Airport and internet blues

Dear Editor,
I was awaiting the new year before penning a letter, but after seeing our President appealing to our young people studying abroad to return home upon completing their studies to work here, I’ve decided to pen this letter. On Tuesday 29thDecember I journeyed to the airport to collect my mother-in-law and incidentally the flight got postponed until 12md so we’ve decided since we’re already there we could wait the few hours because we had our own transportation. In quick succession other flights started to come in and the airport quickly got busy with people bustling around. Whilst we were waiting in the vehicle, we started to observe men (mostly young) that were poorly dressed following the passengers and the Red Caps (airport’s porter/bag handlers). We became suspicious and started watching them secretly to see what they are about. To our amazement, these men would quickly swoop in and start putting the people’s suitcase in the vehicles that the visitors/emigrants/immigrants travelling in. When finished they requests payment.
I am aware that there’s a job shortage in Guyana and have no issues when one does something legally to earn money instead of turning to crime but looking at these men operated I feel disgust. When they offered one thousand dollars for their assistance (which was not solicited) they vehemently rejected that and request more, citing how many of them assisted (some time 5-6 of them helping to put 2-3 suitcases in a vehicle) and started expressing themselves in a menacingly manner to the people. This causes them to show fear and ended up paying three thousand dollars and above.
They would ask what one thousand dollars could do. Bottom line is that this is barefaced exploitation for someone to fork out four thousand dollars and above to pay just for pushing three suitcases from inside the airport to their vehicle. I’ve also noticed a line of yellow cars with drivers neatly dressed with their cream shirt-jacks at the airport by why do they have to approach passengers and to enquiry if the person needs a taxi? System should be in place that if someone needs a taxi, they could request from such from the airport personnel and he/she notify the driver at the first in line. Why can’t they work in a turn system instead of pestering people as soon as they exit the airport and even when that person reply in negative, other drivers still continues to ask?
Some even pushing their face/head close to the person which is highly annoying and distracting, especially if the person looking for their family/friends. Is this what the government wants visitors/immigrants/entrepreneurs to experience in Guyana?
Editor, over the years, numerous complaints have been made against our internet providers nothing have been done and with this change in government I am still waiting to see some results. As it stands presently, we are paying over twenty two hundred dollars per month for internet service on our mobile phones and amazingly when you expect unlimited access, users/subscribers in Guyana cannot enjoy that freedom because if you exceed certain megabytes, you are disconnected.
A simple breakdown is, if you upload/download certain amount of videos you will not be able to use the internet because chances are you’ve exceeded you allocated usage, even if you just activate your monthly plan. Over the years, GT&T would majestically introduce some new promotion with regards of their internet service and in some cases, request an increase for the better service they’re introducing.
Many people would immediately jump at the opportunity only to be greatly disappointed a few days after when they cannot find an increase in the service they are getting. There are many newly established villages that have access to phone lines and many like Zeelugt is without even though Zeelugt is one of the most highly populated area’s in Guyana. Over the years, the residents have gotten all sort of excuses, the last being with one PPP/C Councilor going around asking the residents to sign some form and the PPP/C would ensure they get landlines/telephone lines if they are elected back into office so the residents must vote for them. Because of the lack of telephone lines, many people who have relatives and families dependent on internet opted to get the service of the various wireless provider and they have to pay an astounding five to six or seven to nine thousand dollars for the monthly service.
Because I know about computers, many of these subscribers would ask me to check to see if anything’s wrong with their computer (especially Alantic Wireless Network and Globspan) and knowing the results, I would tell them only to hear them started venting their anger. I have tried many time to speak to the manager via phone and in person and always get an excuse. I reach the point where I am contemplating of getting a list of the users in various villages and taking it to the PUC and also seeking legal actions against these companies but I might ended up going into a lost battle because amazingly, these same providers are extending their greedy tentacles in other regions It’s hell to when trying to open yahoo mail and Stabroek News online edition. Is this the kind of service our President is asking people to come back and live under?
Finally Editor, it’s with greatly disappointing to hear the new rule what GPL is forcing on commuters and for a long time now, those already with post paid meters are asking for a change over to the pre-paid only to be told that they don’t have stock. If one is to use a pre-paid meter these new rules could not be enforced on them, but then again, amidst all their promises that this Government made whilst campaigning and failing tremendously to fulfill the still sees it fitting to instill more hardship on Guyanese although they reward themselves a huge salary increase. This is surely a good life for all!
Happy New Years as we brace ourselves to see what more we have to endure!
Sahadeo Bates