Latest update September 10th, 2026 10:25 AM
Jul 25, 2026 Dem Boys Seh, Features / Columnists, News
(Kaieteur News) – Dem boys seh some people guard dem personal information like it is de last piece of black cake at Christmas. Ask dem fuh dem name, and suddenly dem behaving like dem applying fuh witness protection.
Dem boys seh if yuh ever tek one of dem long ferry crossings, yuh know de routine. De ticket seller look up and ask, “Name?” Not one ID card. Not one driver’s licence. Not even a squint in yuh face to see if yuh lying. Just “Name?”
Well, buddy, some passengers does immediately become internationally famous. One minute is Tom Jones. Next minute is Michael Jordan. Before de ferry pull off, Elvis Presley done buy two tickets and Bob Marley travelling in economy class.
Dem boys seh de ticket seller don’t even blink. He/she just write down whatever yuh say like he compiling de national census. If somebody tell he/she dem name is Superman Singh, he probably ask, “How yuh spell Superman?”
It ain’t only pon de ferry, though. Walk into some government office and de first thing yuh get is one big register at de security hut. Name. Address. Telephone number. Right dey where everybody behind yuh could read it while waiting in de line.
Dem boys seh some people ain’t studying dat at all. Dem does confidently write de address where dem granny used to live in 1948 and put down one landline number that disconnect since Jagdeo first term.
Is not that dem forget. Is that dem don’t want every Tom, Dick and Harry knowing where dem live or getting dem cellphone number.
Dem boys seh nowadays information is gold. Some people collecting personal data faster than tax collectors. Before yuh know it, yuh getting calls about miracle investments, miracle slimming tea and miracle jackpots yuh never play.
Which bring dem boys to one serious point. As authorities continue examining de terrible ferry tragedy, they should remember that some names on de passenger manifest may not be de real names of de people who boarded. Likewise, if a victim’s name is absent from de manifest, it should not automatically mean that person never bought a ticket. It may simply mean they travelled under one of dem famous “privacy names” that Guyanese have been inventing for years.
Dem boys seh when people don’t trust how personal information is collected or protected, dem create dem own data protection law—with imagination. And judging from some ferry manifests over de years, Guyana has had more aliases than a Hollywood spy movie.
Talk half. Leff half.
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Sep 10, 2026
2026 Republic Bank CPL…GAW vs. SKL (Kaieteur News) – Two mind-boggling spells from spin wizard Imran Tahir, who put on a magic show for his 5-fer, backed by Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s 3 wickets on...Sep 10, 2026
(Kaieteur News) – After my first encounter with the Guru, I had to probe for some more life lessons. I pressed Guru a much heavier question. “Guru,” I said, “how does one recover from losing someone one loves?” He did not answer immediately. Perhaps there are some questions that deserve...Sep 06, 2026
By Sir Ronald Sanders (Kaieteur News) – The world has broken the 1.5°C promise it made to its most vulnerable countries. The breach has not yet been recorded on a sustained basis, but the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says it is widely assessed as unavoidable and likely within the...Sep 10, 2026
(Kaieteur News) – I have honoured before and lived to regret the lapse. In the instance of Chartered Accountant, attorney-at-law, and social activist, there is firm belief that I’m on good grounds to publish this tribute. For the milestone of his 200th oil and gas column. A milestone...Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: glennlall2000@gmail.com / kaieteurnews@yahoo.com