IN my humble opinion, the National Park is an oasis. The National Park is formerly the home of the exclusive Demerara Golf Club since 1923. In 1965, it became the Queen Elizabeth II National Park. On May 25th 1966, this physical space became the historical scene of the memorable and momentous final lowering of the Union Jack. In that beautiful ambiance, independent Guyana was born. Therefore, it is not surprising that there is an aura of public spirit at this place. Guyanese of all socio-economic statuses, race, religions, and creed seem to come together in a common cause of a basic need for human relaxation through exercise and a good old gaff.
I am a frequent visitor to the National Park, and this consistent sojourn is driven by the need to jog in an open space. On a normal day of indulgence, I encountered a runner who claimed that we were once high school colleagues, but I could not recall this individual. My inability to recollect this acquaintance did not prevent the unfolding of an extremely interesting discussion. He reflected on the state of affairs in Guyana. He confessed that he was a supporter of the former government and had a change of heart when he observed certain changes in the country after 2015. He alluded to the fall of the drug empire, the restoring of strong public institutions with professionals and not political hacks, the reappearance of national awards after decades, local democracy, freedom from fear of respectfully dissenting and being critical of the government. He mentioned that we should never go back to the days when drug lords became more powerful than the state, and Guyana was branded a drug pariah state that was awash with dirty money to the point where banks began to discontinue doing business with us. However, at the end of his intervention, there was an anti-climax and he expressed concerns about the economy. He informed me that he lives in a depressed community, and under the former regime there was a flow of capital through the community.
During our discourse, I seized upon his points on the fall of the drug empire and the complete disappearance of victimisation by the state for public dissent. I impressed upon my friend that these are two critical developments and they must be upheld. There was one point of note that incurred our slight disagreement. I noted, if you accept that the drug empire has fallen, then it follows for us to expect some economic fallout. It is expected that there will be some transition and those effects will be felt, but it is always better to sacrifice nationally for these long-term changes. If you have a nation surviving on ‘dirty money’, once you restore order, it is inevitable that the murky and dark liquidity will dry up.
These conversations about the country coupled with good exercise are the ultimate perfection of relaxation.
