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Finally got around to posting this. I spent several days in Guyana in April: Georgetown, Guyana Zoo, the Seawall, New Amsterdam and Bartica. My observations may seem naïve, I don’t know as much of the country as you people here. I can post pix later if anyone interested.

Airport: You know you are in a poor Third World country when you have to walk for 10 minutes from the airplane, in pouring rain, through constructed zone, to get to the taxi.

Georgetown: The city takes its name from Stabroek (before 1812). It was a farmland before it became a seaport. The Dutch forced the Amerindians and African slaves to build the sea wall to keep the water out because the city is below sea level. The streets were bustling with activities. Dem mini bus and taxi drivers are hustlers and will really drag your ass into their buses.

Contrary to what you might read on GNI, I saw many young mixed couples, Afro, Indo and Amerindians. Afros and Indos were sitting side by side selling their organic produce, getting along very well. Banks also had workers of all races.

I ate some weird fruits called Star Apple, Soursappy and a Sapodilla…they were great!

GT was not entirely clean. It was sad to see displaced persons sleeping in front of Parliament.

I tried getting in Parliament to see one of the sessions, but was not allowed because I wore a t-shirt.

New Amsterdam: This is a ghost town at night. Looked very depressing, not as crowded as GT, but lots of new buildings and hotels going up. Either people were very rich or very poor. Almost every Guyanese I spoke to had relatives abroad and were themselves planning to go abroad. I was told I could travel to Mara and to Corrivaton to see the end of Berbice, but we had no time.

Most of the businesses seemed owned and managed by Indians, Pitt Street being the busiest.  

Bartica: This was a long ass trip on speedboat to nowhere. Scary boat ride, nice but strange place, difficult to identify the race of many people, nothing like GT or New Amsterdam. Some people spoke Spanish, some were Amerindians and others looked like mixed race people. A lot of dem look like they into the gold mining industry. Thought I was in a different country.

Respect: I was impressed with the respect and hospitality people displayed. Every body says “good marning” and expect you to do the same.

Racial conflict: I did not experience cases of racial conflict where people cuss down each other like some of you knuckleheads do every minute on GNI. Everybody seems to be struggling to earn a living and Indos and Afros got along fine.

Crime: I was warned to hide my money and jewelry. I did not see or experience any crime or felt threatened in any way in any of these cities. I did see many Indians who seem timid and acted like they were guests in GT. Afros were more confident. However, crime does seem to be a concern for many business owners.

One day, a crowd built up near Demico House…this seems like a popular spot. An Indo priest (a Hindu in yellow robe) and an Afro were debating religion. The Afro pointed out that Hindus were racist because of the caste system, while the Indo pointed out that Hindus are not influenced by caste in Guyana. Bystanders got involved too, but it was a friendly parlay.

Amerindians: There were many Amerindians in GT. Whoever said these people like to live in the interior is dead wrong. They spoke perfect English and many worked in the hotels.

Government Offices: Many of the government offices (Immigration, Airport, Post Office, Dept of Foreign Affairs, Culture, etc) were run by a majority of Afros. I tried getting into GECOM (since it been in the news) but the office was fenced in and the entry doors were in chains. I went to the Post Office and some of the Ministries. I suppose if I had visited Guyana during the PPP time, these government offices would have been occupied by a majority Indos.

Mini bus: I wanted the “mini bus experience”. I sat in the front seat. The driver and conductor were Indos. On the way to New Amsterdam, I noticed the driver singing along to what he explained was “chutney” music. Two Afros came in, then the conductor, with urgency, told the driver to play “dub” music, which I take to mean non-Indian music. I asked him later why he would stop the music in the middle while he was enjoying it, he said “dem black people does fight up” so he kept a stack of cassettes for that purpose. I asked him if he would do the same if an Indo make the same request. He said, “den Indians like any type of music, dey don’t mind”.

Overall, Guyana does seem like a very depressed country. Hopefully, the oil economy may change some of that and enhance the lives of all Guyanese.

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VishMahabir posted:

Georgetown: Contrary to what you might read on GNI, I saw many young mixed couples, Afro, Indo and Amerindians. Afros and Indos were sitting side by side selling their organic produce, getting along very well. Banks also had workers of all races.

I ate some weird fruits called Star Apple, Soursappy and a Sapodilla…they were great!

GT was not entirely clean. It was sad to see displaced persons sleeping in front of Parliament.

I tried getting in Parliament to see one of the sessions, but was not allowed because I wore a t-shirt.

