Citizens have a laissez faire attitude to organised chaos

Dear Editor,

The minds of Guyanese living in Guyana can best be described as organised chaos tempered with a heavy dose of laissez faire. This is best demonstrated by taking a tour of Georgetown. Pedestrians causally stroll among traffic, including horse-drawn carts. Moreover, men, women and children stand in front of moving vehicles. The expression on their faces mainly reflects the fact they are not thinking and reacting to the current environment. As such a quick and loud blast from a horn brings thoughts back to reality.

Each player knows where to find ‘solutions’ to issues within a messy and lawless structure. For instance, citizens believe the police solve crime only because there is no voice for victims that have not experienced closure with their particular case, which may last for decades.

Taxation is targeted towards those who can be taxed and willingly pay. For this reason, the taxation system works. Bonuses are given to government workers but not to private sector workers because employers have a different system that is mainly discriminatory. It works because of laissez faire attitudes.

Private schools are creating an educational divide, yet the public schools are not held accountable for poor results. Private schools should be taxed as private entities unless they can prove that they provide scholarships to a least 20% of the student body that is unable to afford the tuition. The same should apply to private hospitals.

The government has mandated that the Berbice Bridge reduce toll rates, but the same is not required of the electric and telecommunication companies or the water or sewerage authorities. What if I use the Demerara Bridge instead? Moreover, what if I use neither, but feel my cell phone and electricity rates are too high or I am overcharged for prescription drugs manufactured by GPC?

I was recently told by a resident of one gated community that despite the bylaws some residents were not paying their monthly dues. The solution was to have them and their guest lift up the guard gate arm. The same when they ordered taxis. Similarly, the other paying residents cut the grass and clear the drains of the freeloading neighbours at their own expense. Why can’t the freeloaders be thrown out?

There is a ban on styrofoam containers but not a ban on vehicles in downtown Georgetown, and because of thousands of hours of idling on the most congested streets there is environmental pollution on a scale that is far more harmful than styrofoam. Then there is the question of abandoned vehicles on the roadside next to abandoned buildings that are dilapidated or stuck in some stage of construction. The hodgepodge of rules and regulations is the organized chaos that citizens have supported because of their laissez faire attitudes.

My suggestion is to have comprehensive policies and regulations that are not enforced in an arbitrary and capricious manner, but with fairness and consistency.

Yours faithfully,

Keith Bernard