This short very readable book gave a snapshot of Life in Guyana in the period just before 1980.
On reaching the end of the book I felt sorry that no modern Guyanese writer was able to capture the nuances of being Guyanese like the this author and Mr Battacharya of Sly Company fame. I thought Mr Naipaul's style reminiscent of Edgar Mittleholzer's. I liked very much how he captured the little familiar things like a mother warning her child not to let the coconut water get on the clothes and certain Guyanese phrases- 'catch as catch can'.
The story is about a well-meaning Middle-aged man realising his noble aspirations for the country and its people has all been in vain; even his marriage to an introverted secretive 'cold' woman is a far cry from the aspirations of his youth. The book struck me as a long 'short story', and while giving a good picture of what life was like in Guyana in the late '70's, the naked racism jarred with my 21st Century sensibilities - the book opens with the comment about Amerindians being expressionless, one also mentioned by Mr Battacharya but having been in contact with quite a few of the different tribes I tend to see them as having a very optimistic view of life and generally jovial; further in the book the derogatory remarks about 'black people' also jarred but I concede that both reflected common views at the time and who knows- even now?
It was interesting that he managed to merge Georgetown and Port-of-Spain in his description of the Capital City in the book and being familiar with both I recognised the non-coincidental locations! Shame our Guyanese writers can't do something similar.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Running the Gauntlet
I've been told this Blog has a bitter angry tone.
So I want to record the fairly good job the Police did on Monday night to withstand the taunts, missiles and provocation when the disruptive crowd came out again to impede the flow of traffic on the East Bank Road.
Someone commented to me that he was surprised that the Police withstood so much abuse and it reminded him of the Police in England last July when primarily London exploded. There were minimal disruptions but several cars had their Windscreen damaged by things thrown.
Sadly I have found out since that women of a certain race were bodily picked up and and forcibly carried off and raped on the previous Thursday- I am stunned to think this is Guyana and where I pass every everyday practically! Minibuses were discharging their hapless passengers at the edges of the troubled villages and I suppose the women made a bad judgement call to continue the journey to the other side by foot.
As usual it is not those people stirring who have to live with the dreadful consequences-- regular people had their Windscreens broken by missiles - an additional expense to the Family Budget that many would not have foreseen.
Several people are predicting a repeat of the troubles of the 60's.
So I want to record the fairly good job the Police did on Monday night to withstand the taunts, missiles and provocation when the disruptive crowd came out again to impede the flow of traffic on the East Bank Road.
Someone commented to me that he was surprised that the Police withstood so much abuse and it reminded him of the Police in England last July when primarily London exploded. There were minimal disruptions but several cars had their Windscreen damaged by things thrown.
Sadly I have found out since that women of a certain race were bodily picked up and and forcibly carried off and raped on the previous Thursday- I am stunned to think this is Guyana and where I pass every everyday practically! Minibuses were discharging their hapless passengers at the edges of the troubled villages and I suppose the women made a bad judgement call to continue the journey to the other side by foot.
As usual it is not those people stirring who have to live with the dreadful consequences-- regular people had their Windscreens broken by missiles - an additional expense to the Family Budget that many would not have foreseen.
Several people are predicting a repeat of the troubles of the 60's.
Friday, October 12, 2012
J'accuse
With apologies to Emile Zola...
.... the traumatised dwindling remaining Middle Classes stayed off the roads early today after the blocking of the Major East Bank Road yesterday from 4-9pm.
This following the preliminary trial of the three Policemen who apparently shot a 17yr old in cold blood. They were apparently sent to take him in for questioning for planning an apparent robbery but something went wrong. Especially emotive after immediately following the deaths of three people during the closure of the Linden road-- and that in itself is controversial as the Attorney General went on the television to inform us that the bullets recovered from the three bodies did not 'match' any of the weapons issued to the Police - bullets being highly-priced and closely regulated apparently.
So apparently after the family and friends of the shot young man protested outside the Magistrate's Court from 8am-- it apparently didn't dawn on the Powers-That-Be that the protest could possibly spread to the closure of the East Bank Road in that village which is strategically placed to inflict major disruptions falling before the division of the road into the two main branches. Often when I pass I notice a Pick-up load of police in Riot Clothes hanging out- so very short-sighted of both the Police Force and indirectly the Government for not anticipating this move!
