A 10th-rate British foot-traveller came to Guyana at the beginning of this year and went about filming in Georgetown. He filmed parts of Georgetown that suited his rotten mentality. He showed a large garbage dump, an insane fellow in the street where he was filming, and places he was told were too dangerous to visit.

Here is what he posted: “Brutally honest. Guyana is one of the most Third World places we’ve ever been to. I didn’t expect it because I heard about all the wealth this country has recently accrued [sic] through oil. And I thought it was going to be a lot nicer.”

There are two criticisms that have to be made about the twisted mind of Riding. One is, he may be an agent of an opposition party and that party most probably is WIN. Alternatively, this man may be an unadulterated liar who  probably never visited other countries across the world.

Let us expose the deceptions of Riding. I start with my trip to Miami in 2000. I went to look after my eyes at the Bascom-Palmer Eye Institute which was arranged by the Jesuits here in Guyana and in Miami through the instrumentality of Father Andre Morrison.

It was late afternoon, when I came out of surgery and was advised at that time, not to wait for a bus because that spot where I have to catch the bus was lonely and dangerous so to take a taxi.  I was leaving early the morning for Guyana and needed to see the Jesuit priest that arranged for my hospital treatment.

So, I called him to tell him I want to come around. He advised not to come at that time of the night because it was dangerous.

This was in 2000 in Miami in the then richest country in the world. Imagine what it is like now 25 years after. One more thing before we talk about Riding’s choices of places to film. When he took his first vacation after becoming Prime Minister of UK, Mr. Blair chose to be a guest of his friend in Italy. The authorities in Italy got into action right away. The nearby beach was so dirty that they didn’t want Blair to go there to see the trash.

Riding is a congenital dullard. Any human can take a camera to any country in the world and produce unpleasant surroundings and dangerous areas. The tour guide told my daughter’s touring party to stick together because of the pick-pocket scourge in Rome. My daughter’s hotel room in Rome did not have hot water.

There aren’t strong words to describe the mental repugnancy of Riding. You can take a video camera on the New York subway and what you see will scare you to death. Did Riding ever ride take the New York subway? The answer is no and if he says yes, he is lying. New York is not part of the Third World, but when Riding sees what he will see on the subway, he will call New York part of the Third World.

You can take a video camera to dozens of high schools in American inner cities and what you see will cause you to decline a million dollars a month if they employ you at one of those schools. You will not live long to enjoy your million so why take the job? So far, I have not referenced any country in the Global South because I want readers to be familiar with what goes on in the wealthiest countries in the world.

It appears that Mr. Riding has not visited any of the richest countries in the West. That is why I describe him above as a charlatan. He should visit them, then he will see how safe and beautiful is Guyana and the Caribbean.

But Riding has an agenda. Whoever paid Riding told him to go out there and embarrass Guyana by showing unpleasant things in Georgetown that you can find in all the countries in the world, perhaps with the exception of South Korea, North Korea, Singapore and China.

Mr. Riding featured a homeless man in his video and he is heard on the video telling his wife (what she saw in Riding?) that they must leave the street before he attacks them. In the capital city of any country, even South Korea, you will encounter people of unsound mind. I end this column without mentioning any Third World country because I think I have made my point.

I end on this note. I think a majority of people in the world will disagree with me that the best Jack Lemmon movie is “Avanti,” but it is for me. The sub-plot of that film is that Italy as a country does not function.

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.