Your Eyewitness has been told that we Guyanese are very traditional when it comes to Christmas. You can be sure, for example, that tons of Black Cake – soaked in thousands of gallons of rum for months – will be consumed this week. So, with today being the FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, are we gonna be getting “Five gold rings (five golden rings)/Four calling birds/Three French hens/Two turtledoves/And a partridge in a pear tree”?? The traditional Christmas carol, of course, promises all of the above will be delivered by one’s “true love”. But with the President giving out goodies all over the country all year long, your Eyewitness suggests this is a golden opportunity to become the country’s “true love”??
Imagine the votes pouring in during the LGE next March, if he goes ahead with the suggestion. There might be two problems, though. The Opposition Leader’s gonna certainly have his myrmidons throw their bodies in front of the delivery men – like what happened at Belladrum last month!! And with most Guyanese facing the rising cost of living, most of the mentioned birds might be cooked before Christmas!! And the five gold rings might be sold to ensure the liquor keeps flowing into the New Year!! Gotta keep our Christmas spirit high!! And what better way to do that than by getting high with spirits!!
If you heard that shopping in general increases during this season; for liquor, it skyrockets!! And we already know what the heavier imbibing will do – the choppings and shootings in the rum shops and bars have already begun. But all kidding aside – bearing in mind that “all skin teeth na laugh!!” – we all know that the country will pretty much be shut down after tonight!! Don’t expect to get that sink unblocked or car repaired. And if you think there are problems about which you complained to whatever level of Government – down to the dog-catcher – don’t hold your breath to see anybody look at them anytime soon. And since we know how long it takes to get anything done in the very best of times, you can imagine the extended siesta coming down!!
So, what’s all the talk about “goodwill”?? That, of course, alludes to the “Christ” in Christmas, who’s supposed to have died to save us all from our sins. If you believe that’s how the world works, you gotta be expecting a whole lotta goodwill to be injected into your lives about now!! Imagine committing whatever excesses your little heart desires – with a “get out of jail card”!!
Anyhow, even though he’s spitting in the wind, knowing full well drinking and driving is a combustible mixture, your Eyewitness hopes that some of the goodwill would lead to less carnage on our roads.
…of reconciliation?
To a great extent, the politics of Fiji mirrors ours – with them being more prone to military coups, even though we have the same imbalance in the military forces. Coups are so normalised that the two main parties, in their elections held on Dec 14, were led by two coup leaders!! After the first coup in 1987, the Indian Fijians started migrating – just like in Guyana – and pretty soon, from being 51% of the country, Indians are now around 35%.
And with the Melanesian Fijians having a supermajority, they can afford to compete among themselves. So we have a case wherein the incumbent ruling party, Fiji First, won 42.5% of the votes and 26 seats; a coalition between the People’s Alliance (35% – 21 seats) and the (Indian) NFP (9% – 5 seats) won 26 seats. And SODELPA, a majority indigenous-Fijian party, held the balance of power with (5% – 3 seats). They just coalesced with the Opposition Coalition to form the new Government.
Each of the three blocks were led by Melanesian Fijians!!
…over for football?
Now that Argentina’s won the World Cup, can we say the football season’s over? Not really!! With us becoming so Americanised, with Thanksgiving and Halloween etc, we can still look forward to the Football Superbowl in January!!
