Latest update July 4th, 2026 12:40 AM
Freeness is not always gladness
(Kaieteur News) – Free does always sound like music to people ears in Guyana. But dem boys seh anytime you hear “free,” you better start checking your pockets, your patience, and your blood pressure, because something does always get pay, even if is not with money.
People does behave like “free” is a national emergency. You could announce free anything—water, food, T-shirts, advice—and suddenly everybody turn athlete. Old man who does walk slow like he negotiating with gravity does suddenly find sprinting ability he never know he had.
Dem boys seh the real Olympic sport in Guyana is not track and field. It is when something giving away. The line does start orderly and then is turn into chaos.
And is not only the line is the problem. Is the psychology of free. People does reach early like when they gat to go to the embassy fuh dem visa interview. Once is freeness sharing people suddenly realise the true meaning of being “early”.
One time dem boys see people lining up for something free and after a few minutes, even the security man look like he want to join the line. Nobody even sure what is giving away anymore, but everybody sure they not leaving.
And the funniest part is how “free” does always come with conditions . Free tickets to a concert but only if you answer quiz. Free food but only if you bring ID, birth paper, and proof you suffering since last week. Free advice but that one does come with attitude.
Dem boys seh nothing expose human greed and optimism like the word “free.” It does make strangers become relatives and enemies become temporary teammates. People who never speak before does suddenly start sharing stories, gossip, and space like they born together.
But after all the sweating, pushing, and waiting, the final truth does always come out: free does cost something. Sometimes it is time. Sometimes it is respect. Sometimes it is just the realisation that you stand up three hours for something you could have buy for five dollars and gone home in peace.
When dem boys go to dem expositions, dem boys coming home with bags, full with flyers and other pieces of paper. That too is freeness.
That is why next time somebody shout “free,” the same people who swear they done with it yesterday will be first in line again, smiling, sweating, and pretending this time different.
Talk half. Leff half.
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That is why, the Guyanese Diaspora should be careful filing for and collecting
benefits in Guyana, whilst also collecting in the USA, Canada and UK.
And those Guyanese Passport whilst holding passport elsewhere ?
It is going to come back and bite you in the bam bam,