Dear Editor,
I begin my letter not wishing all my Guyanese Indigenous brethrens a happy heritage month, because I don’t like what I am seeing. There is too much alcohol consumption and vulgar behaviours etc of our people. September is Amerindian heritage month but I am afraid the celebrations/activities are not showcasing a positive lifestyle of ours. We indigenous are more than drunkards and vulgar people, this being said too much of exaggerated fun and drinking are spoiling our heritage celebrations, hence the need to strike a balance.
These sorts of behaviours show that, all is not well with some indigenous men in Guyana. Many are suffering from excessive use of alcohol or to put it in a stronger term, alcohol abuse. Which is a cause for concern that triggers problems such as domestic abuse and other illnesses in families and communities. I am not saying that alcohol consumption is bad but abusing it has consequences on health, economic and family related matters at homes. As such there is need to exercise the human wisdom of common sense and self-control when drinking and be courageous to say to friends I am Ok, I had enough.
This worrying reality of exaggerated alcohol consumption for pleasure of our men can be seen in all levels of society; in the city, rural and interior communities. A social issue where no one seems to perceive it as a problem. Everyone including the sellers at drinking places see no problem once they are making money of selling alcohol. They would see a man most times who is father of children already drunk, and if he requests to purchase more, they will sell him and turn a blind eye to his financial needs to feed is family or, if he goes to abuse his wife and children at home. A sad reality which makes one ponder, who is my brother’s keeper in a contemporary alcohol spree society?
For those indigenous men and women suffering from exaggerated alcohol consumption, perhaps one significant gift other sober Guyanese can offer them as sign of care, is to form community groups comprised of families, women’s groups, and churches where these can set up programmes of alcoholic anonymous to address the issue of indigenous men who are in dire need for relief from this monster that manifests itself strongly especially during heritage month, and which wreaks havoc in people’s lives and affects families.
Yours sincerely,
(Name and address supplied)