As an aside- sorry - the major Housing expansion seems to be in the canefields heading South on the East Bank. It clearly never occurred to the Bright Sparks that there needs to be accompanying infrastructure such as roads as there is also a non-existent Transport Policy - seeing as most of the decision makers live on the East Coast and have the privilege of a sirened Police Car accompanying them - they are out of touch of the reality the rest of us have to live with! Up to 20yrs ago plans were suggested to create another Highway Type road from the Airport (Timehri ) bypassing South Georgetown and connecting to the East Coast road. Those forward-planning people have clearly pegged it by now (died) and the reckless people in charge clearly are hell-bent on starting something and leaving the next set of people to grapple with the problem of poor planning!
So now to my heading--- two government spokespersons - the Attorney General and Minister on Governance - interrupted the American Vice-Presidential debates (why would Guyanese be so interested to see that I wouldn't know but it showed on at least three stations?!) to get on the air to accuse someone in an Opposition Party whom they clearly see as a threat - this went on ad nauseum while I waited for them to tell us of their strategy to deal with the problem and went back to my book when they got whiny and accusatory saying that the blocking of the East Bank Road was clearly part of a wider strategy -- mmm-- so in effect the Opposition can outsmart them and they the Government have the wisdom of Hindsight and not Foresight! Don't know if they really have my sympathy for crass stupidity. They are standing tight behind the Minister of Home Affairs who has a long line of Gaffes behind him, refused help from the British to train our Policemen and bring them up to the 21st Century. I have long thought that when chaos ensues the hustlers stand to make a big killing - sadly unlike Thomas Friedman's Golden Straitjacket - they seem oblivious to the fact that the Country makes a big step backwards or simply don't care.
The road re-opened and there was another hugh backlog of frustrated people at 10pm - I suppose most people got home at about Midnight.
.... the traumatised dwindling remaining Middle Classes stayed off the roads early today after the blocking of the Major East Bank Road yesterday from 4-9pm.
This following the preliminary trial of the three Policemen who apparently shot a 17yr old in cold blood. They were apparently sent to take him in for questioning for planning an apparent robbery but something went wrong. Especially emotive after immediately following the deaths of three people during the closure of the Linden road-- and that in itself is controversial as the Attorney General went on the television to inform us that the bullets recovered from the three bodies did not 'match' any of the weapons issued to the Police - bullets being highly-priced and closely regulated apparently.
So apparently after the family and friends of the shot young man protested outside the Magistrate's Court from 8am-- it apparently didn't dawn on the Powers-That-Be that the protest could possibly spread to the closure of the East Bank Road in that village which is strategically placed to inflict major disruptions falling before the division of the road into the two main branches. Often when I pass I notice a Pick-up load of police in Riot Clothes hanging out- so very short-sighted of both the Police Force and indirectly the Government for not anticipating this move!
As an aside- sorry - the major Housing expansion seems to be in the canefields heading South on the East Bank. It clearly never occurred to the Bright Sparks that there needs to be accompanying infrastructure such as roads as there is also a non-existent Transport Policy - seeing as most of the decision makers live on the East Coast and have the privilege of a sirened Police Car accompanying them - they are out of touch of the reality the rest of us have to live with! Up to 20yrs ago plans were suggested to create another Highway Type road from the Airport (Timehri ) bypassing South Georgetown and connecting to the East Coast road. Those forward-planning people have clearly pegged it by now (died) and the reckless people in charge clearly are hell-bent on starting something and leaving the next set of people to grapple with the problem of poor planning!
So now to my heading--- two government spokespersons - the Attorney General and Minister on Governance - interrupted the American Vice-Presidential debates (why would Guyanese be so interested to see that I wouldn't know but it showed on at least three stations?!) to get on the air to accuse someone in an Opposition Party whom they clearly see as a threat - this went on ad nauseum while I waited for them to tell us of their strategy to deal with the problem and went back to my book when they got whiny and accusatory saying that the blocking of the East Bank Road was clearly part of a wider strategy -- mmm-- so in effect the Opposition can outsmart them and they the Government have the wisdom of Hindsight and not Foresight! Don't know if they really have my sympathy for crass stupidity. They are standing tight behind the Minister of Home Affairs who has a long line of Gaffes behind him, refused help from the British to train our Policemen and bring them up to the 21st Century. I have long thought that when chaos ensues the hustlers stand to make a big killing - sadly unlike Thomas Friedman's Golden Straitjacket - they seem oblivious to the fact that the Country makes a big step backwards or simply don't care.
