Oluatoyin Alleyne

“I want a divorce. I don’t know if he is going to give it to me, because I believe he may want to give me a hard time.

“Some days does be trialling, but I had to throw pride and dignity behind and just do what I have to do.

The grieving mother of a 31-year-old woman who passed away recently from cervical cancer believes that the treatment she received at the Cancer Institute of Guyana caused her death, but the attending physician says all was done to save the young woman’s life.

Fifty-seven-year-old Sumintra Bridgmohan dreams of one day owning a home and not worrying about where her next meal will come from, but it is a dream that may never be realized as the mother of eight does not have a steady job nor does she own a piece of land.

“My daughter-in-law water bag buss since yesterday morning and she in suh much pain and only now dem preparing she to go theatre,” the woman said, worry etched on her face.

Clutching a photograph of her daughter with tears rolling down her cheeks Dhanraji Murray is the picture of a broken woman and seconds into a conversation with her one quickly realizes that the pain she feels is more profound because of guilt.

“I really don’t know how I get this thing and who give it to me.

Every morning, a pregnant Shondell King leaves her home and treks for about half of a mile to work which entails fetching pieces of wallaba wood and packing them into sandpits and even as she does this she may have a pit burning simultaneously to produce charcoal.

“Sometimes I feel as if I am going out of my mind and then at other times I feel guilty as if I am not doing enough and I am failing them,” she said with a sad shake of her head.

The telephone on my desk rang. I answered and was informed that I had a visitor.

If Laurel Gittins had her way, 36 years ago she would have become a nurse as that was her dream.

“My father put me out and now he say he will tek back me son, but he don’t want me back at the house.

Anthony Daniels lives on the streets and before now his meals often came from garbage bins, yet when he was asked to “stray” a dog for a fee he could not find it in his heart to follow through and instead made the dog his friend and companion.

“I wanted to die,…. I remember one time going to the harbour bridge at about three one morning with every intention of jumping over and this policeman pulled me over and he sat in the car and just talked to me.

December 13, 2017 is a day that will remain etched forever in the mind of 22-year-old Shadica Dublin.

Growing up Laurence Bakhsh and his brother Lloyd struggled to understand their condition and it was even more difficult for them to explain it to their peers many of whom taunted them and believed that someone had worked obeah on them.

“I am disappointed, and for me from my point of view I wouldn’t encourage nobody right now to go and try to get justice because if she did not get justice I don’t who could.

As I entered St George’s Cathedral the sweet notes of “You Raise Me Up” on piano greeted my ears and then I spotted him seated infront of the musical instrument, swaying gently to the sounds his deft fingers created.

“Look just give meh a knife and leh meh kill meh self.

At 81 years old Sarifari Persaud better known as ‘Aunty Lily’ is content with a life of spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, which entails travelling overseas, and taking care of her flowers and dog.