Satiricus’ heart swelled with pride with the opening of the spanking new “Independence Arch” at Agricola. 50 years after the first one to the southern approaches had been installed at Ruimveldt, as Pressie intoned, there was so much symbolised by the new structure at the new spot.
The first arch had been a gift from DEMBA, the old bauxite company at Linden. They had converted our own bauxite into aluminium (in Canada – but that’s another story) from which they crafted the triple arch. “Imagine our red mud becoming shiny aluminium!” marvelled Satiricus.
The three strands of the arch had signified the three counties of Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice, Now we have a triple steel arch made by a Surinamese company. Satiricus was proud that even though our 10 regions now had their own flags, we were now being signalled we’re still “three” united into “One Guyana”. And steel is stronger than aluminium.
On the move from aluminium to steel, Satiricus figured out Guyana was ready to explore and exploit its iron ore to make steel. Bauxite was now old hat – steel was the thing. And Satiricus was sure using the Surinamese company to create the arch, was meant to show how much of a good neighbour we were to Suriname. Even though they still claimed the 6000 square miles of the New River Triangle.
But what pleased Satiricus most of all was moving the arch to Agricola. This showed that since Independence, Georgetown had grown to include more “garden space”. As Satiricus thought about Agricola, Georgetown, and its recent history, the soaring words of Pressie flowed through his mind.
“Citizens should not have to shut themselves in their homes on weekends afraid to venture forth because of unlit streets. Georgetown must become a walking city where people, in the evening, can stroll with their family to enjoy the outdoors, can jog, or simply hang out with friends in our numerous watering holes. Safety and security are essential to enjoying the good life.”
Satiricus could just see himself “hanging out with his friends at the Agricola watering holes”. Especially since over the years at his old Back Street Bar “watering hole” in his village, he had probably paid for the construction of the arch with all the beers he’d consumed from the Beer Company that funded the Surinamese company.
