We asked the man/woman-in-the-street to name three things, within the realm of possibility, which they believe would enhance their lives today.
Fiona Barret - student: ‘A job. I don’t have a job right now. I am studying at the Critchlow Labour College. But I need a job. I have bills to pay and there are certain needs that I need to meet. So, a job, that would be good. Less friends. I’m the type of person who is a bit weak when it comes to friends. Sometimes they call or they are coming over, they can be distractions. So, I think that with less friends I would be able to focus properly. And more security. I’m a young woman and with everything that is going on, there are certain places that I can’t go, I have to be at home at a certain time and there are certain things that I can’t do. You don’t know who would be the next victim. You just walk, keep to yourself and go home. So I would definitely have to say, more security.’
Deodat Singh - glazier: ‘Probably better health facilities. I live in Cummings Lodge and there is no health facility in the area, like a health centre. Better paying jobs. There are only jobs for a few. We need jobs, a lot of us, because of how things are going in the country. Lastly, better sanitation. Especially in the area where I live, you look everywhere and you see there is no proper drainage. As soon as it rains, the place floods, mosquitoes are rampant and you can’t dispose of your garbage properly.’
Nazeema Ali - housewife: `I guess a job. I don’t have a job and I need one because I have six children to care for. I think we also need a cleaner environment. If the place was cleaner I think that everybody would be happier. But you look around and you see flooded drains running over, it’s not healthy. And I think that if people started being more kind, it would do a lot. They could smile, say good morning and it makes me feel better, at least, I know that for a fact.’
Jermaine Chapman - carpenter/joiner: `Better wages. The `pay’ we get, with the bills going up every day, is inadequate. Even with increases. I would like land... but when you go into housing it is a long process. I don’t have a place of my own, I am still living under my parents’ home. I need land, so that I could start building my house soon. And transportation. Up to the other day passage raise... And it still comes back to salaries not being adequate. I want my own vehicle, but the money that you would have to spend is hard. Even on terms. To get a loan is hard. Sometimes very hard. I live in Vryheid’s Lust and sometimes, late at night or early in the morning, it is hard to catch a bus.’
Rodlyn Grant - marketing research officer - ‘Firstly, I need an opportunity to build my self-esteem or to help me become a better person. I want to advance my current qualifications, if I get the opportunity to study. And thirdly, a job that I enjoy and one that can help me contribute to the development of Guyana.’
Bishnudat - estate worker: I need safety. You still can’t go where you like and you still can’t even wear what you would like. We need better roads, the roads are not good, even in the city and especially in the country areas. And I think they have to increase the tax threshold, taxes are still too high.’
Karen Newton - private sector employee: `One of the things that would improve my life is having my own home. I have to pay rent and it takes a lot out of me. Instead of the regular eight-hour shift, you have to work twelve hours. Secondly, reducing the crime rate, that would make things better. And lastly, I think that we need to have more confidence in the police. Right now, people are scared of the police, they are afraid to travel more than three persons to a car. We need better policing.’
Raoul Fraser - lineman: `I want better governance. There is a lot of corruption taking place in the government and I want to see that changed. I want to see a better sanitation operation. For instance, in foreign countries I think that rubbish trucks work during the late night hours, when traffic is not heavy on the roads. Here, they work during the daytime when traffic is congested and they make the whole atmosphere more filthy.
Finally, I would like to see more job opportunities for young people. There are a lot of young people with passes who are not finding jobs.’
Inez Scott - domestic: `Well, a better job. The job I have now is not paying well and you know that because of certain circumstances the cost of living is very high. A better government, I am a Christian and I think that if the government just pays more attention to godly things, we would have a better country. The police and army need to do better work. We have the police force and the army, they need to operate in a better manner, they need to show more co-operation and I think that could make it better for me and everybody.’
Ivan Anthony - driver: ‘My living condition is something I want to upgrade. A constant supply of electricity, water, and proper sanitation. The second thing would be in the line of transportation. Transportation right now is a problem. I live at McDoom on the East Bank of Demerara, and there are certain times of the day that it is impossible to get any transportation. Also, there are certain roads in the area that need to be upgraded because some transportation refuse to go anywhere near there because of the conditions of the roads. Employment. In the case of employment, if people don’t have jobs they will thief. They will rob people who are living an honest life. They will get frustrated and thief. If a person is not employed, what do you want them to do?