcohol consumption for pleasure by our men can be seen in all levels of society: in the city, rural and interior communities. A social issue where no one seems to perceive it as a problem. Everyone including the sellers at drinking places see no problem once they are making money from selling alcohol. They would see a man most times who is father of children already drunk, and if he requests to purchase more, they will sell him and turn a blind eye to his financial needs to feed his family, or if he goes to abuse his wife and children at home. A sad reality which makes one ponder, who is my brother’s keeper in a contemporary alcohol spree society?

For those indigenous men and women suffering from exaggerated alcohol consumption, perhaps one significant gift other sober Guyanese can offer them as sign of care, is to form community groups comprise of families, women’s groups, and churches where these can set up programs of alcoholic anonymous to address the issue of indigenous men who are in dire relief from this monster that manifest itself strongly especially during heritage month, and which reaps havoc in people’s lives and affect families.

Yours sincerely,

R. Jacobs

alcohol, Celebration, consumption, Indigenous, R. Jacobs

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There is too much alcohol consumption among indigenous people

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