The road re-opened and there was another hugh backlog of frustrated people at 10pm - I suppose most people got home at about Midnight.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
To what levels are we sinking?
I pulled my piece on Suicide after being advised it was libellous and since then read a hypothesis from the last Century that postulated that it was the lack of Human Connectedness/Community that was a major contributing factor to suicides. This was after a Peace Corp volunteer found disturbingly high levels of thoughts of and actual suicides in the Black Bush Community, alcohol being another factor-- whether on a self-medicating basis or people's response to alcoholism in the family.
A sad case of a drug-addicted 21 or 23yr old reached the papers last week who followed his two female relatives to the Backdam to strip coconut leaves to make the local pointer brooms. Apparently it was discovered/suspected that he had been short-changing the Principal whose house he had been staying at- 'his aunt' - and his solution to the problem was to chop her to death. The woman took along another younger woman who also subsequently got chopped to death and the young man before he died (ingested poison after the acts), claimed that he would not have chopped the Aunt's sister who was invited on the trip and who declined, as he didn't have a problem with her and he would have made her sit and watch! THIS has got to be some stupid deranged Hollywood script superimposed on a drug-addled ill-formed brain - oh the dangers of imposing the 21st Century on a 16th Century brain!
That was in the rural environment - in the Urbanised environs of Georgetown a few days ago, two teenagers had a history of a dispute - the father was walking home with his 16yr old son when the other teenager attempted to grab his Gold Chain from his neck, the father pushed off the attacker and who knows maybe did more-- what arrogance and lack of judgement would a teen have to be attacking a 'foe' in the presence of an older male--( mind you and I digress to the the West Coast of Berbice- a 36yr old was walking with her 16yr old daughter and husband when the 32yr old man who liked to 'trouble her' decided to take offence at her statement to the effect that her husband was with her and boxed her to the ground- he was subsequently arrested). The teen with a more bruised ego than bodily harm went to his house nearby and got HIS father who lashed the first man/father with a piece of wood while the mother and brother and him pinned the first man down and gouged out his right eye -- I kid you not-- this happened for real.
I remember sitting next to a Surinamese man on a 'plane trip who was in their Government's Fishing Department and he noted that unless the Law and Order side of a country functioned there would be no progress in that country. How ironic -- the one profession the we churn out in abundance is those in the Law Field!
A sad case of a drug-addicted 21 or 23yr old reached the papers last week who followed his two female relatives to the Backdam to strip coconut leaves to make the local pointer brooms. Apparently it was discovered/suspected that he had been short-changing the Principal whose house he had been staying at- 'his aunt' - and his solution to the problem was to chop her to death. The woman took along another younger woman who also subsequently got chopped to death and the young man before he died (ingested poison after the acts), claimed that he would not have chopped the Aunt's sister who was invited on the trip and who declined, as he didn't have a problem with her and he would have made her sit and watch! THIS has got to be some stupid deranged Hollywood script superimposed on a drug-addled ill-formed brain - oh the dangers of imposing the 21st Century on a 16th Century brain!
That was in the rural environment - in the Urbanised environs of Georgetown a few days ago, two teenagers had a history of a dispute - the father was walking home with his 16yr old son when the other teenager attempted to grab his Gold Chain from his neck, the father pushed off the attacker and who knows maybe did more-- what arrogance and lack of judgement would a teen have to be attacking a 'foe' in the presence of an older male--( mind you and I digress to the the West Coast of Berbice- a 36yr old was walking with her 16yr old daughter and husband when the 32yr old man who liked to 'trouble her' decided to take offence at her statement to the effect that her husband was with her and boxed her to the ground- he was subsequently arrested). The teen with a more bruised ego than bodily harm went to his house nearby and got HIS father who lashed the first man/father with a piece of wood while the mother and brother and him pinned the first man down and gouged out his right eye -- I kid you not-- this happened for real.
I remember sitting next to a Surinamese man on a 'plane trip who was in their Government's Fishing Department and he noted that unless the Law and Order side of a country functioned there would be no progress in that country. How ironic -- the one profession the we churn out in abundance is those in the Law Field!
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Cars
So a fascinating thing has happened in Guyana the past couple of years since there was a crisis in the Car Industry - the place has simply exploded with cars!