Racial conflict: I did not experience cases of racial conflict where people cuss down each other like some of you knuckleheads do every minute on GNI. Everybody seems to be struggling to earn a living and Indos and Afros got along fine.

 

Government Offices: Many of the government offices (Immigration, Airport, Post Office, Dept of Foreign Affairs, Culture, etc) were run by a majority of Afros. I tried getting into GECOM (since it been in the news) but the office was fenced in and the entry doors were in chains. I went to the Post Office and some of the Ministries. I suppose if I had visited Guyana during the PPP time, these government offices would have been occupied by a majority Indos.

My comments on your observations:

a. Yes, the racism is not overt in the majority of cases unless there is political unrest. For the most part blacks and Indians live in peace next to each other. However, each will most likely vote for their ethnicity during elections, largely because of fear of the other side. Indians fear black (PNC) rule and blacks fear Indian (PPP) rule. That is the dilemma.

b. The fruit is "soursapp". A soursappy is someone like Skeldon Man.

c. The state of GT tells you a lot about Guyanese. During colonial times and even as late as the late 70's the city was known as the Garden City. We Guyanese have let it decline to what it is now. There is no one else to blame.

d. Your experience at parliament is amusing, yet it tells you about us. We are big into pomp and ceremony and trifling little things, yet we miss the bigger picture. Most of those sitting in parliament are corrupt dunces, yet you get thrown out because you wore a T shirt. If only they would be this diligent about the people who serve there.

e. The govt. offices still would be majority Afros under the PPP. This is part of the bickering - blacks in the civil service and armed forces, Indians in private industry and business.

Thanks for posting the info on your visit.

FM

This VishMahabir is a seasoned Guyanese who plays dead to see who is coming to his funeral. Gwana man, the fruit is not Soursapp; it is "Soursop". I take it Iguanas donot eat soursop leaves. The fruit skin is kind of prickly. Not sure you have ever seen one.

FM
cain posted:

Oi Vish, how come only now you mention you ah bin back in April? I got a feelin you been back five years ago but losin your memory.

My notes were in my school flashdrive...found it while cleaning up.

V
skeldon_man posted:

Gwana man, the fruit is not Soursapp; it is "Soursop". I take it Iguanas donot eat soursop leaves. The fruit skin is kind of prickly. Not sure you have ever seen one.

nah, we don't eat it. Too sweet. Duz give we iguanas diabetes. You right about "sop". Yuh high falutin', hoity toity accent is noted even though yuh come from de bush!

FM
Last edited by Former Member
VishMahabir posted:
Nehru posted:

VERY DISORGANIZED i MUST SAY.

Been busy with summer school banna...trying to get my edumacation, so I can tackle some of these knuckleheads on GNI...like Mitwah. 

Nuff hay bin August month school back in Guyana.....

GTAngler
skeldon_man posted:

This VishMahabir is a seasoned Guyanese who plays dead to see who is coming to his funeral. Gwana man, the fruit is not Soursapp; it is "Soursop". I take it Iguanas donot eat soursop leaves. The fruit skin is kind of prickly. Not sure you have ever seen one.

The fruit is soursop. True.  Now coming to Vish. I think there's more to him than what he's leading us to believe. Just my gut feeling nothing more. Lol.

Sheik101

The airport is still under construction, but getting there slowly.

from reliable sources inside the aircraft,  this morning a flight from Canada had to abort its landing after the pilot notice an animal sitting on the runway. 

Pilot had to take the aircraft 3000 miles  back in the air, scary for passengers. 

Unfortunately, 5 investors were on board. Not a good start. 

 

FM
Dave posted:

The airport is still under construction, but getting there slowly.

from reliable sources inside the aircraft,  this morning a flight from Canada had to abort its landing after the pilot notice an animal sitting on the runway. 

Pilot had to take the aircraft 3000 miles  back in the air, scary for passengers. 

Unfortunately, 5 investors were on board. Not a good start. 

 

Bhai stop making up stories. Planes fly an average of 7 miles high. 

Mitwah
Dave posted:

The airport is still under construction, but getting there slowly.

from reliable sources inside the aircraft,  this morning a flight from Canada had to abort its landing after the pilot notice an animal sitting on the runway. 

Pilot had to take the aircraft 3000 miles  back in the air, scary for passengers. 

Unfortunately, 5 investors were on board. Not a good start. 

 

Sorry typo erro 300 ft.

FM
Dave posted:
Dave posted:

The airport is still under construction, but getting there slowly.

from reliable sources inside the aircraft,  this morning a flight from Canada had to abort its landing after the pilot notice an animal sitting on the runway. 

