TWO CITIES, A GUYANESE TALE, Part 1

 Two Cities, A Guyanese Tale, Part 1.

Harry Bissoon  01/10/2023

We always gravitate towards our land of birth for reasons close to our bosoms. We establish relationships, create building blocks, and grow close to the land and people. My land of birth, Guyana, is such a place. Regardless of whatever prevails, good or bad, I cling to the place that molded me and opened up new horizons. 

Within the last six months I visited Guyana on two occasions from my new found home in the USA, and lavished my eyes on things that were not there when I grew up, and also got frustrated and disenchanted by issues that tugged at my heartbeats.

There is definitely a construction boom that is gripping the land. Throughout the populated areas residential properties, as well as industrial buildings are springing up. This is not altogether new. It has happened before, especially during periods of political calm and stability, but now it has taken on a new meaning with black gold flowing in abundance. 

Roads which have been on the drafting table for a long time are now seeing fruition but it will take many more new roads and streets to comfortably, and safely, accommodate the hundreds of motor vehicles that are flooding the country. The East Bank Demerara road( airport road) is still a mess, but, I guess, preference is given to the new road that will link the East Coast Demerara to the airport.

There seems to be a rush in building concrete roads and streets in the villages. Contracts are given out to local contractors to build these streets and, having looked at some of these, there is much to be desired. Concrete is laid on narrow clay dams and streets with little consideration for proper embankment. Mud drains on both sides of these concrete streets are just two to three feet away. If these drains are not constructed with concrete, then whatever is used for embanking, will eventually be washed away by the rains that are èver present. Then, also, many of these streets are so narrow that a vehicular nightmare will be created. 

While the capital city, Georgetown, is humming with activity, with decision makers hustling hither and thither, amid traffic congestion, with each driver being their own traffic officer,  the countryside where the bulk of the people live, is still untouched by the taste of oil!

…TO BE CONTINUED.