Dear Editor,
I would like to take this opportunity to share with your readers a few scenes that visitors to Guyana using the Cheddi Jagan International Airport encounter from the point of exiting the plane to Rahaman’s Park Junction.
Stepping off the plane visitors observe a mad rush by persons along the tarmac because they would like to be at the front of what seems to be a never-ending line to clear immigration. For some strange reason it takes a very long time to clear immigration in Guyana; only God knows why. Upon clearing immigration you enter into a dull-looking dungeon with walls painted in flat pink. This dungeon purportedly serves as a bag carrousel to uplift your luggage.
There are times when the bags from this carrousel drop off and other times when the carrousel is clogged and stops working ‒ and what are the attendants doing? They simply stare at the chaos and curse each other for allowing the mishap which is childishly preventable.
After being subject to this initial drag and clearing customs, you arrive to a pack who pose as taxi drivers offering to take your luggage to your vehicle or transport you to your destination. These people are relentless, even at the expense of other drivers. As if this was not enough, visitors who dare look up will observe a signboard showing former President Bharrat Jagdeo which reads, “The Architect of Modern Guyana.”
Are you kidding me? When arriving in the United States of America or even Trinidad and Tobago, is there a signboard which claims a past or current head of state or prime minister is the Supreme Leader?
This is laughable and disgusting at best. This type of symbolism speaks to a country that is dictatorial in nature, communist in leaning and suffers from the ‘supreme leader’ syndrome. Instead of cultural branding showcasing our natural beauty, diversity and the experiences we have to offer, we have a signboard with a former president whose period of office coincided with an economy inflated by illegal economic transactions.
Finally after going through the hassle and torture, you get into your transportation and travel the only route Guyana has to offer from its main airport.
On the road you are very likely to encounter most, if not all, of the following: (1) speeding cars, trucks and mini-buses; (2) animals liming around and/or traversing the road (goats, sheep, dogs and cows are the most prevalent); (3) unkempt bushes; (4) roads with no sidewalks forcing children and other pedestrians to walk on the roadside; (5) dilapidated private and commercial buildings; (6) vehicles in need of repairs resting on the roadside; (7) garbage sprinkled along the roadside; (8) several community rumshops sprinkled along the roadway; (9) roads full of potholes and (10) vendors selling along the roadsides.
Readers, Welcome to Guyana! This is the image we communicate to visitors and residents, a country that is disorganized, aesthetically ugly, badly governed and insecure.
This is the Guyana you first see upon arrival at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and they loudly speak of deeper issues affecting the people of my dear Guyana. For many residents, this is the Guyana they see and live in every day.
Yours faithfully
Mike Archer
