There has been violence, yes, but less so than in previous years – and with a once besieged Guyana Police Force now gaining the upper hand on what was previously just a downhill situation.

The closing of the year saw the killing by police of Guyana's most infamous fugitive in recent times, Neil Bovell. The jury may still be out on the capture of alleged drug kingpin Roger Khan, but the strides made against the narcotics industry in general have been positive.

The floods of 2005 did not make an appearance this year, although many places along the coast suffered some amount of water-logging throughout the year.

One noteworthy thing about 2006 is that in one major way, this year seems to have acted as the precursor to – the preparation period for – what is supposed to be a milestone event – CWC 2007. If many Guyanese had never heard the terms

bed-and-breakfast", "sunset legislation" before, they do now.

The most significant event of 2006 though, has to be the National and Regional Elections – not so much for what happened, but what didn't. What was viewed as the inevitable post-electoral upheaval simply did not happen.

The sum of it all was that Guyanese – politicians and the public – seemed to have matured politically. All the hype and acrimony of the campaigning notwithstanding, the present Parliament seems to be functioning the way a Parliament should with those elected to represent the people of Guyana actually working together – under the circumstances – to improve the running of the country.

At the end of it all, however, true change is something that usually does not happen within the space of one year.

The upcoming year will either be better or worse than this one, and that is as clear a prediction as anyone can make.

As the festive season closes off, the tone for the rest of the year might as well be light.

Guyanese have enough uncertainty to think about, what with the January rainy season, the implementation of VAT (with apologies to Commissioner Sattaur), and CWC 2007.

English poet, W.M. Praed perhaps put it best in his poem, "Good-night to the Season", first published over a century ago. The closing verse of that timeless piece reads:

"Good-night to the Season!—another

Will come with its trifles and toys,

And hurry away, like its brother,

In sunshine, and odour, and noise.

Will it come with a rose or a briar?

Will it come with a blessing or curse?

Will its bonnets be lower or higher?

Will its morals be better or worse?

Will it find me grown thinner or fatter,

Or fonder of wrong or of right,

Or married, or buried?—no matter,

Good-night to the Season, Good-night!"