THE notion of a transforming Guyana is talked about every day, and, admittedly, there is evidence of this all around. Even with new roads and housing developments, which do indeed help to lift people’s standard of living, I believe Guyana’s true transformation lies in the realisation of improved conditions for all.
A few days ago, on our 56th Independence anniversary, a family living in a farming community called Barnwell, located aback Mocha on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), experienced the worst tragedy imaginable. Early that morning, perhaps minutes after the Golden Arrowhead was hoisted at midnight, three young children perished in a fire.
The blaze claimed the lives of eight-year-old Timothy Kippins, six-year-old Triston Kippins, and one-year-old Zhalia Flue, who were all trapped in the one-storey wooden building. Their mother, a security guard, was at work.
This one incident alone, in my opinion, is a microcosm of many of the issues that continue to plague us. First, I think about the mother who, in the middle of the night, while many of us were tucked snugly in our beds, was at work earning a living. That a young mother has to choose to leave her children at home in their humble abode in a remote community with limited amenities tells us all that the family was not as well-off as we hope all people can be in this oil-producing economy.
Poverty alleviation should be a key priority in any nation, not just Guyana. And as we continue to grapple with the disproportionate impacts of global events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine/Russia crisis, we should be conscious of how the most vulnerable in our society are affected.
Yes, we’ve seen efforts from the government to cushion the harsh impact of these challenges. And yes, I can appreciate that prudent fiscal management is needed to save the country from wildly (and recklessly) exploiting newfound wealth. Yet, when tragedies like this occur, one cannot help but hope that our representatives never waver from the pursuit of creating a better country with better conditions for all. Any deviation from that path would lead us to many more Barnwell tragedies, and we simply cannot allow that.
On the Barnwell tragedy again, surely, questions would arise about why the children were left alone, but I am not in the habit of blaming anyone, especially young, working mothers, without knowing the full extent of their circumstances. And already, members of the public were offered some insight into the woman’s plight and circumstances.
That brings me to the second issue spotlighted by this tragedy: domestic violence. The young mother who lost three of her four children told reporters that she shared a relationship with an abusive ex-boyfriend. That man, she alleged, threatened to kill and bury her and burn her house down. She suspected that he may have been involved in the children’s demise, though the Guyana Fire Service stated that the fire was electrical in nature.
Regardless of the cause of the fire, we cannot ignore that this young woman had to grapple with abuse for some time. She spoke out about the threats she received, one being that she would be harmed on her way to work. And I can’t help but wonder- did this abuse contribute to her living circumstances? Did she choose to live quite behind Mocha because that was the only place she could afford on her own? Did she leave the children at home because she feared they might’ve gotten hurt had she taken them elsewhere?
We cannot divorce her experience with abuse from her earnest attempts at making a living for herself and her family, and we cannot discount the woman’s abuse from the unfortunate event. We should not blame this woman for what happened to her children, nor should we forget that domestic violence remains a scourge in our society that demands our concerted efforts to combat it.
Finally, I think about the community of Barnwell at large. Having trekked down the impassable road for 10 fields, the residents’ calls for a better road are understandable. The Fire Service itself stated that those roads made it impossible for the fire engines to get to the burning house; firefighters instead were forced to trek through the mud.
Bad roads are an everyday complaint and one that, perhaps, the government is keen on addressing, given its large budgetary allocations and new developments. Despite best efforts, though, one cannot ignore the fact that just one bad road- just one overlooked space- may result in a collective failure. Again, we cannot allow this.
As a Guyanese youth, I look to the country’s future with much hope and anticipation. Though cynicism may sometimes best me, I believe that all people can enjoy a better quality of life right here if we continue advocating, questioning, supporting, and working towards that goal. In doing so, I believe that we can prevent future Barnwell tragedies.
If you would like to connect with me to discuss this column or any of my previous works, feel free to email me at vish14ragobeer@gmail.com