Pilot had to take the aircraft 3000 miles  back in the air, scary for passengers. 

Unfortunately, 5 investors were on board. Not a good start. 

 

Sorry typo erro 300 ft.

..real bumpy ride. 3000 miles to 300 feet. LMAO.

FM
Iguana posted:
Dave posted:
Dave posted:

The airport is still under construction, but getting there slowly.

from reliable sources inside the aircraft,  this morning a flight from Canada had to abort its landing after the pilot notice an animal sitting on the runway. 

Pilot had to take the aircraft 3000 miles  back in the air, scary for passengers. 

Unfortunately, 5 investors were on board. Not a good start. 

 

Sorry typo erro 300 ft.

..real bumpy ride. 3000 miles to 300 feet. LMAO.

You ***** still in the forest .. I man say typo error 

FM
Dave posted:
Iguana posted:
Dave posted:
Dave posted:

The airport is still under construction, but getting there slowly.

from reliable sources inside the aircraft,  this morning a flight from Canada had to abort its landing after the pilot notice an animal sitting on the runway. 

Pilot had to take the aircraft 3000 miles  back in the air, scary for passengers. 

Unfortunately, 5 investors were on board. Not a good start. 

 

Sorry typo erro 300 ft.

..real bumpy ride. 3000 miles to 300 feet. LMAO.

You ***** still in the forest .. I man say typo error 

LMFAO!!!! Pilot aborted landing and the plane only went back up 300 feet "in the air". God help this drunk man stop posting!

FM
VishMahabir posted:

New Amsterdam: This is a ghost town at night. Looked very depressing, not as crowded as GT, but lots of new buildings and hotels going up. Either people were very rich or very poor. Almost every Guyanese I spoke to had relatives abroad and were themselves planning to go abroad. I was told I could travel to Mara and to Corrivaton to see the end of Berbice, but we had no time.

Most of the businesses seemed owned and managed by Indians, Pitt Street being the busiest.  

 

What happened to the Chinese and Portugese? Most of the Indian Business men moved during the PPP reign. Did you meet Alphonso who was deported from St Vincent? What happened to the Ho House that used to be above Pet Malloo?

When did you really visited?

Mitwah
Last edited by Mitwah
Iguana posted:
Dave posted:
Iguana posted:
Dave posted:
Dave posted:

The airport is still under construction, but getting there slowly.

from reliable sources inside the aircraft,  this morning a flight from Canada had to abort its landing after the pilot notice an animal sitting on the runway. 

Pilot had to take the aircraft 3000 miles  back in the air, scary for passengers. 

Unfortunately, 5 investors were on board. Not a good start. 

 

Sorry typo erro 300 ft.

..real bumpy ride. 3000 miles to 300 feet. LMAO.

You ***** still in the forest .. I man say typo error 

LMFAO!!!! Pilot aborted landing and the plane only went back up 300 feet "in the air". God help this drunk man stop posting!

Stop making yourself a Jackass. Your drunk-in brother at the pave needs help..ha ha ha ha

FM
Mitwah posted:

Dave, stop making up stories. 

You’re the next dummy, I will go slow for your vision  impairment ..I quote a “reliable source “from inside the plane .

Dont let my poor translation affect you and Guanna man. 

FM
Dave posted:
Mitwah posted:

Dave, stop making up stories. 

You’re the next dummy, I will go slow for your vision  impairment ..I quote a “reliable source “from inside the plane .

Dont let my poor translation affect you and Guanna man. 

Reliable source translates to "meh mecking this one up".  

Mitwah
Mitwah posted:
Dave posted:
Mitwah posted:

Dave, stop making up stories. 

You’re the next dummy, I will go slow for your vision  impairment ..I quote a “reliable source “from inside the plane .

Dont let my poor translation affect you and Guanna man. 

Reliable source translates to "meh mecking this one up".  

Go take another shot of bush rum and feel good. 

FM
Dave posted:
 

Go take another shot of bush rum and feel good. 

Arite, I know yuh speaking from your personal experience, experimenting with various other substances; you are not making this one up. 

Mitwah
Mitwah posted:
Dave posted:
 

Go take another shot of bush rum and feel good. 

Arite, I know yuh speaking from your personal experience, experimenting with various other substances; you are not making this one up. 

Hey, you forget bush rum originate from your birth place.

so what show you had at the benabe this caribanna weekend.

 

FM
Mitwah posted:
VishMahabir posted:

New Amsterdam: This is a ghost town at night. Looked very depressing, not as crowded as GT, but lots of new buildings and hotels going up. Either people were very rich or very poor. Almost every Guyanese I spoke to had relatives abroad and were themselves planning to go abroad. I was told I could travel to Mara and to Corrivaton to see the end of Berbice, but we had no time.

