Fast approaching 60, I am looking forward to a month with water flowing and no blackout

Dear Editor,

It was reported that much clean up and preparation was done in anticipation of the visit of the Ghanaian President and entourage. I guess the intention was to make the environment aesthetically pleasing to our visitors; and this is very commendable. Street lights were fixed, this and that painted, garbage cleared and the list goes on.

 Ever since I came to my senses, this has been the modus operandi for accommodating foreign dignitaries. This is expected and welcomed. My concern is, however, why isn’t the same energy and enthusiasm expended to make sure that those of us who live here, with no place else to go, “feel good” about our ‘Beautiful Guyana’, day by day. 

Four weeks ago I penned a letter to the press lamenting the fact that for the longest while, most of the recently installed street lamps in West Coast, Berbice were not working. What if the Ghanaian President had reason to make an evening visit to Berbice? I am sure that that and so much more would have been attended to. I therefore conclude that officialdom has scant regard for its citizens, save and except for when their support is needed for whatever reason. Guyana belongs to Guyanese and must always be welcoming to us, first and foremost.

We welcome visitors for whatever relational economic support, but Guyanese must come first. The Mighty Gabby puts it this way in his popular calypso, “Jack”, lamenting moves to make a section of Barbados’ beach inaccessible to locals. He sings, “Tourism vital, I can’t deny/ But can’t mean more than I and I/ My navel string bury right here/ But a tourist one could be anywhere…”

I am fast approaching 60 and do look forward to a month with no blackout, water flowing in the upper flat, getting a birth, marriage or death certificate within a week of application and without strings attached. I also look forward to a month of uninterrupted and effectively functioning Wi-Fi from Atlantic Wireless Network (AWN).I will always love my country, my fellow citizens and will also always be hopeful “for that day…”

Yours faithfully,

Ovid Schultz