THE EYE SEES WHAT IT WANTS TO SEE…..
Peeping Tom
Kaieteur News
March 27, 2007
I do not know what that BBC journalist who wrote that scandalous piece on Guyana expected when he deplaned in Guyana last Sunday but I am sure that nothing that he saw was absent from the other islands of the Caribbean , including the one from which he had arrived.
Poverty is not peculiar to Guyana and I can assure him that there are parts of his country that can compare with the shabby dwellings he claims to have come upon. If he wanted a place to bad mouth, I am sure he could have found a dozen or more in his country of birth.
His observations are clearly based on face value, premature and are of first impressions. In so negatively representing our country, he has failed to appreciate the simplicity of life in the Caribbean and has unfortunately formed a general opinion based on some casual observations. Even his comments about the stadium are exaggerated. Any second-hand journalist would have at least taken the time to find out why it was in the condition that it was and what works are planned in time for the commencement.
I do not understand what “harsh culture shock” this journalist could have gotten on arriving in Guyana . Perhaps while in that resort in St Lucia he felt that he was in some earthly paradise. If he has the cash in his pockets and can afford the cost I would invite him to go and visit some of our local resorts and then perhaps he will be shocked back to reality about just how beautiful this country is. I can assure him that we have enough resorts here to make him want to stay forever. But it may place a dent in his credit card.
While his immediate impressions are that not many Guyanese will attend the World Cup matches, no doubt because he believes we are poor, I will remind him that the next time he comes on assignment to this country, he should do his research.
What he will find is that Guyanese are fanatical about their cricket, and both regional and international cricket is supported far more in Guyana than elsewhere. Once the big teams are involved, Guyanese will find the money to fill the seats, and who knows perhaps to buy a beer for our dear friend from the BBC.
While this guy does not think that the next sixteen days will be a holiday, I can assure him that for thousands of persons arriving from overseas, there will be a great deal of fun and excitement and Guyana is known for its hospitality and for having a great time.
If he wishes to be cooped up in his room, feeling home sick and missing the early days of Spring, well best of luck to him. There is a great deal to pleasure the eye, taste buds and heart in Guyana . There is exciting cricket to be played and all Guyanese will be involved, regardless of the sour-pusses who only see what they wish to see.
In many respects this sort of disrespect has been earned by Guyana because we have not been assured enough in dealing with the preparation for this tournament. If these are the comments that have been made covering less than twenty miles from the airport to the stadium, imagine what will happen when this scrupulous eye takes a drive around the city and discovers the non-working traffic lights and the creeping return of the vendors on Regent Street .
Had we finished the work that we were supposed to have finished there would have been no fodder for such negative publicity as was this article by this journalist from the BBC. But we never learn. I am sure that those who may have been culpable in the foul-ups so far will, when Cricket World Cup is over, find top jobs within the public sector.
The eye sees what it wants to see, the heart beats to its own tune. This article by this correspondent has done a great disservice to the yeomen efforts that have been made by hundreds of Guyanese to help put Guyana is a state of readiness for CWC 2007.
I hope that by the time he leaves, he can have a more favourable impression of this fascinating land.