Dear Editor,
A few days ago, GHK Lall in reviewing our political landscape pointed to the prospect that if nothing is done, the demographics of our country could be changed in just a few generations. This is worrisome, at least to all of us whose ancestors were brought here either in slavery or indentureship, for whatever may be part of our troubled history as Guyanese, we look forward to being truly one people, united and free. There is however, another worrisome development, which we should nip in the bud. It is the apparent love affair between high officials in control of our lives and the majority of business and commercial enterprises. These observations include some of our commercial banking institutions. The old folks say “Nah tek fiyah stick ah night for wha you can see in the day.”
Recent human history has shown that whenever high officials of a government and the big commercial and business entities are working together, you have the potential for a return to the worst features of a traditional capitalist society anchored upon imperialist-type domination and control. This has led of course, to popular uprisings such as Russia 1905, Mexico, 1910-19, Hungary 1956, Cuba 1959, Prague 1968, Central America 1970s and note the fall of Communism in the late 1980s and of course, just two decades ago, Serbia. A common feature in all of the above is where the State and Commercial Enterprises were figuratively in bed together. They say little things mean a lot.
Yesterday, Monday October 25, 2021, my assistant arrived at the Camp Street Branch of the Republic Bank, to replace her card and to withdraw her money because due to some fault in the Bank’s system, her ATM Card got stuck in the system on Saturday 22nd October, 2021. She arrived at around 8 o’ clock and called me at 11:00 o’ clock to state that she was No. 47 in the line and further no one from the Bank sought to offer those waiting any explanation. Having need for her services, I suggested that she abandon the effort to return early the following day. She arrived at the Bank around 8 o’ clock and once in the Bank, her hopes for swift attention was shattered and did not complete her transactions until sometime after 10:30 a.m. Covid 19 could not be the reason, since a suitable seating arrangement was available. As happened the day before, no one sought to give an explanation or excuse for the long wait. May I add, Covid could not have been the reason.
What we see developing in certain commercial and business enterprises, is a level of callousness and disregard for the time of ordinary people. They say time is money. Let me add this caveat, on the said Monday, I had cause to do a transaction at Citizens Bank, in Camp and South Road. There was orderliness, courtesy by the staff, and my transaction was speedy. Of interest, I noticed, even one of the Security Guards being very helpful by advising and assisting customers. Earlier last month, we bought a Hamilton Beach Blender, which lasted for three days and I was told that the store does not have a return policy. My family had two similar experiences during the year, unlike what happens in the USA and other places. This uncaring attitude, experienced at the Bank on two successive days is symptomatic of what is developing in certain happily, not all sections of our business community. Today, we have a Consumers Association that is to the best of my knowledge, not in the forefront of dealing with problems ordinary citizens have, particularly, in cases where these giants of industry and commerce are buying the lowest quality of goods and the victims are the ordinary people of Guyana. I hope you can arrest this drift where people are forced to say we can no longer accept this treatment. I hope that the Consumers Association and Private Sector Commission will not trivialize this matter and so avoid a ripple developing into a storm.
Sincerely,
Hamilton Green
