By Francis Quamina Farrier

LAST Sunday was Mother’s Day and millions of mothers around the world were wined and dined, praised and pampered on that, their special day of the year. Most of us extended “Happy Mother’s Day” greetings to the many mothers we know and quite a number who we do not even know. That is what we do on Mother’s Day to the many deserving mothers. But how does one wish “HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY” to a mother who has lost a child, especially because of a road crash? It is very difficult; almost like scraping an old wound.

MOTHERS IN BLACK

Sadly, the Guyanese organisation “Mothers in Black” is growing with more and more mothers having to bury a child who has died as a result of a traffic accident. One such grieving mother is Denise Dias, who lost her daughter Alicea in a traffic accident in 1996 on the lower East Coast Demerara. She is at the forefront of the “Mothers in Black” movement which, over the years, has been working assiduously in consoling each other and trying to keep death off our roads. In 1997, Denise Dias along with her sister Beverley Harper and others, also established the Alicea Foundation which also works along with the Police Traffic Division, to make the roads of Guyana safer. For example, Road Rage Marches have been organised to bring attention to the way so many Guyanese drivers behave when they get behind the wheel. Just listen to the incessant honking of vehicle horns on our city streets and you will realise the rage within so many drivers, with the potential to become involved in an unnecessary fatal crash and the possibility of adding another Mother in Black to the increasing total. However, in a release from the Police Traffic Division last Thursday, there has been an 11.4 per cent decrease in fatal accidents for January to April 2018.

MOTHERS IN PINK

One of Guyana’s best-known Mothers in Pink, is fashion designer and businesswoman, Dr. Sonia Noel. “I enjoyed a glorious Mother’s Day with my two daughters” she stated, adding, ‘WoW, I’m super blessed”. It is obvious that Mother in Pink, Dr Sonia Noel feels exceedingly blessed, not only to have her two daughters in her life, but also her own mother on Mother’s Day. My wife, Patricia Farrier, is also a proud Mother in Pink, with her two bright and beautiful grown daughters, Arlene and Venita. Together they enjoyed a great Mother’s Day 2018.

MOTHERS IN BLUE

Deborah Blackmore is the mother of one son and grandmother of two. She is very active with the Bernice Mansell Foundation for many years and last Sunday she was just as active at the Foundation’s Annual Mother’s Day Fund Raising Tea Party, which was held at Parc Rayne Banquet Hall, Rahaman’s Park. The funds garnered at these annual Mother’s Day Tea Parties by the Bernice Mansell Foundation, go to assist some of the many needy children in Guyana with books, clothing and meals. Also present at that Mother’s Day Tea Party 2018,

was Mother in Blue, Ms. Hyacinth Bradshaw, who is the mother of well-known TV Personality Basil Bradshaw. She was presented with a special award at the Tea Party.
This, of course, is just a minute sampling of how Guyanese mothers celebrated Mother’s Day 2018, last Sunday. Belated HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY Greetings to Guyana’s First Mother, Mrs. Sandra Granger; to Mrs Sita Nagamootoo, wife of the Prime Minister; and all the other Mothers in Black, Pink and Blue.