Dear Editor,
I waited so long, endured so much frustration, pain and anxiety, but when the moment came that I had been waiting and working toward for nearly a decade finally arrived in April to fulfill my Guyanese dream of building a house in Guyana, it was not what I expected. I was disappointed by the amount of dishonest people working in the construction industry.
Two months ago I finished the first phase of construction on my house. Over the past two months I had time to reflect on my building experience. During that period I’ve asked myself countless times if I want to continue building.
The stress of building in Guyana almost pushed me over the edge emotionally, mentally and financially. Having to work with corrupt contractors and hardware stores who robbed me is why I am uncertain whether to continue building.
Aside from corrupt contractors, l had to deal with corrupt officials shaking me down for a bribe, Cambio Companies, taxi drivers, plumbers, civil servants and others.
Along the way, however, I met some wonderful and generous people (Gafoor Hardware Store) who supported me.
After thinking long and hard about whether to continue building, I’ll continue building, but I’m planning to bring in all my workers from overseas. Many contractors in the country are corruptible and incompetent, and I don’t trust them.
After reading a letter by Mr. GHK Lall and a commenter Iggi (7 September) on the SN website. I became even more discouraged to continue building. Mr. GHK Lall described the country and some Guyanese as dirty and treacherous.
“Almost daily I am confronted by sobering developments that alert me as to how Guyana really works; how dirty it is, and how infinitely dirtier many of the people are, be they upstairs or from the streets.
“Many innocent-looking, pure-sounding, clean-posturing men and women are treacherous to the core, and come up with innovative ways to sabotage and derail efforts aimed at introducing honesty and integrity to life here.
“Many of the betrayers are businesspeople, many are bureaucrats and professionals and well-placed people, who have one thing in common: no scruples, no honour, “ he wrote.
Commenting on the said letter, Blogger Lggi gave a number of things that are wrong with Guyana. He wrote:
1. Garbage everywhere.
2. Poor service…everywhere from airports to cake shops
3. Transportation….who cares to ride in the back of mini-buses with music blasting
and speeding on two-lane roads? Who care for touts pulling on them?
4. Stick up boys, con men and rent seeking officials.
5. Filthy hospitals that cannot be trusted.
6. Poor treatment to animals…dogs especially…everywhere.,,not to mention wild life
i.e. iguana on a stick.
7. Flooding…one downpour and the streets turn into streams,,,a veritable fecal soup
8. Public bath rooms….filthy filthy or absent….
9. The people….always working a con…from family to the service people to the
officials…
As I read both writers, I asked myself who in their right mind would want to build a house in a country whose citizens were described as treacherous and lacking honour?
Editor, the only people who would want to live and build a house in such a country as Guyana, are people who are crazy or have a great calling and commitment to help people. And since I feel called, compelled and a commitment to help people, then I will have to continue building. If I don’t do it, then who will?
Yours faithfully,
Anthony Pantlitz
