Dear Editor,
The death of a child in Region 2 has tragic connections with other stories about Guyana’s alcohol culture. The reports are that the child and others were drinking alcohol in their school facilities, then had to be taken to the hospital. This is in the week that the Rights of the Child Commission in their report said that they are concerned about children’s consumption of alcohol and other drugs. And in the same week, there is news when at cricket that four men beat another man unconscious and alcohol reportedly involved.
While the Rights of the Child Commission and others want to educate children about alcohol and drugs, there is a counter force in Guyana, which recognises the value of children starting to drink early on so that they can participate in the national cultural activities which promote alcohol. There are other stories of the burden on the public health care system of the violence from alcohol which the health professionals and others dare not count because it will probably be deemed anti-patriotic and against the ‘One Guyana’ values which do not want to promote sobriety and ‘dryness’ as being a good value, and one that could be associated with fun and well-being.
There are global contradictions too – North American media has carefully removed tobacco consumption from their heroes, but bizarrely seemingly increased alcohol consumption. (So people get drunk in no-smoking spaces and that is all okay and funny and acceptable). While it seems that the tobacco industry has moved to Asia, some Bollywood and other Asian films and TV products now show heroes and heroines smoking and drinking more than they ever did before.
The Parliament in considering the call from the Rights of the Child Commission, might want to take note of the death of the child in Region 2 and the violence at cricket this week, and have a serious discussion about their role in transforming Guyana’s alcohol culture. Is alcohol served at Parliament though?
Sincerely,
Vidyaratha Kissoon