I remember a dealer some time ago, telling me gleefully that the duty to bring in a Gas-guzzling Titan/Tundra was less then a million G dollars - I have been told recently that this is not so now. It boggles my mind that people in rented places are buying cars which depreciate in value the moment you drive off the Forecourt and represent an ongoing expense. Even more fascinating to me is that as my business in Berbice has dwindled - the man who used to use a donkey-cart to take his Corn-curls and biscuits to sell in the Market only last year now has 4 cars!!?? What and why? The small-time druggie( allegedly) near my office has a whole fleet- I was told he runs an informal Car Rental business.
As I was passing the Market early Saturday morning I saw a housewife expertly reversing into a parking-spot and was duly impressed. A Government official had proudly told 'the people' that they never 'had it so good' last elections with ready access to Cars and houses. I wondered how pleased the international Car Industry would be with the creation of New Markets with people now empowered to drive without undertaking the basic concept of Courtesy on the Road, not seeming to practice Courtesy in their daily lives. Consideration at an all time low as evinced by the rubbish strewn environment and loud-blaring music. Care- well, I am of the opinion the only reason there are not more deaths on the Road is because driving in Guyana involves avoiding one another at the last possible moment- something not for the faint-hearted - I came across three visiting US doctors who had access to a car but refused to drive, preferring to taxi it everywhere.
Am definitely feeling like a Dinosaur as in my day, it used to be a certain amount of maturity and respect that you were driving a potentially dangerous machine capable of causing damage, now the Standard operating 'cool' procedure is the have the Cell-phone plastered firmly to one ear while slouched in a 'cool position' holding the steering wheel with a locked elbow oblivious to drivers behind you while you are in the wrong Lane cos it's YOUR road and EVERYBODY ELSE must wait!
Purely coincendently - SN Editorial addresses this and other problems with the Roadways, including the role of the Police and Government: http://www.stabroeknews.com/2012/opinion/editorial/09/30/fatal-accidents/
I remember a dealer some time ago, telling me gleefully that the duty to bring in a Gas-guzzling Titan/Tundra was less then a million G dollars - I have been told recently that this is not so now. It boggles my mind that people in rented places are buying cars which depreciate in value the moment you drive off the Forecourt and represent an ongoing expense. Even more fascinating to me is that as my business in Berbice has dwindled - the man who used to use a donkey-cart to take his Corn-curls and biscuits to sell in the Market only last year now has 4 cars!!?? What and why? The small-time druggie( allegedly) near my office has a whole fleet- I was told he runs an informal Car Rental business.
As I was passing the Market early Saturday morning I saw a housewife expertly reversing into a parking-spot and was duly impressed. A Government official had proudly told 'the people' that they never 'had it so good' last elections with ready access to Cars and houses. I wondered how pleased the international Car Industry would be with the creation of New Markets with people now empowered to drive without undertaking the basic concept of Courtesy on the Road, not seeming to practice Courtesy in their daily lives. Consideration at an all time low as evinced by the rubbish strewn environment and loud-blaring music. Care- well, I am of the opinion the only reason there are not more deaths on the Road is because driving in Guyana involves avoiding one another at the last possible moment- something not for the faint-hearted - I came across three visiting US doctors who had access to a car but refused to drive, preferring to taxi it everywhere.
Am definitely feeling like a Dinosaur as in my day, it used to be a certain amount of maturity and respect that you were driving a potentially dangerous machine capable of causing damage, now the Standard operating 'cool' procedure is the have the Cell-phone plastered firmly to one ear while slouched in a 'cool position' holding the steering wheel with a locked elbow oblivious to drivers behind you while you are in the wrong Lane cos it's YOUR road and EVERYBODY ELSE must wait!
Purely coincendently - SN Editorial addresses this and other problems with the Roadways, including the role of the Police and Government: http://www.stabroeknews.com/2012/opinion/editorial/09/30/fatal-accidents/
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Indian Science Fair
If I had a 9yr old, I would certainly spend a few hours with it in this interactive science-based exhibition -very reminiscent of the Ontario Science Museum who I think started encouraging visitors to 'touch' the exhibits and employing students to be living guides- a trend taken up by other museums later.
India rightly ought to be proud of its contributions to science and mathematics and the start of the exhibition had some very informative posters about steel developed during Emperor Ashoka's reign which did not rust. Unfortunately I rushed in 40 minutes to Closing Time and so could only do a hurried Walk-Through but the two locals near the back of the exhibition came over and showed me how to make pretty patterns with a swinging pendulum.
