Dear Editor,
With the International Duck Curry competition approaching in Guyana, I would like to mention some aspects of the New York event.
On September 2, 2007 New Yorkers celebrated the third annual Duck Curry Competition. The event was massively attended, primarily by members of the Indo-Caribbean community. Different media reported different numbers ranging between 5,000 and 20,000. It probably drew the largest crowd of any other Indo-Caribbean event. From this point of view the organizers were extremely successful.
However, we should probably examine what successful is. Is it based on the size of the crowd or on the behaviour of the crowd as well? People were well behaved for the most part. What was really surprising is the amount of alcohol openly consumed.
It was held in a public park without any noticeable security. Seems like numerous laws were broken, because drinking is not permitted in public parks.
An event such as this requires the organizers to have security present just in case of disturbances and unruly behaviour. The organizers are really putting many people at risk by conducting the event is such a way that people think that the sole purpose is to go there and get drunk. It does not take a genius to predict what the outcome will eventually be when you have that many drunks at the same place at the same time without security. I am sure many of these drunks drove their vehicles home by themselves, which is another violation of the law.
I can understand many that attended may not have been aware of all the laws violated, but the promoters and organizers should have been. Deliberate efforts should have been made to uphold the laws of the state. The most bothersome fact is that this event was supported and encouraged by many prominent community leaders.
It is hard to believe that such people would condone such an event that violated so many laws and put so many people at risk. President Jagdeo was also there.
How can the President appear at events that are breaking American laws? His staff should have thoroughly investigated the type of event and how it was going to be conducted before he attended.
I am pleading with the organizers to conduct the event in such a way as to demonstrate the positive side of the community as opposed to how much liquor we can consume. Hopefully, in the future they will advertise the event as an alcohol-free event, and allow its conduct to be uplifting for our community.
Yours faithfully,
(name and address
supplied)
