By Francis Quamina Farrier

Today is the first day of this week, the first day of this month, and the first day of this brand new year, 2017. What better day to make a resolution to do, or to stop doing something or the other, which impacts ourselves or others in a negative way. New Year’s Resolutions are also about resolving to do something above and beyond the call of duty; visiting the sick in hospital or Elders at a Senior Citizens Home. I know that one of Guyana’s most accomplished Calypsonians, The Mighty Kendingo, was going to many Senior Citizens Homes during the Jubilee Year, and entertaining the residents free of charge. That may or may not have been as a result of a New Year’s Resolution. Over the decades, especially in the Western World, the most popular New Year’s Resolution is to loose weight; a resolution very popular with women who feel that they are over-weight.
So why have I entitled this feature with the two words, “To heck…?” Simple. It is because so many of us who make these New Year’s Resolutions, break them within a matter of days. At the beginning of December, 2016, I had it in my mind that Guyana should resolve to end Fatal Traffic Crashes at the end of November. Sadly there have been quite a number of those who have lost their lives on our roads during last December; one actually happened in a yard, where a 17 year old at the Alpha Children’s Home on the East Bank Berbice, drove a car without permission, and accidentally killed a nine year old orphan girl. He stepped on the accelerator when he had intended to press on the brakes.
That particular Festive Season Fatal traffic broke my heart, even though not quite as badly as the one which took the life of Chief Librarian, Gillian Thompson, on December 23, 2011. I was distraught by the death of nine year old Nina Blair, since I did a session of Poetry Reading at that Berbice Orphanage on November 25, and the victim was one who was in the small audience. With the many traffic crashes in which so many died during 2016 – including children – I continue to root for drivers – especially mini bus drivers – to make a resolution as soon as possible, to drive with much more care, and show respect for other road users, including their passengers, immediately. My resolution to Do Poetry and Storytelling at selected schools and other institutions during the Jubilee Year, was made in April of 2016; long after January first, New Year’s Day.

I am a believer of making resolutions at any time of the year. For example, someone at the Ministry of Infrastructure probably made a resolution to repave as many of the pot-holed streets in Georgetown, and I am as pleased as punch that more and more of our city streets are being resurfaced. It shows that there is some effort on the part of some of our Political Leaders, to bring “The Good Life” to the Guyanese People. I have noticed the attention to some of the City bridges, as well, which are in need of repair. Some have already been done. The one which spans the canal, and links South Road and Croal street at Alexander Street, is an example. We have been told of a resolution taken to construct a new Demerara Harbour Bridge. Good going, as far as resolutions go, which aren’t necessarily made on New Year’s Day.
Talk to many of the ordinary Guyanese people, and they would tell you that the promised, “Good Life” is still eluding them. I ride the mini buses quite a lot, and it is sheer hell for the better part. No “good life” in those Mobile Discos which are driven by lunatics, for the better part. A few months ago, then Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine, spoke of mini bus passengers being “Terrorized by Mini Bus operators.” To be a victim of terrorism, is being in a position far from “The Good Life”. So who should be making a New Year’s Resolution that all mini bus “terrorists’ will be banned from operating a mini bus? What mechanism will be established? Who will make a New Year’s Resolution today, that they will use all within their power, to ensure that pressure will be put on errant mini bus operators? That the guilty ones will receive stiff penalties when found guilty in a court of Law? That will surely send a very strong message to those who feel that they can do whatever they want on our roads resulting in mayhem and death to so many other road users!
My main beef with New Year’s Resolutions, is that they can be made at any time of the year, as soon as necessary. Some do get the desired result. Take for example, smoking. I had a relative who was a chain smoker; he lit the next cigarette from the previous one, and smoked on and on, whenever possible. One day he asked his grown children whether they had noticed anything. “Like, what?”, asked one of the children. “Look at me”, the father said,”What do you notice?” The children looked at the father briefly, then at each other, and one said, “He’s not smoking!” Indeed, that Father had made a mid-year resolution to stop smoking. The good news is that he lived for another twenty plus years right into his eighties. His children are confident that he would have died long before he became an octogenarian had he not made that mid-year, mid-life resolution.
Now, I have to end by saying that if you are set on making a New Year’s Resolution today, Sunday January 1, 2017, please do not let the headline to this feature discourage you, especially if your New Year’s Resolution to have the St, George’s Cathedral or the City Hall repaired. The City Engineers Building, which is in the same compound with the City Hall, was in a terrible state of disrepair with small trees growing on it, for a long time, but was recently repaired. Now go right ahead and make your New Year’s Resolution, and best of luck to you for success. By-the-way, for those of you interested to know, the last year to begin on a Sunday was 2012. The next year in which New Year’s Day will be on a Sunday, is 2023. HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and yours.