Dear Editor,
A thriving Guyana with the composition and complexity of six races with a seventh race as an adjunct to its population, is at a juncture where lawlessness crosses the path with lawfulness. Regardless of the emotional pleas from many sources including people, police, politicians, government agencies, private and public organisations and religious institutions, this provocation has touched a towering height, unbearable to the body, mind and soul of all law-abiding Guyanese. “To each their own” is amplified invariably.
A country rich with a diversity from ancestral heritage and an importation of inherited culture, Guyanese have adopted modern customs and have lost touch with their traditional values. Guyana has refined its ancient beliefs to define a practice that is morally questionable in the eyes of decorum and at the same time, fighting to maintain a touch of class from the past. “Old is gold” and must be respected for its worth.
Not being judgmental but practical, the washing tide has shifted the sands to expose loose pebbles, a shaky ground and a porous soil. Our roots have been fertilised with too many dangerous chemicals, too much floods have watered down our quality and heavy winds have removed the barriers to hamper our safety nets. Thus, our production is of poor quality and limited in quantity. “Changes start with us changing,” but changes must be for the better, not the worse.
Every day, the media cries profusely with foul accusations and assaults, treacherous complaints and compromises and reporting news for more crime and corruption. Guyana is not isolated with this stigma but the constant creation of loopholes and flaws, accommodate the sustenance of breaching contracts and breaking binding arrangements. Rules and regulations are bypassed to contaminate law and order. The Matthew effect is conveniently translated as, “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.”
The Guyanese society is steadily deteriorating into an abyss of a lost cause where the environment is constantly bombarded with foreign influences. With the ambience of loud, lewd and ludicrous music, this tragedy is a trajectory of a language littered with linguistic battery and assault as its lyrics. This is not the beginning or end of Guyana’s lawlessness. Tony Robbins wrote, “Set high standards for yourself and don’t settle for anything less.”
The case of low salary has been advanced in defense of bribery. Those grand and great-grandparents who tilled and toiled the soil in the past, fielded a cricket team for children and were not inclined to walk on the wrong side of the road. They suffered and endured hardship while making sacrifices to see their children progress successfully without complaining and in absence of all the current comforts that are considered today’s necessities. “Don’t hang yu hat where yu hand can’t reach it in a hurry,” is a proverb that needs resurrection.
Nepotism has dominated the major part of our business entities, both public and private with unscrupulous behaviours harnessing the smooth system and leaving harassed customers frustrated, a hole in the pocket and to endure an unavoidable process. The weak are being exploited with extortion and the question of “left or right” is no longer a laughing matter. Fiddling, finagling and fraud in financial fiasco is a fixture which starts from the top and works its wiggling way downwards. “Do as I say, not as I do,” has become a laughing stock.
Travelling in the fast lane is trendy for the young and restless. The highway has become no way, leaving angry, impatient and indiscipline users with low or no tolerance level. The hero figure often finds its way to become zero. Our public transportation system is unacceptable and it is an embarrassment for seniors and juniors to use. Those customers are exposed to indecency at all levels, refusal as passengers, overcharging, overloading, unacceptable noise not music, abusive language and ill fit conductors and drivers. As the saying goes, “what goes around, comes around.”
The school system has been kidnapped by gangsterism. The use of drugs and alcohol has penetrated the psyche. Sex is a promiscuous exercise. The fondling, hugging and kissing is a typical love-making scene in corridors and classrooms. Student pregnancy is on the rise. Drop outs are a norm. Violence in school is a current feature between students and students as well as students and teachers. Weapons have penetrated the classrooms. Teachers have a hard-fought battle to remain in control of classes. Students are often absent from school unknown to their parents. Prayer in school is an alien activity. Some of the private schools have been saved from these ‘extra-curricular activities!’ Remember, “teachers open the door, but you must enter yourself.”
Making a quick buck is a way for the fast and furious for the dirty dinge daredevils. The choke and rob, hold ups and robberies in the supermarkets and homes are still consistent in keeping with the dark side of those who are determined not to walk on the right side of the road. You can never foretell the unexpected mishaps, day or night and in any of the ten regions. But, “moon does run till daylight ketch am.”
Recent development from aggressive proactivity from the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, suggest that the Government is serious about having clean, safe and noise free communities in Guyana. How this is translated to permanent remedial effect and how quickly the repercussions will be implemented are left to be seen by an anxious Guyanese public. But there is faith, hope and trust in these devoted servants of the people.