Thoughts of a minibus traveller

Elections time again. There is a lot of work being done to encourage people to vote.. and that is good. I will fight for anyone's right to vote. Guyana's version of democracy is not working for me. Iana has been writing about our democrac y. I have voted many times, and to no avail. I was born into this democracy.  If in 2011, my yard floods after five minutes of rain, two women have to share a hospital bed, and there can be obscene extravagance in the elections campaigns,  and people still nervous about elections.. then my votes have been wasted.  My Facebook wall has posts galore telling me who to vote for. My Facebook wall is also full of comments from people  - comments which are showing the  ugliness of Guyana's democracy and the rejection any idea that we are 'one' people. I am fascinated at how some PPP supporters deny the misery in Guyana, pretend it does not exist or blame it on the PNC Government of a long time go. I am also fascinated at the PN...

I sometimes envy the mad people I see walking down the road.. half naked, tatters, thriving and healthy on food from rubbish bins and not giving a damn about anybody around them. Talk about detachment.. that kind of yogic realisation of being one with the universe but being apart from it.. but then I do not know what going on in their head.. Recently, I have been withdrawing from relationships with people and groups of people where there is no nurturing, just a draining of spiritual energy. Or. Unless I am a paid to do so.. I am now keeping distance from stupidness .. I thought it was an old age wise thing I am doing.. but then a younger woman's refrain in my head.. "I aint able wid people and de stupidness (and she puts some adjectives to describe that stupidness"  makes me feel relieved that is not me alone. Mad or not mad. I think it is a healthy thing to do. I am avoiding conversations which go nowhere and which seem to go in circles. I am avoiding becoming a t...

 Sunday before Diwali I woke up and decided to take up an invitation to go to Mass. I bathe, put on clothes - not my Sunday best - and headed down to Holy Rosary to witness the mass by a Charismatic Revival preacher. The pastor was good. He came down from his pulpit and grounded with the congregation.  He talked about 'loving your brother as you love yourself' and said no point coming to mass often if you will judge, condemn and set yourself apart from others. Well at least that is what I thought he said. The man talked a lot about how people should be dealing with each other.. not about how much mass or prayers or so on to do. Sunday afternoon.. news comes from the PPP/C Lusignan Rally, Mr Edghill says if Jesus were on Earth, he would have voted PPP. I ask the Christians I know, if they will say anything. A few anonymous letters in the press, one pastor writes in his name. Maybe the pastors, especially those who rail up against Homosexuality, probably agree with Mr E...

[De Dragon Diva aint gat credit fuh de blackberry. De Diva ask de pagally coolie bai to put up dese ramblings because is nuff madness dis election season. De pagally bai like de rest ah dem bai aint gat de guts fuh talk] So it drizzlin' an' de Diva deh hey pun de corner.. keepin' an eye pun tings fuh mek sure no police aint harassin' no body, an' dat everybody get dey fare share ah de limited market of clients. De Diva start to tink politiks.. So.. de Diva.. tinkin' bout de rulin' party.. De Prezzy.. ow.. de prezzy.. ah would vote fuh he any day.. dat bald head.. ow he so handsome an' young.. he agin' graceful.. an' .. ow, ow.. when he busin' out.. ow.. Diva want to know wheh he learn fuh buse suh.. ah mean.. ow.. but ah hear it so unfair , he cyant run again... an' is a whole set ah dry up face people.. some ah ol ol..  Santa Claus.. ow.. he can wine.. Diva and de girls watch as big red put a ball pun he.. ow.. who would ah tell dat...

So the shine bus come at Church Road and I open meh ears to listen fuh de music. Is an oldish rasta man driving, so i cross meh fingers.. hoping dat no dutty music. Is nice low music, reggae tunes. I hear something about battyman and meh hackles rise. The man in the front seat talking loud. Razor is battyman he seh, dat Bible mek man and woman and dat man have beard and dat razor is a battyman invention to mek man into boy again. I seh is a good ting I dont use razor, I use clipper. De driver look like he gat a few straggly hairs pun he face. I aint see the girl face in de middle seat fuh know whedder she have hairs pun she face or what. We reach David Street to turn into Alexander.. den I hear how Battyman rule de world, de pope is de head battyman who rule de world. So I saying.. right right, this is like the kind of mad talk.. except that the driver and the girl like they listening. Den by Kitty market.. de man seh dat black people get affliction. I seh okay.. de man seh dat indi...