Holiday…

 

…spirits?

Your Eyewitness moseyed around Georgetown over the last week, trying to gauge the national mood during the holiday period. Even though this year, with Christmas and New Year falling on Sundays – which means that Boxing Day is on a Monday and we get off the Tuesday – an official imprimatur for seeing the ENTIRE SECOND HALF OF DECEMBER has actually never been necessary for us Guyanese.

Come December 15 each year, every Guyanese man, woman and child shifts into a party mood. As the fellas in the Sugar Industry would say, it’s our “custom and practice”. But as your faithful flâneur and Eyewitness found out on his peripatetic perambulations about “town”, this year the air was more subdued. The crowds were milling about, all right… but they weren’t buying like they used to do. Pressed by your Eyewitness, they confessed the money just wasn’t there. It wasn’t just the Budget: that was just confirmation of what they’d been experiencing all year – the bottom had fallen out of the economy and “things na regula”.

And this didn’t do much for the “party mood” among the business folks – their cash registers had long telegraphed to them this holiday, the joints wouldn’t be jumping liked they used to. They wouldn’t be throwing too many parties this holiday! If politicians were smart they’d know businessmen are the weather-vanes of the society – and would consult them more often. Your Eyewitness does. Sure they’re a bit self-serving – but, then, who isn’t? Some idealists say money doesn’t make the world go around, but your average businessman knows better. Money just doesn’t make the world go around – it makes it go up and down! Depending on whether it’s around or not.

And right now, with no money circulating, Guyana’s very down, baby! In fact, it’s dread. So your Eyewitness mingled among the street folks – where at least some “fine change” would gravitate and circulate – but not this time and they’re one teed-off bunch. When the government changed and the powers-that-be were now the same within and without, they didn’t only FEEL things were gonna be different – they were PROMISED DIFFERENCE! But now they complain they were used like tissue to clean up snot – then thrown into the garbage.

So what can your Eyewitness report back to the nation? Nothing that you don’t already know, dear reader. And trust him – he has no desire to play Scrooge. If you’re a government worker, or sugar worker or rice worker or ANY worker for that matter:

You’ve been screwed. Sorry! You’ll have your chance in 2020.

…money

In America a man will see a wealthy person and say, “If I work hard, that could be me.” Here in Guyana, we see one of the lucky lot and think, “Why does it have to be him… how can I get into politics?” In America, Trump is already a billionaire and it’s clear he’s putting together the richest Cabinet in the history of the American Republic. Say what you want but folks there can be forgiven for believing they’re not in politics for the money.

Here? We don’t have to go back too far. Based on our experience in just the last two years you’d have to soft in the head not to accept these politicians are in it just for the loot. Even our avuncular Prezzie, when he asked pensioners to pay VAT on electricity, couldn’t he have allowed his $2 million monthly salary and that of his AG, be taxed?

What does it say of our politicians when children are driving themselves crazy to write 20 subjects at CSEC just so they MAY get a scholarship.

But ministers who’re already earning millions just APPLY – and get – $3 million scholarships!!

…Congress

Over in Essequibo, the PPP’s holding their Congress to select the leadership team that’ll be in charge of their rebuilding efforts.

They all know some radical surgery’s needed. Your Eyewitness hopes they have the will to perform it!!