A mini-bus conductor hung his body outside the open door of a moving bus, gyrated as the music played loudly, while passengers cackled and filmed. A video, which was posted on Facebook, then revealed the driver opening the door, hanging and shaking his legs outside while the bus was still moving, and the occupants continued to cackle. Perhaps they were all drunk. Maybe illegal substances blurred their judgment. Maybe they laughed themselves into a state of oblivion. Maybe I should not be harsh and classify them as a part of the Guyanese group of degenerates; still, does the recklessness and thoughtlessness deserve some kinder classification for those who sat and filmed and laughed while their lives were at risk? Is it too harsh a judgment also to say that perhaps they were some of Guyana’s children left behind?
I cannot say whether any of the passengers were petrified that their lives were in danger but no objections to the conductor and driver’s behaviour were heard. No one seemed to care that enough blood had spilled on Guyana’s roads. Maybe they were ready to transition to meet their ancestors if the worst happened. Except, my guesses about their thoughts concerning the risks, are most likely false and it was just a tribe of dimwits out of the many tribes of dimwits who occupy this Guyana space. An investigation was launched to find the mini-bus operators.
Care, consideration, courtesy, caution and common sense would appear to be just a group of nouns to some of Guyana’s drivers; something they perhaps heard some time ago and forgot, or for those who obtained their licenses illegally, never heard of. I lost count of the number of accidents that occurred in this this week alone. There was one where a prominent businessman and his friend, who was a Senior Superintendent and Deputy Director of Special Branch, lost their lives; another where a bank employee died; and a seven-year-old child who was killed after a driver lost control and drove his vehicle into a crowd. Even the animals did not escape unscathed this week when a vehicle crashed into cattle.
“Sacrifice going on de road.”
“We need to pray for Guyana.”
Some of our people perhaps find comfort in believing that evil spirits are directing our drivers to drink and drive, to speed, to break every traffic law. Thoughts and prayers and phrases like “Jesus take the wheel” are salve for the wounds for those who empathise and mourn.
But the evidence of our decay did not only occur on our roads this week. It was also in our schools. A parent entered a school and assaulted a teacher. The parent alleged that the teacher beat and bruised her child even though from reports there were no bruises on the child. (It is perhaps yet another opportunity to discuss corporal punishment in schools). We saw pictures of the battered teacher, though. In some of Guyana’s schools, teachers work under overwhelming pressure. Many of us cannot relate and perhaps would not survive. They, therefore, deserve the utmost respect. There is no justification for what was done to that teacher. Is dialogue not a worthy non-violent solution anymore? The parent obviously did not think about how her attack on the teacher would affect her child. Sadly, her behaviour is indicative that the child too is being socialised in the home to accept violence as the norm. But that’s perhaps most Guyanese households.
A video also surfaced of a young man beating a young woman at a secondary school. This caused outrage as many condemned what occurred. The Minister of Education’s initial calm response also provoked criticism.
“Children fight. It’s not unusual” was a part of the minister’s statement which caused alarm. An investigation was launched and the minister met with the students of the school in a special assembly that resulted in the students apologising to each other.
The clip that was circulated was not a fight however. The young man beat the young woman to the point where she had difficulty standing. It was said that prior to filming, the young woman provoked the young man. And if indeed she did, was his only option to assault her? It is more evidence that many of Guyana’s children are not being equipped with coping skills outside of violence. Options like walking away still do exist. But what is to be expected in a culture where children are taught that violence is the ultimate disciplinary action? That violence is justice? That it soothes all our wounds and sets wrongs rights? I hope outside of the apology there is at least counselling or an intervention to deal with the young man’s anger for the last thing we need is another abusive Guyanese man.
The aforementioned examples are indication of the continuous decline of our society. Worldwide we are witnessing human misery and degradation. It may be irreversible. Unfortunately, most of us will not escape unscathed. Whether participants, witnesses or victims the wellbeing of the collective is at risk. In Guyana, our symptoms are overwhelming, exasperating and often embarrassing. We are exposed and in need of healing.