By Francis Quamina Farrier
IT’S one day before Valentine’s Day and love is in the air. Not only on the coastland, but on the islands, the grasslands, the swamplands, the valleys, hills and mountains, as well as the savannahs beyond the Pakaraimas and the Kanuku Mountain ranges. In every one of the country’s regions, LOVE BLOOMS and BLOSSOMS on Valentine’s Day and in between. At the Tourist Resort at Hurakabra, seen in the photograph, which is located a few miles north of Bartica, on the West Bank of the Essequibo River, guests enjoy a game of volleyball on the sandy beach. In the distance are islands in the Essequibo River. Some of those islands, such as Fort Island at the left, are populated. Many of the other islands in the Essequibo River have just a few homesteads. Others are uninhabited. However, the Tourist Resort at Hurakabra, which is actually located on the West Bank of the Essequibo River, can be regarded as special. Those who visit that resort are both Guyanese and foreigners. Quite a number of them are married couples who spend quality time together.

Around Fort Island are a number of other islands which are smaller and unpopulated or sparsely populated. Nonetheless, in these relatively unknown locations, love still blossoms and blooms. We have heard of the birds and the bees, and they all sing their love songs year round. Young people, and even some mature and single persons, do fall in love and get married or establish relationships and live together as loving partners. For most of them, Valentine’s Day is really just another day to be loving and kind to the person who share their lives in a special way. Together they raise families and make contributions to Guyana, the country of their birth, and the country which they love.

Lovers and married couples from the coastland and even from abroad, visit the Essequibo tourist resorts and spend quality and romantic time together. At the resort seen in the accompanying photograph, the younger tourists who are not necessarily couples, are seen playing a game of volleyball on the beach. For them, it is a different kind of love – love of life itself. And even though there is the horrid COVID-19 pandemic – call it Mr COVID who wants to steal Valentine’s Day from the embrace of young and not-so-young lovers and married couples, LOVE and ROMANCE still prevail. Afterall, it is VALENTINE’S DAY. While cultures are usually static in most communities and countries for the better part, in some segments of those very cultures there are sometimes gentle or dramatic changes. But be it romantic or patriotic, or the love of a talent, most individuals do give their hearts to someone or something which they hold very special and most dear. Happy Valentine’s Day!