–with ‘players’ forced to examine lucrative alternatives amid COVID-19

By Rehana Ahamad
THE dreaded COVID-19 pandemic has decimated almost every non-essential industry in the world, especially the entertainment industry.
In Guyana, this tropical paradise where we thrive on social interactions, practising physical distancing has been quite heart-aching and maybe even traumatic for most Guyanese, perhaps even those who claim to be anti-social and introverted.
It has been ten months since we have not been able to come together as a country to party, or even enjoy a good concert or stage show. Even more disheartened than patrons are business owners, artistes and events promoters who rely on various aspects of the entertainment industry for their livelihood.
Radio Host and Events Promoter, Paul “DJ Stress” Bonar had lots to share when asked to comment on the struggles faced by players within the entertainment industry.
“A lot of the artistes really struggle; they were looking forward for booking for concerts, the staff parties, the weddings and the various other activities,” Bonar lamented.
He also reflected on the struggles of owners of sound systems who have also been forced out of an income due to the deadly coronavirus.
“Some people took loans to buy speakers and amplifiers and all that; they depended on their business. You also have many of the DJs who work along with the sound systems; all that came to a total halt. Some of these guys may have kids, so it was a struggle,” Bonar highlighted.

He said that although the news of oil and gas brought much hope to many, the pandemic, coupled with the violence and tensions emanating from Guyana’s protracted General and Regional Elections, rubbished all feelings of optimism.
“Nobody wanted to do weddings and all of that. Everything became stifled. Because of our nature and lifestyle as Guyanese, people became depressed. I saw DJ and entertainers tripping on things that were mediocre,” the radio personality posited.
Speaking about the frustrations faced by music producers, artistes and recording studios, Bonar said: “It has been difficult and frustrating to our creative minds. Some of these DJs, they used to be hired by the resorts and hotels for anniversaries and birthdays and so, the musicians, studios, singers, all are out of business. It is a domino effect.”
The promoter also touched on the effects that the stifled entertainment industry has had on the mental health of Guyanese.
“There is a lack of avenues for entertainment and recreation…people at home, recreation is stifled…kids are mostly on tablets. This will have

effects on people’s mental health and eventually our health system in general,” Bonar said.

COLLECTING DUST
Meanwhile, Stephanie George, co-owner of Vault Night Club in Bushlot, West Coast Berbice indicated that the once thriving venue has been reduced to a dust-collecting dance floor with a few tables and chairs. George and her husband, Romell Jagroop were also forced to dismiss their staff and focus on alternative sources of income.
“One of the bartenders, we ended up taking her on to work at the gas station, but we had to dismiss about seven other staff…we did give them something for the holidays, but still, we couldn’t keep them on,” George told this publication.
She lamented that the COVID-19 protocols seem to be affecting many people differently, noting: “In town, there are all these businesses of a similar nature that are allowed to open and go about their business…some, under the pretext of restaurants. It is not fair to the rest of us.”
She explained that had it not been for the family’s investments in other essential businesses, the losses would have been even heftier and anguish would have resonated throughout the holiday season. The family also operates a gas station as well as a construction company.

SWITCHING RHYTHM
Kerwin Bollers of Hits and Jams Entertainment also shared similar sentiments, stressing the importance of business diversification and the entertainment industry’s ability to adapt and examine alternatives.
“It has been a very difficult period,” Bollers asserted, adding that his company has been battling the ‘waves,’ and was even forced to lay off a number of its employees due to the constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bollers is hopeful that 2021 would bring good news, and that the advent of a COVID-19 vaccine would result in containment of the virus, which would gradually bring the world back to some level of normalcy.

But even with hope, Bollers and his team are still examining alternative ways of showcasing talents and entertaining the people of Guyana.
“What we would have noticed, especially in the US, is that promoters are looking at new options in how to implement systems so that people can go back out to events…we want to keep monitoring what is happening in the international market to see how practical some of those methods would work in Guyana,” Bollers said.
As it is, many entities, including Government Ministries have been investing in hosting virtual activities, including concerts and exhibitions.
“I believe that virtual activities will continue throughout 2021, because even with the vaccine and so, many people are very skeptical as to whether or not they will take the vaccine,” Bollers noted.

GOING VIRTUAL IS NOT SUSTAINABLE
The promoter noted that even though many of the virtual activities have been well-received, they are not feasible in the long run.
“We still have not found a way how we could monetize that process; even in the first world,” Bollers said.
He believes that even if there was a way for the audience to be asked to pay to view an activity, it would not be a fair-minded request.
“A lot of people are out of jobs, money is not flowing the way it used to…it is really difficult to ask persons to subscribe to payments, knowing what a lot of people are faced with during this pandemic,” Bollers told Chronicle Business.
He said that even though it may seem simple, virtual activities are quite expensive, and, in some cases, cost even more than the hosting of a physical activity.

‘KEEP AT IT’
President of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Dr. Vindhya Persaud also reflected on some of the struggles her organisation has faced during the last ten months.
“Most of our activities are very family oriented; people have not been able to come out as a family, most people are at home; people are also trying their best to stay safe, so that kind of social interaction has been missing,” Dr. Persaud noted.
She noted that while virtual activities are good alternatives, they still cannot fill the void of attending and participating physically in an activity.
“We did do a virtual motorcade and it was well-received, but nothing can replace an actual motorcade with thousands of people…it’s a hallmark of Diwali in Guyana,” Dr. Persaud said.
She explained that artistes attached to the Dharmic Sabha have also had a difficult time, but continue to utilise technology as a mechanism to continue doing what they love.
“But, I do believe that they (performers) like to feed off of the synergy of the natural live audiences. While many of them continue to perform and do live collaborations and that kind of thing, nothing can compare to being in a live venue,” Dr. Persaud asserted.

She told the Chronicle Business that even with COVID-19 the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha has not been stagnant in its operations.
“We have held online classes, we’ve been doing continuous training in all disciplines, but in terms of performances, we are still examining that,” Dr. Persaud said.
She also lamented the need for more persons to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines, so that Guyana can recover faster and move closer to normalcy.
In the meantime, she is also encouraging performers to keep the faith and continue training and utilising technology as a means of promoting their talents.
“It is still a way of getting exposure and a way of networking…and also a good way of having people beyond the borders of the country see what they can do,” Dr. Persaud advised.