I liked the Brahma's puzzle but didn't think it was that hard as it involved moving 3 sets of increasing wooden circles from three pegs on the right to three pegs on the left via two middle pegs without making a smaller circle be below a larger one at any time-- unfortunately I didn't have time to work out the formulae in the descriptive board-- maybe I was doing it wrong?
Interesting was the use of harnessing the Ocean's power, shame they haven't seemed to developed Solar as much as the Chinese.
Definitely worth a second visit.
Then from the sublime to the ridiculous - decided to drop by Rahaman's Park to look for a present for a friend as a group of Indian businessmen had brought in a container of stuff to sell - they were clearly mad as something I would find on the Pave in NY for 5 bucks was selling for $20 - I wondered if they left room for haggling but wasn't in the mood to - picked up a pretty jewellery set and exited quickly!
India rightly ought to be proud of its contributions to science and mathematics and the start of the exhibition had some very informative posters about steel developed during Emperor Ashoka's reign which did not rust. Unfortunately I rushed in 40 minutes to Closing Time and so could only do a hurried Walk-Through but the two locals near the back of the exhibition came over and showed me how to make pretty patterns with a swinging pendulum.
I liked the Brahma's puzzle but didn't think it was that hard as it involved moving 3 sets of increasing wooden circles from three pegs on the right to three pegs on the left via two middle pegs without making a smaller circle be below a larger one at any time-- unfortunately I didn't have time to work out the formulae in the descriptive board-- maybe I was doing it wrong?
Interesting was the use of harnessing the Ocean's power, shame they haven't seemed to developed Solar as much as the Chinese.
Definitely worth a second visit.
Then from the sublime to the ridiculous - decided to drop by Rahaman's Park to look for a present for a friend as a group of Indian businessmen had brought in a container of stuff to sell - they were clearly mad as something I would find on the Pave in NY for 5 bucks was selling for $20 - I wondered if they left room for haggling but wasn't in the mood to - picked up a pretty jewellery set and exited quickly!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Privacy
So growing up in the confining space of a 'small town' - you either developed a 'thick skin' and shrugged off what everyone else thought-- easier for Guys as playing the field was considered 'macho' not so good for the Girls - Clubbie was the name in my day. Although the younger more mercenary woman today seem to have this thicker skin built-in - not even stopping to care about her sister wife. Or you were super cautious to keep out of the gossipy aunts' way.
My sympathy goes out to Kate Middleton, caught on camera sunbathing topless - the European/Northern sun is delicious on your skin unlike the horrible burning-to-a frazzle-and-causing a heat-rash sun here in Guyana. Even worse, with the advent of the internet those pictures are apparently available 24/7 for those who want to see - I googled Kim Kardashian and apparently her sex tape with Ray-J is the best selling porn tape out! I hope she is getting the royalties but somehow I don't think so.
An English journalist made the point to the effect it's almost playing into the hands of the other extremists and justifying women be fully covered at all times if this is supposed to be 'Western Freedom'. Mind you that wouldn't solve the problem of men craving to 'see' women's bodies - the problem would arise when that boundary of decency is crossed and a woman's body is displayed without her consent but upheld by the Courts, as in France. And for those couples who enjoy looking at each other's bodies -with and without action-- surely some sort of International Law should be there to prevent others and ex-spouses from using your image without your consent?
26-Sept- Consider this: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2208772/Sikh-student-defends-facial-hair-photo-goes-viral.html?ITO=socialnet-facebook-dailymail
My sympathy goes out to Kate Middleton, caught on camera sunbathing topless - the European/Northern sun is delicious on your skin unlike the horrible burning-to-a frazzle-and-causing a heat-rash sun here in Guyana. Even worse, with the advent of the internet those pictures are apparently available 24/7 for those who want to see - I googled Kim Kardashian and apparently her sex tape with Ray-J is the best selling porn tape out! I hope she is getting the royalties but somehow I don't think so.
An English journalist made the point to the effect it's almost playing into the hands of the other extremists and justifying women be fully covered at all times if this is supposed to be 'Western Freedom'. Mind you that wouldn't solve the problem of men craving to 'see' women's bodies - the problem would arise when that boundary of decency is crossed and a woman's body is displayed without her consent but upheld by the Courts, as in France. And for those couples who enjoy looking at each other's bodies -with and without action-- surely some sort of International Law should be there to prevent others and ex-spouses from using your image without your consent?
26-Sept- Consider this: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2208772/Sikh-student-defends-facial-hair-photo-goes-viral.html?ITO=socialnet-facebook-dailymail
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)