Dear Editor,
THE pessimistic phrase, “Not all that starts well, ends well,” is a direct contradiction to the optimistic proverb, “All’s well that ends well.” The much-anticipated weekend commenced well with President, Dr Irfaan Ali’s announcement of naming a few Permanent Secretaries and Presidential advisers, some members of his ministerial Cabinet and Members of Parliament, which ended a prolonged week of sustained suspense.

The blend of maturity, professionalism, academia, exposure, experience, expertise, and youth savoured a taste for an insatiable appetite. However, a few changes and surprises certainly stirred the pot of interest and added the speculative ingredient, raising eyebrows and causing slight indigestion. Nevertheless, congratulations are in order for all the appointees to their respective positions, and we wish them well.

The weekend did not end well. Saturday night and Sunday were marred with two accidents resulting in three deaths and injuries in Essequibo and Berbice. A murder-suicide impacted the Crabwood Creek village in Berbice. The hinterland was not spared when a fatal stabbing incident occurred. A total of six deaths ruptured the celebratory mood of the country that was engaged in the PPP/C once again being elected and occupying the seat as a government with the majority lead.

The ugly head of the national environmental issue, portraying noise nuisance, disrupted the peace that this PPP/C government is desperately promulgating for the nation to participate in. The poisonous fangs clawed their way once again into the Leonora crevice and unfortunately, law-enforcement agencies failed to castrate this cancerous problem, which is plaguing this entire nation.

The overspilling of garbage left unattended and posing a health hazard did not escape the sanitation menu. Flies, mosquitoes, insects, dogs, and cats feast on this sumptuous meal, let alone the stench and smell “perfuming” the air!

Minister Oneidge Walrond has changed uniform and is now in command at the Ministry of Home Affairs. She is in the hot seat of a towering inferno, which promises no help from any cooling system. It is a growing pain for one of the most sensitive situations facing the nation, upon which the safety and security of all Guyanese depend. Welcome to the circle where crime and corruption circumnambulate and corrode the very core in all communities!

As if to test the water, Minister Walrond has been greeted with the sad news of six Guyanese losing their lives over the weekend. The tragic circumstances unfolded when the very tender fabrics that knit the home, the community, and the nation went amiss—discipline, patience, and common sense. It stems from lack of control over our mindset, leading us to the dangerous path of destruction and turning a blind eye to law and order.

Our roads are stripped of any heavenly abode and paved with a pathway to hell. The absence of the five Cs—care, caution, consideration, courtesy, and common sense—does grossly contribute to road users becoming accident-prone on a persistent basis, some losing their lives in the worst scenarios.
The key element of failing to understand the meaning of respect for one another, do contribute to children, teenagers, and adults being physically and psychologically abused, molested, and wasted, regardless of gender, sex, or status. Perhaps the theory of composure, including commitment, compromise, compassion, compatibility, and communication, is found wanting.
The use and abuse of excessive alcohol consumption is very prevalent throughout the country. It is the fastest pastime in Guyana, as Guyanese seek this form of activity for entertainment and recreational purposes. This relaxation exercise often has severe repercussions, not to overlook: physical and mental health issues, family problems, unemployment, domestic violence, crime, homelessness and impaired judgement.

Noise nuisance is an endemic anomaly which perpetually plagues all communities throughout the length and breadth of Guyana on a daily and persistent basis. Some repercussions include physical health and mental issues, societal and environmental issues and problems for the animals. Leonora feeds the spread of this disease.

Unscrupulous garbage disposal by the business community did not miss the radar. The wanton recklessness of not sensitising to maintain a clean, safe, and healthy ambience went amiss, as is evident in a particular business entity in the popular Leonora village.

The descriptive, above-mentioned scenarios portray the sad state of affairs that populate the social complications and implications that undermine the standard of living in Guyana, preventing Guyanese from enjoying some basic human rights. This credibility is unmerited and unwanted and needs to be addressed immediately for appropriate preventative measures and must be dealt with condignly.

The new Minister of Local Government, the Honourable Priya Manickchand, has hit the ground running from day one. Others will of course follow suit in her precedence. But of paramount importance will be the execution of duties from Minister Vindhya Persaud from the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and Minister Walrond to help repair the damage, meted out in this fragile society while engaging the services of Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony and also Minister Manickchand.

His Excellency, President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo did allude to the cleansing of communities and providing protection to villagers for their safety, security, comfort, and health. This will encounter a provision for commercial areas to accommodate business entities and an industrial site to field factories and mechanical shops.
As was publicly announced on global programmes by the Ministry of Housing, bars and nightclubs are prohibited from being licensed in residential areas, and the Minister of Legal Affairs did warn that noise nuisance constitutes a criminal offence. The police are mandated to do what is right by doing their duty. Will the police co-operate? This is a new beginning and it needs to finish well.
Yours respectfully,
Jai Lall.