Imbibing… and enjoying

Your Eyewitness has never made a secret of his patronage of that fine Guyanese institution – patterned rather sketchily on the English pub – called a “rumshop”!! As sugar was the mainstay of our economy and its by-product molasses could be distilled into rum, it wasn’t surprising that British sailors weren’t the only folks who enjoyed the latter’s spirituous tipple!! While in the beginning every sugar factory could – and did – distil their molasses into rum, over the years – like its parent sugar factories – the distilleries also amalgamated!! One of the largest one left standing was Demerara Distilleries Limited (DDL)!!
Starting from colonial days when rum shops were slyly introduced to part the labourers from their (hard-earned) money- so they’d have to return to the fields come Monday morning – Guyanese became convinced it was an act of patriotism to drink anyone – and everyone – under the table!! Sadly, however – because alcoholism is a disease after all – it created a nation with more than its fair share of drunkards who also let loose all their inhibitions on their friends, family and neighbours!! In the modern context, “drunk driving” -leading to horrendous accident statistics – was added to the list!!
So as your Eyewitness scours the news, he finds it deliciously ironic that DDL – the company behind Guyana’s celebrated El Dorado rums – putting serious energy and money into milk production and fruit juices!! After all while the name Demerara has been associated with some of the world’s finest grogs, “El Dorado” turned our old sugar-and-rum heritage into an international brand!! Winning international prizes and suchlike!!
But perhaps DDL – having a front-row seat to the less glamorous side of that heritage and taking note of the effects of alcohol consumption on Guyanese society – wants to provide an alternative!! So, the move into milk and fruit juices might be more than simple diversification from making drinks that make people forget their troubles – they’ve decided there’s a market in helping them avoid those troubles in the first place!!
It’s definitely a sensible hedge since money still gaffa mek!! While rum’s an indulgence – milk and fruit juices are nourishment that “does your body good!!” and can be quaffed at breakfast without the missus worrying about a backslap!! Of course, your Eyewitness don’t expect El Dorado to disappear – the horror!! – since DDL ain’t gonna abandon it’s money-making world-class brand!!
But if its expanding portfolio of milk and juices continues to grow, perhaps the company has quietly recognised a rather profound commercial truth – after all these years of selling Guyana a little – OK…more than a little!! – intoxication, there’s just as good money to be made in selling it something more wholesome!!

…Chinese timidity
Your Eyewitness thoroughly enjoyed the movie Mulan about the Chinese heroine who saved China – but especially the fireless, fast talking midget dragon Moshu – played by the inimitable Eddie Murphy!! Moshu talked big – but in the end was just a bluff!! And as your Eyewitness looks at China’s claim to be displacing America as the international hegemon, he sees it as nothing less than a modern Moshu
China’s international record these last fifteen years reads like a ledger of ducking!! Libya was taken out in 2011 while they stood aside in the Security Council, evacuated their workers and issued “regrets”!!! Syria endured a decade of proxy war, its cities ground to dust, and China’s contribution?? Anodyne “statements”!! Finally, Venezuela was strangled slowly and publicly by sanctions then its leader Mad Maduro kidnapped and its government handed the pliable Delcy – while Beijing stands mute!!
Each time its self-defined “enemy” took out a state, the Chinese express “concern”, call for dialogue and goes back to work!!!
With friends like this…

…Sanction Man’s poison
It’s clear Sanction Man’s so desperate to avoid being fitted for that orange jump-suit in Miami that he’s willing to undermine the one institution that has stood like a rock in our treacherous politics waters – the CCJ!!