Dear Editor,
I understand the government’s desire to try and attract visitors. Guyanese who return may visit the Main Big Lime and experience the excessive noise (bad for health) and the liquor and vulgarity that will result, but the fact remains, mostly locally-based Guyanese will throng the madness called Main Big Lime – and any lime. Workers from the hospitals, and in some cases security guards/watchmen will abandon their work just to go and see what is happening and maybe join in the frolic which I prefer to call madness. In the eyes of the Minister this helps Guyana. In the eyes of sane society, it helps alcoholism, helps the beer and rum companies make money, and makes the small man smaller and poorer, as he is encouraged to drink alcohol at such fetes.
It would be better if the Minister and the government encouraged and organized steel bands in different parts of the city during holiday periods. Visitors would enjoy this. Remember, it is usually the young who want to drink beer and rum, which makes profit for the rum and beer companies. Most educated adults know when to stop.
Could the Minister say how many vulgar songs will be permitted at the Main Big Lime madness? What about those songs that encourage the consumption of rum, and the importance of rum over wives? What about the songs that encourage domestic violence and wanton sex and use of marijuana?
In my opinion, the success of the Main Big Lime is not a credit to the Minister; it is a scourge, a disgrace to the government and an example of vulgar, immoral decadence. Criminality rises because the criminals want money for these same fêtes. The Minister should host solid quality shows that encourage morality and maturity. Let the singers sing patriotic songs, and songs that encourage a good family life, excellent behaviour and positive trends. We should say no to the lawless dancehall and chutney nastiness that has infected our population like wildfire.
Last month at the Tagore Memorial High School ground, the Arya Samaj Movement managed by Dr Sugrim and his brother Pandit Sugrim and others, held a clean, decent family fundraising show for a building to house abused women. I attended that show. Despite having no alcohol on sale and no meat, they had to go through the trauma of getting all the approvals, only to discover that the meat and rum sellers were selling outside the compound without any approval, and the police said they could do nothing. I witnessed this with my own eyes.
I worry for my country and our people, especially the young.
Yours faithfully,
Roshan Khan
