Followers of this column will know I’m always preaching that we should, whenever possible, present both sides of the coin when we’re discussing issues in the homeland; that as we take time to rightfully criticize the shortcomings, we should also be pointing to the good news happenings as they occur. So after my column last week, ‘Getting it badly wrong,’ which featured some examples of our failings, I’m taking some time today, heeding my own sermon, and bringing you some instances of folks ‘getting it right’ in Guyana.
An example came to light this week in a front-page photo in Kaieteur News showing the upper-level S & R car park in Parika. Built over a year ago, it’s the brainchild of Shureen Kunjbehari, although some of her family were lukewarm to the idea. “I thought it was a good move – parking is tough around Parika – so I went ahead, and frankly I have no complaints.” It’s named for Shureen and her grand-daughter Reya. In its construction, the steel and concrete foundation was built strong enough to eventually be expanded upward, and it was left to settle for two months to make it rigid. “The structure can now take two more levels with the present foundation, so eventually if some other investor is interested to join with me we can expand,” said Shureen. Parking costs $500 for 12 hours and business is encouraging. In a time when vehicle sales are high, and parking is becoming more difficult, Shureen’s venture is an example of somebody away from the big city who is getting it right in providing answers to the parking problem. The once sleepy village of Parika is showing Georgetown the way.
Miles from Parika, on the Ogle Airport Road, businessman Andrew Juman is setting an example, as well, in his sign-making business place, Andrew’s Art. In an environment where many business places are showing neglect, Andrew’s premises stand out for the immaculate condition of the building and the grounds. The workers in his company are constantly involved with painting and maintenance work (the building and fences always look freshly painted) and the parapets and greenery are regularly trimmed. “We stay on top of things; we don’t wait for it to go bad,” said Andrew. His wife, Nirmala, echoes Andrew’s concern: “We like to keep the place looking clean. We sit outside some days and right there at the Embankment traffic light, you can see people tossing out garbage from the minibus, and then we complain about garbage?” As for keeping his surroundings clean, Andrew says, “From young I’ve been that way, and I try to keep the standard up. It also reflects on my business; people appreciate it.”
On a flight from the Rupununi, passing over the Diamond area on the East Bank, one is struck by the expanse of the government housing development that has mushroomed east of the main road and in other areas. The information is that 4,188 house lots have been dispensed in the development at Diamond; 714 at Eccles; 7,463 at Parfaite Harmonie; and 1,242 at Lust-en-Rust. Development is also scheduled for 13 other areas on the East Bank, which will produce 19,362 lots. The scale of the developments is significant, and it contrasts sharply to the time I was growing up in Guyana when housing for the lower income families was only a passing election promise rarely ever fulfilled. Fly over those developments on a clear day, and you will be struck by the spread of the undertakings and therefore the number of families now benefiting from these schemes. That the average Guyanese family can now find the special pride of a house of their own is an example of the Ministry of Housing getting it right.
These days, with so many justifiable complaints about the number of uninspiring buildings going up around Georgetown, one has to say hats off to Dee and Michael George for the style and flair they have shown in the expansion of the Hermandston Lodge facilities by adding the building next door to their property. The quality of the renovation they have done in converting the old GuySuCo meeting premises in Queenstown, to twin with the Lodge, is impressive. Working closely with architect Rawle Jordan, they have come up with an intriguing approach, marrying established Guyanese styles and modern influences, to produce a level of hotel accommodation and meeting space not found anywhere else in Guyana. The exterior design of the building has a boutique hotel look in a three-storey configuration that is perfectly at home in residential Queenstown while still capturing the impact of state-of-the-art exteriors and accommodations. A striking feature of the design is the retention of the circular windows, a feature of the original building, which have been replicated by the architect in several areas of the exterior; it makes for an eye-catching motif which could become a trademark for the hotel. The Georges have chosen to retain aspects of our ‘sugar culture’ in the renovation/expansion work by naming the five original rooms in the building after traditional Guyana sugar estates (Skeldon, Albion, Rose Hall, Enmore, Wales) and have done research to find the names of other former estates to be applied to the 14 new rooms in the structure. Worth noting is the high standard of finish that is evident in all the work done in the refurbishing, and in the quality of the furniture and room fittings. One can see the emphasis on guest comfort in the spacious areas on the ground floor and in the modern fixtures in all the guest rooms. Working closely with architect Jordan, the Georges have combined their own ideas, with feedback from clients of Hermandston Lodge, and the result is a winner. On a day when you’re feeling despondent about things going wrong in Guyana, I recommend a visit to Hermandston (they’re very friendly) as an antidote. Before you even set foot inside, the exterior design of the new building will make you bring out your camera, and you will come out of your tour impressed that an all-Guyanese team were able to reach such a high standard.
That combination of Shureen in Parika, Andrew and Nirmala in Ogle, the staff in the Ministry of Housing, and Dee and Michael George in Queenstown, is impressive. In the midst of so much going wrong in Guyana, it should help to reassure us that there are still some folks in our country who know how to get it right.
