PEOPLE were more focused on using fairy lights to observe this year’s Diwali celebrations. Fire crackers and other explosives, such as squibs, were also in great demand, thus posing a formidable challenge to the traditional practice of lighting diyas to illuminate the place.

This increasingly notable trend is quite an annoyance especially to elderly folks, as well as to the sick, and other persons who are not quite appreciative of this behaviour with its concomitant noise nuisance.
It was observed on Sunday night during the Diwali celebrations that many children, accompanied by adults, had in their possession large quantities of firecrackers and other explosives, and everybody took turns igniting them.
Some of those pyrotechnics were very noisy, resounding echoes, but the users appeared not to have considered the dangers involved and the potential damage to life and limb in the event of misuse.
Even small children were igniting these explosives, including squibs, flares and others called ‘thunder bolt’, etc.
Although the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has issued a ban on these explosives, especially around Diwali observance, many persons were still seen in public places and markets vending these prohibited items.
On Sunday night, police locked down Alexander Village with barricades, and had checkpoints where residents were not allowed to have explosives, only flares and sparkles.
In previous years, there was chaos when the village was overwhelmed with explosives, and it caused discomfort to many.
Even before Diwali was celebrated, the thunderous sounds from ignited firecrackers/squibs had seemed to conquer the nation’s concentration, and things will inevitably deteriorate with the approaching festive season (Christmas).

(By Michel Outridge)