Most of the businesses seemed owned and managed by Indians, Pitt Street being the busiest.  

 

What happened to the Chinese and Portugese? Most of the Indian Business men moved during the PPP reign. Did you meet Alphonso who was deported from St Vincent? What happened to the Ho House that used to be above Pet Malloo?

When did you really visited?

Push....

Mitwah
Iguana posted:
 

a. Yes, the racism is not overt in the majority of cases

Racism in the USA usually isn't overt yet I don't think that anyone will an ounce of sense will claim that there isn't a racial problem.

In Guyana racism is institutional and implicit bias.  Its the notion about who can do what job, and therefore will be given preference or be excluded. 

Its the notion that if one group dominates an institution then other groups cannot expect fair treatment.

And then all of this is then manifested in tribal voting.  The need to ensure that one's group is in power even though we know that they are completely no good.  So yes blacks will look passed PNC rigging if it means keeping Indians under "control".  Indians will look passed extreme PPP corruption if it means keeping blacks under "control".

If Guyanese don't fear each other on an ethnic basis then why is our voting as tribal as it was 61 years ago.

Those Guyanese who wail that its "all the politicians fault" are being intellectually lazy and dishonest because the same person will vote race and claim that they aren't an idiot for doing so.

Guyanese can pretty much accurately figure out the ethnicity of most people based on their political comments.  So on GNI and also true in the Guyanese papers.

Guyanese will tolerate each other until they get the anonymity of posting under pen names.  Then the hostility, usually disguised, pours out. 

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Iguana posted:
 

e. The govt. offices still would be majority Afros under the PPP. This is part of the bickering - blacks in the civil service and armed forces, Indians in private industry and business.

Thanks for posting the info on your visit.

And given the dominance if Indians as EMPLOYEES in the private sector when anyone suggests that there be fewer blacks in the public sector share panic ensues. 

It will not surprise me if people who don't like the coalition gov't fear the prospects of a Jagdeo victory even more because of the fear that any upward mobility for blacks within the public sector ends.  Yes they remember when Roger Luncheon couldn't explain why almost all CEOs of public sector entities and heads of overseas missions were Indians.

Ethnic balance in the public sector employment will not be peacefully accepted until the same occurs in the private sector.

FM
caribny posted:
Ethnic balance in the public sector employment will not be peacefully accepted until the same occurs in the private sector.

You still singing the same tune after all these years.  Banks and other major private industry only hiring Indians? You can't be referring to mom and pop family business. What is the famous survey that you keep referencing to come up with this nonsense?

FM
Drugb posted:
caribny posted:
Ethnic balance in the public sector employment will not be peacefully accepted until the same occurs in the private sector.

You still singing the same tune after all these years.  Banks and other major private industry only hiring Indians?

Go scream at the poster who says that the private sector is disproportionately Indian.  If you have evidence to contradict what almost everyone says why don't you furnish it?

I note that you don't discuss all the black senior managers who your family employs.  That would be a good place to start.  You can act like a mad cow as you try to deflect from this but your intellectual limitations prevent you from impressing me.

FM
caribny posted:
Drugb posted:
caribny posted:
Ethnic balance in the public sector employment will not be peacefully accepted until the same occurs in the private sector.

You still singing the same tune after all these years.  Banks and other major private industry only hiring Indians?

Go scream at the poster who says that the private sector is disproportionately Indian.  If you have evidence to contradict what almost everyone says why don't you furnish it?

I note that you don't discuss all the black senior managers who your family employs.  That would be a good place to start.  You can act like a mad cow as you try to deflect from this but your intellectual limitations prevent you from impressing me.

Lots of family business so the hire family.  Also the Afros dominate the civil service, so Indians head to private sector.  Natural flow of things.  

FM
caribny posted:
Drugb posted:
caribny posted:
Ethnic balance in the public sector employment will not be peacefully accepted until the same occurs in the private sector.

You still singing the same tune after all these years.  Banks and other major private industry only hiring Indians?

Go scream at the poster who says that the private sector is disproportionately Indian.  If you have evidence to contradict what almost everyone says why don't you furnish it?

I note that you don't discuss all the black senior managers who your family employs.  That would be a good place to start.  You can act like a mad cow as you try to deflect from this but your intellectual limitations prevent you from impressing me.

So some poster make claim and you run with it as fact?  Again, where is this famous survey that you keep referring to get your stats?

FM

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