A Christian Perspective on Social Issues

By GHK Lall

took in the city roads and streets, and I concluded that things are on the move, despite being stuck most of the time. I observed the thick crowds in front of stores, the parks, and anywhere that I looked or happened to be, and I said to myself that Guyanese are pulling out all the stops. That was from as early as midNovember, which sentiment only intensified as the days trickled smartly into December. As the crowds advanced in early December, I began my hasty withdrawal. I had had enough and no more stomach for either road or road user. I don’t have to have any kind of imagination to appreciate what each new day in December brought for frenzy, busy, noisy, messy, and whatever else, rain or no rain. It is now the first fine days of January in this brand new 2023. To everyone: may the Good Lord bless with a year that is healthy, peaceful, progressive, and rewarding. But revisiting the power and energy of December in Guyana, this last one, Guyanese must have struck it big. Well, yes and no. Yes, because the liquids are out there in the billions of barrels; no, because the last I heard was how steep the price of everything was, and how unreachable most things were, and that was not in December, but back in September, if not earlier. So, what happened? Did prices go down? Or did Guyanese, one after another, make lucky strikes? I ask these questions when I think of the delights of holiday shopping in Guyana like if there was going to be no tomorrow. This was in December, I remind, and here I am in early January with these thoughts of mine. Money had to come from somewhere, since Guyanese on the lower rungs of the economic ladder were limping throughout 2022, while crying out how tough they were having it. And with Christmas followed by Old Year’s, whatever the financial sacrifice that had to be made, so be it. Sacrifices were made, and they were not small ones. The 0% interest rate until such a such a date, and immediate cash always does the trick near the end of the year, so irresistible is the bait. Now the house and fence and furniture have all had their makeover, but there is going to be a hangover of several years’ duration. Now there will be some real pain for any borrowing and spending excesses, and usually it is the little people at the bottom who can least afford the luxury of this kind of tempting borrowing and splurging, who will hang their heads in agony, and drag with their debt burdens beating them deeper into the ground. What’s the point? What was there to prove? I suppose I am being a bit off the wall myself in this instance, but I just had to ask. This is despite knowing that this is not new, but a timeless aspect of man and his history that keeps repeating itself in every era and in most places. This country is going through what is called a purple patch (richness); while working class citizens are struggling to scratch out a miserable existence from day to day. The name of the game is pain, and it is sharp. Those laboring to get by in a rising price environment, with no relief in sight, just made their plight even more torturous. How the happy go lucky are going to manage is anybody’s guess, since they were looking uphill to begin with, and with the sun in their eyes. It is too late to talk about thrift, and as the adage counsels of living with one’s means. Those had all resonance and relevance back in November or December. This is January and the piper has to be paid. That is, the lenders and brokers, and whatever else was used to access what was not free money. I heard that some were the beneficiaries of timely monetary generosity from their overseas relations and friends. How many can say that, and it had better be something out of the ordinary. For US$100, even US$200, does not amount to much to explain the shopping madness that took place in December. Neither amount absorbs much, and while they count for something, I think that some of our fellow citizens had their Titanic moments, and possibly bit off what is beginning to cause the first hard acid pangs of indigestion right now. Think hundreds of thousands of dollars in new debt taken on, and which the first payment should be as early as by the end of next month. Perhaps, the 2023 national budget may contain some provision in the form of cash relief. Though remote looking currently, there is hope. Hope is what waters our parched souls, soothes our pain. ❖

January Monthly Intention:

We pray that educators may be credible witnesses, teaching fraternity rather than competition and helping the youngest and most vulnerable above all.❖

Gracious and loving God, we thank your for the gift of our priests. Through them, we experience your presence in the sacraments. Help our priests to be strong in their vocation. Set their souls on fire with love for your people. Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom. Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel. Allow them to experience joy in their ministry. Help them to become instruments of your divine grace. We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest. Amen

Carmelite Sisters are available for counselling on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:00am to 12 noon and 1:00pm to 2:00 pm, at the Cathedral Presbytery. They are also available by appointment. Persons are encouraged to avail themselves of these se rv i ce s. Ki n dl y co n tact th e Cathedral parish office on tel. no. 226-4631 for details.