Dem condemned buildings standing up by the grace of gravity

Feb 24, 2026 Dem Boys Seh, Features / Columnists

(Kaieteur News) – Guyana got two kinds of buildings: new ones opening with ribbon and speech, and old ones leaning like they practicing yoga.

Last week one of dem ancient timber warriors finally decide it done. Collapse down flat. And people seh plenty people was living inside. Living! Dem boys seh that ain’t a house, that is a historical experiment in gravity. If a building older than Independence still standing only by prayer and gravity, is not “accommodation” — is a countdown.

All around the country you does see dem relics. Roof dipping low like it tired of holding on. Stairs squeaking so loud you could hear confession before you reach upstairs. Windows blinking in the breeze like they trying to signal SOS. Some of dem houses lean so much, dem boys seh if you drop a marble inside, it roll straight to the backdam.

But here is the Guyanese miracle: once a place abandoned, before the last board cool off, squatters arrive with mattress, stove and stereo. Dem does move in faster than a flash flood. And once they plant flag, is like Parliament pass special law: “Thou shalt not remove until total collapse.”

Authority does pass, look, suck teeth, and promise “assessment.” Assessment does take so long the building does apply for pension. By the time report ready, termites done submit their own engineering drawings. Dem boys seh we waiting for what? For the house to send formal invitation? “Dear Authorities, I planning to fall down Thursday at 3 pm. Kindly attend.”

Meanwhile neighbours walking past like it normal to live next door. One stiff breeze from the Atlantic and the whole thing wobble like it reconsidering life choices.

Dem boys seh is simple: if a building condemned, condemn it properly. Pull it down before it pull down somebody. Because in Guyana, we can’t continue to treat demolition like it is a luxury item. When house leaning more than politician before election, is time. So dem boys asking plain and straight: when the authorities going to pull them down — before gravity do it for free?

Talk half. Leff half.

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Dem condemned buildings standing up by the grace of gravity

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