“Om Shree Ganesh Aya Namah”
Gosh! Today I’m as guilty as those newspapers Editors who ensure that the subjects in my caption are plastered on their front pages.
Almost daily. Gory negatives sell more than the “good” news of a new church opening or the birth of quintuplets.
Well, some editors will also explain that cocaine trafficking, illegal weapons, murder, corruption, political abuse, traffic fatalities and fires, all seen to characterize our once-innocent Guyana these days. Their front-pages merely reflect our societal realities. Okay, accepted. For I also believe that when or if we discover oil or our three Parliamentary Parties actually agree amicably on anything, they’ll make bold front-page headlines too. Think so?
My interest in the caption’s three reality-negatives today, unfolds like this: the “lazy- research” Internet will tell you that cocaine by itself is nobody’s business to exploit for bad. “It is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant”. Further you’ll learn that “the name comes from `coca’ in addition to the alkaloid suffix-ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic. Specifically, it is a serotonin – norepinephrine- dopamine reuptake inhibitor, which mediates functionality of these neurotransmitters as an exogenous catecholamine transporter ligand. Because of the way it affects the mesolimbic reward pathway, cocaine is addictive.
Its possession, cultivation, and distribution are illegal for non medicinal and non-government sanctioned purposes in virtually all parts of the world. Although its free commercialization is illegal and has been severely penalized in virtually all countries, its use worldwide remains widespread in many social, cultural, and personal settings.”
It was in Caracas, Venezuela I actually read about the earliest Amerindians then Bolivar’s crusading soldiers, using the “beautiful leaf” as stimulant and against the bitter cold of the Andes mountains. Moderately used by the natives for strength and endurance, medicine and peace many South American natives often wonder, to this day, why that leaf causes misery.
Then the Caucasians, Guyanese…
It’s basically because the Caucasian/European/ American settlers and visitors re-discovered the raw coca, spotted its massive potential as a wonder drug and later medication – anaesthetic, painkiller, properties for repairing and healing – and set about mixing the pounded leaves with alkaline substances to make the “coke” more easily absorbed into the body’s system.
Like gold, silver, diamonds or uranium, the wicked soon developed techniques to manufacture various types of the drugs for both legal, medicinal and for unlawful, injurious marketing for addiction to the vulnerable of the world.
Soon, South Americans (Latins) and Mexicans were masters of the trading and trafficking. Their market? Reportedly from American ghettoes, colleges and army to European entertainment and sport.
Naturally (?), the wicked in Guyana are not to be left out, As debates rage as to whether some forms of Legalisation will lessen criminality and deaths, my Guyana has joined Colombia, Bolivia, Jamaica and elsewhere when the cocaine trade is mentioned. How utterly sad.
I close with my two “usual” issues: today’s changed morality makes my laments irrelevant, as the most “respected” and “successful” might view coke as another product to market profitably, resulting in their wealth which now filters through to genuine needy causes in society. And, secondly, a question: Is it really beyond our intelligence/security agents to discover just how and where the cocaine enters Guyana for onward trade? Or are they willingly compromised? Discuss.
Guns, related crime
The same I ask of the presence and prevalence of illegal guns in our Guyana. As the television shows me in Mali, Syria, Nigeria, Pakistan and elsewhere where “fighters” battle over causes, Guyana now boasts of weapons in the hands of criminal youth, comparative to the availability of chocolate, soft drinks and baseball caps.
Cannot local law-enforcement devise strategies to acquire public assistance to identify sources, distributors and hiding – places? I cringed when I saw the illegal Lethem weaponry weeks ago. Yes, the land is large but the people are relatively few, again, I smell compromise, complicity and official criminality here. Discuss.
Murders may be “down” according to police records this year. But the cheapening of human life lost to guns, cutlasses and knives, tells me of a society bereft of tolerant, reasonable conflict resolution among the poor, sub-literate and outright ignorant. Yes, I’m aware of the various (available) causes of murder, but I point here to prevention and early detection by both police and citizens in every village and town – what is to be done?
“Om Shree Ganesh Aya Namah”
Reportedly by the son of Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesh is regarded by Hindus as the Keeper or Guard of all gates. Ganesh is invited and invoked at all religious functions as one to give his good, welcome blessings at all religious occasions.
Especially at a Hindu wedding ceremony! After many, many years, I presented myself – upon invitation – to a lovely, shortened Arya version of a wedding. “The girl” is Hindu. Oh how Pandit Haymant simplified the rituals for all to understand. The bride and groom agreed to keep lots of lifelong promises! Then there was the sweetmeats, music and “seven-curry”.
But guess what? “The boy” is Christian from West Coast, Demerara, whilst the bride is from East Coast, Demerara. Two coasts, two young lives now enjoined. After two ceremonies, I’m hopeful that this union has to last.
So after the topmost about coke and guns and murder, I wish for long-lasting joy and peace in this marriage. For after the weddings – comes the marriage!
Consider…
You would have been reading and seeing tons about superstorm/hurricane Sandy
My funny take: dubious positives would include the mammoth sales in things preparatory for such storms and imagine contractual work for the massive re-building of societies over the next month.
Billions lost, billions to spend in America even as it must spend billions on foreign wars (?)
2. If you’re familiar with America’s post-polling day procedures, you’ll realize that President Obama has two months to begin re-building devastated states. Win or lose. ’Til January 2013.
3. Why is it I keep stating that my old PNC has no “luck” with GECOM Chairmen? Or commissions of Inquiry?
’Til next week!
