IN my last Christmas column, I made the point that after writing for 35 years (this year makes 36), and doing a commentary on this particular day every year, I may have exhausted the topic. But I did get through a Christmas column last year, and I am hoping to do the same this year.
For this year, I want to look at the differences with last year but before I do so; I want to express my fear of getting depressed about where the world is going. I am typing this piece on Monday evening and the night before; I read about a horrible murder on the New York subway.
A person was murdered just three days before Christmas. When I read about this murder and ran to my wife to tell her about it. For someone to lose their life in that way just before Christmas is unbearable to read. Now to lose a life three days before Christmas is sad, but even sadder is how it came about. It was in a lonely carriage in the uncivilized hour, and there was no one in the compartment.
A man just randomly lit a woman’s blanket while she was sleeping and she burned to death. The police say that it was a random act and the two persons do not know each other. What I find insufferable is that the victim may have worked the late shift and was going home, no doubt looking forward to Christmas in New York City. The police caught the killer and in my heart I hope he was executed. I certainly and strongly support the death penalty. I believe that is a view that I will never change.
That news on the subway death dampened my Christmas season. I don’t know why, but this thing has had an effect on me. But let’s move on to the positive differences between Christmas last year and now. We did a Christmas programme for the Freddie Kissoon Show, so I had to be out in the streets interviewing people.
Every person I spoke to said that the 2024 season was better than last year’s. One reason for this, I think, is the economy. Employment is extensive in Guyana. You cannot find any unskilled or skilled person to do a job for you. We have repairs to be done to our house and all the contractors I know told me that they may be available by March of next year.
I have never seen the supermarkets so overflowing in any Christmas season before. I left the seawall with my dog at 7.20 PM on Friday and I drove south on Water Street to buy two packets of dates at Mattai’s. I have a Freudian thing about dates. We were so poor while growing up, my mother would buy one packet of dates and each of us would have two dates each. Dates have left a thing in my memory, so I got to have dates for some mysterious reason.
As I entered Mattai’s, I knew I would have to wait for one hour to get to the cashier. It has been like that at every supermarket. I am out of ice cream for this Christmas because I am unable to wait in those long lines. I do not deny that there are poor people in Guyana (which country does not have its share of the poorer folk?) but I can definitely see the circulation of money for Christmas.
This Christmas has been a better year for the retail trade. Last Sunday morning, I was coming home from the National Park and I took Campbell Avenue, which I never do when I leave the park. I wanted to go to the Banks DIH outlet at Sherriff Street. There is a famous retail store on Campbell Avenue known for apples and grapes and other imported stuff. That place was so flooded with people that there was a huge traffic jam. People were simply shopping for Christmas.
On a personal level, the difference between this time of the year and last year was the effect the traffic situation had on me. Road construction where I live just made things extremely difficult. I live directly opposite Massy’s supermarket in MovieTowne compound. It is unbelievable that I live across the road and it would take me almost half an hour to get to Massy’s because of the road constructions.
I think the traffic situation in Guyana may have made Christmas 24 uncomfortable for people as compared to last year. I know it has made me uncomfortable; that is why I use the words, “on a personal level” above. Judging by what I saw this season, Guyana is definitely on the move.
