By Vanessa Cort

FROM the time the President announced the $200,000 cash disbursement to every household in the country, Georgetown was abuzz.
And the comments have been many and varied. Some market vendors on Water Street were complaining that it is not enough.
“De government can do better dan dat”, one vendor shouted, while others nodded in agreement. Another jokingly said: “Some people gun get put out, cause nuff ah dem living in one house!”
And a passerby called out. “Y’all ain been complainin so loud before yuh hear bout it. So yuh betta collect de money an DEN complain!” Everyone laughed.

Many said that it was about time government made such a move, because our population is less than 1 million people and oil is earning millions every day.
“Dey could do dis every year”, one man said, while another suggested that every ID holder should be a recipient.

On the whole there was joy at the announcement, with one woman standing at ‘Mocha road head’ waiting for a bus saying, “I gun buy mih groceries in bulk…bag rice, bad sugar an suh”.
Another ‘chipped in’, “Some ah dem gun just party wid duh money, dey ain tinkin constructively”.

Another woman said simply, “I glad cause is money I doan have dat I gun get”. But everyone still felt the government could do better.
So when the President announced the revised plan to distribute $100,000 to every household, folks were generally happier.
Lively chat in a mini bus later that day saw many announcing their approval of the new plan.

“It gun be much easier for dem to share out de cheques now”, one man remarked. “But I kyaan understand why dey cut de money”, another lamented, “…dey could still afford to give every ID card holder de $200,000”!
Everyone seemed to be in agreement that the money should remain at $200,000.
The other point on which all agreed was that the money should be disbursed every year and not as a one-off payment.

“We mekkin millions off we oil”, said one man. “I doan see why dey kyaan share dis amount every year”.”Dat would mek a real difference…especially fuh people wid families”, chimed in a woman with a child on her lap.
Later in the day, while in another mini-bus, this time headed to Crown and Irving Streets, I was amused by the comments offered by the driver on a different subject.
He told a clearly frustrated and impatient driver, headed in the opposite direction, “If ya can’t handle de pressure of driving on Regent Street, then drive anodda street”, to which all the passengers laughed.

Then, noting the agitation of the conductor with a passenger who called out at the last minute for her stop, he said: “You ain gun deh in dis wuk long…I can tell you doan have de patience”, more laughter.
We three proceeded to discuss how some passengers may be distracted during their journey and forget to call the stop when they should.

Once again the driver jovially said. ” Like sometimes a man might get a call from he partner asking fuh money…all like me I doan answer mih wife sometimes cause if she start talkin bout money she would definitely distract me”!

When I called my stop early, there was more laughter as the conductor commented, ” Well one ting…you learnin”. I stepped off the bus with a smile on my face, thinking how awkward situations can be offset with a little Guyanese humour.