Dear Editor,

I AM very pleased to see the relaxation of the ludicrous dress code in Guyana, starting with Trevor Benn of Lands and Surveys, and finally the President pronouncing on it.Good work by Francis Bailey for bringing it to light on social media, and for the momentum it has generated; and more recently Mosafa Telford’s article in Chronicle. The power of social media cannot be underestimated.

I have been fighting the dress code since in the late 90s, ever since the National Cultural Centre introduced it. I started producing shows since 1981, and I cannot recall any dress code being in place to enter the NCC in the early 80s. This was introduced in the 90s, and I have ever since been against it.

I have complained, and written several letters to the powers that be, all to no avail. I am appalled, upset, and flabbergasted to see what takes place at the entrance to the NCC: Patrons’ clothes are being tested to find out what type of fabric they are wearing; they are being bodily touched and turned to see how much skin is being exposed. I was told that there was even a service provided in the foyer for renting scarfs, stockings and wraps, so that patrons can cover up their exposed skin instead of returning home.

One of the biggest issues is denim. I recall that a prominent lawyer was turned away from The Link Show a few years ago because he was wearing a black denim pants. The person who made that rule is hopelessly out of date. They think of denims as ‘dungarees’, which were probably worn in the olden days in the rice fields. They are really out of touch in today’s world.

It saddens me, whenever I produce a show at the NCC, to see the number of persons being turned away because they are wearing ‘hard pants’, or they have on sandals, or they don’t have on dress shoes.

I attend theatres regularly whenever I travel abroad: Broadway in New York and West End in London; and there is absolutely no dress code. I checked with many theatres in the Caribbean, and got the same feedback. So why do we need one here? Are we that backward?

A few years ago, Dave Martins wrote his column on the NCC dress code when he was asked to put his shirt in his pants (the cut of the shirt is designed to be worn outside the pants). Back in the late 90s, I was asked to leave the courtroom because I was wearing a ‘pants and top’, and not a pants suit. That was at the land court, to deal with a transport of property. There was no sign or board telling me how to dress. When I returned to the courtroom, there was a woman wearing a red slinky dress and she was well endowed. So the presiding office felt my attire was more inappropriate for the courtroom than the woman in a bright red figure-hugging dress.

I recall relating the incident to Anna Benjamin, editor (at that time) of the Sunday Stabroek, and she was equally supportive of me and wrote a very prominent article on it.

So, much has been done to get rid of these archaic and obsolete dress codes; and only now, after nearly 20 years, are we seeing some action.
It must be noted that the architects of the supposed ‘dress code’ have abandoned it eons ago. How are we promoting tourism? Tourists dress very casually and travel lightly. Are we saying they must not attend shows at the NCC, or visit Government offices? How do they get tickets from the T&HD office to visit the Lighthouse?

Some of the offices have recognized and acted upon President Granger’s comment, but I think the President needs to direct someone in his office to take charge of ‘taking down’ all the stupid ‘dress code’ signs on all buildings and save us from being laughed at.
GEM MADHOO-NASCIMENTO
Director
GEMS Theatre Productions