Dear Editor,

My name is Joseph Bell and I am a 56 year old black American who first visited your country in 1990 and have returned every year I could afford to do so, to celebrate my birthday in November with the wonderful people I've met in Georgetown!

I have never had the chance to truly tell a whole city or country how much I appreciate them but now, I feel the need to do that for Guyana. The city of Georgetown and all of the wonderful people I met there!

Unlike many of my Guyanese friends and citizens, I was blessed to keep a steady job for 36 years and could raise my family and enjoy the lifestyle of any black American who was willing to work hard to make sure their children have a better life than their parents did!

I always dreamed of visiting Africa but when I visited Georgetown in 1990, I fell in love with Guyana, the people and the assorted cultures too.

From the local stores to the vendors in the streets, the taxi drivers to those who sweep the streets, all I ever saw or met were friendly and caring Guyanese who were honest and always willing to talk and be of help, in order for me to understand your country better.

Unfortunately, my time for working is over now and with the fixed income I'll live on for the rest of my life, I seriously doubt if I'll be able any time soon to see or travel to Georgetown once a year as before but even if I never visit there again, all of the people I saw and met from the airport to the countryside around Georgetown, I'll always remember and truly love in my heart and soul.

People enjoy saying that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder! If that's true, I want all Guyanese people to know that they are all beautiful to me and I thank God I had the honour and privilege to enjoy 11 years of knowing the love, peace and happiness I felt whenever I was in your country.

My only negative remark is about the mosquitoes, which seemed to love drinking my blood at night, but that was a very small price to pay for the peace and happiness I always came home with.