I am one of those Guyanese who will always be grateful to all our ancestors, especially the Africans who built the roads, opened the farmlands, and helped our people adjust and even defended the Indian indentured servants, when they were being ill treated by the English colonists.  I am one ever grateful to the senior citizens who served this country and today are too old to earn a living.  Our country owes them more than mere gratitude.  They also need the ability to survive, feel comfortable, and living with excellent joy and peace for the rest of their lives, served by a grateful government and people. We will all get there sooner or later.  This writer is nearby.
It hurts me today when I saw that a 101 years old citizen, Ms. Millicent Springer-Smith, had to suffer the pains of severe inconvenience of being transported to get her needed identity card.  Can there not be a policy of GECOM taking the ID cards to citizens over say 70 years of age, will it make GECOM broke, or if they ask the Inter-religious Organization for help to ferry their reps to deliver such cards?  Or even ask public spirited citizens for transport assistance.  I am even positive if approached the various respected Chairmen of various Regions would be happy to assist the citizens of this country.  As a people, government and nation, we must always respect and help our elders, those who worked and helped in the development of this country.  Even housewives render great service to a country by making children, and caring for families, causing the husbands to be able to produce the fields and/or find employment.  Some sadly have the tendency of saying, oh; well housewives do not help a nation.  My religion teachesTHAT THE WIFE/WOMAN/MOTHER IS THE BEDROCK OF THE FAMILY:  “Teach a woman and you teach a nation” (Prophet Muhammad).  In most cases the mother/wife/woman is the first teacher and inspiration of the child.
We have seen cases where old women are raped by youths, even over 80 and 90 years old.  Retired workers and emigrants killed for their pittance by youths.  Our society must reject such deviants, and honour our elderly, looking to them for guidance.  YOUNG CHILDREN DO NOT PELT OLD PEOPLE WHEN THEY WALK IN THE STREETS, OR WHEN THEY SEEM TO TALK TO THEMSELVES, OR IN A DINGY CONDITION DUE TO NON CARE BY FAMILIES THEY SERVED.Whenever we witness such atrocities, we as sane people must call the children and educate them, as I personally did many times, and showing them how these people made our country and possibilities, had children and now need love.  One promised he will never do it again, he was tearful and apologised.  Twenty-five years later that kid identified himself and reintroduced himself to me while just after the birth of my last son in a hospital in New York City.  He said”Mr. Khan I always remembered what you said, the tone, the voice and how you helped change me, which made me a teacher since then.”  Beautiful words of comfort, which shows that children will listen.
I recall when Health Foods (a subsidiary of Prashad’s Hospital) was operating a bakery at the Continental Complex in South Ruimveldt, Aubrey Barker St., when I had just started my security service with $7.50, and my old motor cycle.  A young handsome looking African lad and muscular was always robbing people of their bread.  This client was one of my earliest ones, and they asked me to post a rank there and spend some time, I was a kind of superman in those days to my clients, and even myself.  I stood a distance away and observed the ‘Modus Operandi’ of this youngster after having him indentified by people, very quietly.  He was a nice kid, molded by delinquent company he was keeping.  I am sure his parents and as usual, his grandmother would want no such life for their handsome son and grandson.  I felt not as a typical security officer or person with a police mentality, to snatch him, arrest him, and hand him over to the police, but I really wanted to help this youngster.  Maybe also because African made such great contribution to my discipline, thought, ability of speech craft, dress mode, and for having saved my family from starvation during the strikes of the 60’s, and the love that poured from the actions and mouth of Africans in the area where I was raised in what is now known as Corriverton, Skeldon then. Former Minister of Information, Mrs. Yvonne Harewood-Benn, was a neighbour as was Miss Moore and the Moore family (teachers), Miss Thom, Miss Tendyall, Mr. Peters, Mr. Boston, etc.  I am reflecting and seeing the past teachers, who helped formed my life and made me as I am.  They were all African, and the training came from Kindergarten and Primary School. In High School, Tagore Memorial High School also played its part.
I did not wish for this youngster to end up in jail for a loaf of bread and cause a mind and life to be destroyed, where he would have been nurtured, schooled, hardened as a real criminal.  I wanted to save a life, help a youth, maybe in some small way start paying back (an impossibility) for what his kith and kin had done for me.  I approached this youngster and asked to talk to him, his smile was beautiful and he had a handsome but wickedish/boyish look, and I identified myself to him, he clammed up as his freight and flight mode was showing, and I assured him that I want to help him, and give him a job.  He was flabbergasted, shocked to his wits end!!!  Why would I help him and I am a security officer, as he was stealing bread and molesting people.  I told him that I saw the good in him, I saw ambition, and I knew his grandma (for these kids’ grandmas are usually always there) would be pleased if he gets a job and she gets good news. He smiled, relaxed, and looked at me as a father figure instead.  I told me I would make him a Trainee Security Guard, and his job was to ensure no customer or child purchasing bread is never molested or robbed.  He said that was cool and easy.  I pinned on the arm band (that was my early uniform), and gave him a baton, and for the month he would stand there, no one was ever robbed, and his grandma was proud of him.  I wish this person would make himself known to me today.
My heart pounded for joy when I read a few weeks ago that the Chairman of Region 6, the Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha has launched a system to take medical health visits to the senior citizens.  This is the work of a visionary politician I would say.  Excellent!!  Fantastic!!  Mr. Chairman continue to serve your region with excellence, but special kudos to you sir, for wanting to help and serve the senior citizens, who worked to make Guyana possible.  From the few interactions I had with you, I saw vision and wisdom, I saw tact. I saw that employees of the region who wanted to confuse and sway your impartial thought process, much like that of a senior judge and that of a political genius, you did not allow your thoughts to be led.  THIS CHAIRMAN IS A POWER-HOUSE, with ability to be a Minister, an Ambassador.  Continue to serve with wisdom and excellence. Sir.  I urge all Chairmen of all regions to dispatch health workers to the senior citizens.  Home visits would help them, comfort them, make them feel loved and appreciated, and would also help the Government of the day.
As the Mighty Sparrow said:  “Honour your heroes Caribbean.”  Our elderly folks must be our heroes and heroines.  They stayed, toiled and build the land and treasury.