Stabroek News
June 10, 2001
Dear Editor,
On Friday 27th April, 2001, at approximately 10:20 hours at the
Avenue of the Republic and America Street, I had cause to inform the
driver of a No. 41 minibus of my annoyance at a 'hip hop bang bang'
which came from the amplified boom boxes in the side panels of the bus
I had just disembarked from. The driver emphatically stated that he
had no problem with the 'F' words which were regularly repeated in the
stanzas of the loud cacophony of sounds and referred me to the
conductor. He in turn told the driver 'you got time wide' ? and to me
he stated, 'I buy the CD and if ya want yu could report it ? look a
Police right deh'. I went my way since I am convinced that most
policemen are indifferent to such complaints.
The previous afternoon, Thursday 26th April, 2001, I observed a
conductor on a Number 41 mini bus dispose of an empty plastic bag and
straw out of the minibus window. On asking him if that is the way it
is done, his response was "I do this on me own behalf," ?
whatever that statement meant.
These examples demonstrate the level of behavioural attitude and
mentality of a large majority of our population as it relates to a
number of issues on the environment.
I found it strange that I did not hear any of the politicians on the
recent election party platforms address any of these environmental
issues which to my mind were priorities. The minibus culture which has
developed over the years has contributed in great measure to the
reduced performance level of our students in the education system. A
number of our students who are exposed to and embrace the Boom Boom
culture, strive not to excel at school because of peer pressure, as
such excellence would put them ahead of their peers who are
under?achievers.
I am entitled to ask where does the cliche of 'level playing field,'
so often bandied about, exist when applied to a situation where a
passenger can enjoy or contribute to a smoke free ride in a bus but
not a noise free one without all the vulgarity of the Fword and
stanzas like 'Tight, tight, tight like a virgin'. If the freedom of
religion is indeed enshrined in our constitution, how is a passenger
to enjoy such a freedom if he/she by the lack of enforceable
legislation is to be subjected to such expletives because he/she dares
to travel on road surface transport which is open to the public for
hire. This practice is the most visible and blatant form of
exclusiveness, discrimination and marginalisation experienced by those
members of the public who because of their lifestyle prefer quiet and
noise free surroundings in order to indulge in reading a book or just
plain taking a snooze.
Such annoyance now referred to worldwide as noise pollution has
repeatedly been brought to the attention of the Ministry of Health and
Environmental agencies in Guyana by International Health Agencies. A
recent BBC programme 'News Around the World' on 6.2.2001 alluded to a
situation where children from two preparatory schools in the San
Francisco area have been identified as suffering from hearing
impairment attributed to the noise of jet aircraft from the nearby San
Francisco airport and that the restaurants in San Francisco area are
now graded according to the noise level therein. The noise exposure
level from a passing jet is no more or less than the amount of
decibels one experiences in an area of 300 cubic feet of a steaming
minibus with minimum ventilation and the 'Boom Boom Bang Bang' noise
from amplified speakers on normal and extended after school minibus
rides by school children in Georgetown.
I state categorically that the minibus is a contributory factor to
the decline of our educational standards. From what sort of home
environment would a student originate whose parents see nothing wrong
with her daughter or son travelling in a bus named 'X?Rated' or
'Bedroom Bully'? Are such names an example of freedom of expression or
a prime example of degeneracy? I am aghast about a situation which
exists at a certain West Berbice Secondary School, where not one of
thirty to fifty students in the CXC class of 2001 had, in the view of
the headmaster, reached an acceptable standard of performance to have
entered for the recent CXC examination. This I consider a national
emergency and I call for a Presidential Commission on Education to be
set up as a matter of urgency.
Another prime area of concern is that of the indiscipline in schools.
It is evident that a great deal of this attitude originates from the
home and is also present in the minibus environment where most of the
crews are unkempt and exhibit a 'do wah yo wan with me' syndrome. One
never sees a student in a minibus engrossed in a school book or doing
a crossword puzzle, but there is a regular call for more bass and
volume. There must be a code of conduct, both for students and
teachers, which demands zero tolerance. Parents must encourage their
children whose behaviour is exemplary and who come from a disciplined
home to distance themselves from those children at school who lack
deportment and do not comply with the code of conduct. It is for this
reason, in part, that the Guyana Cricket Board has thought it vital to
expose young cricketers to an academy where etiquette, social graces
and decorum are taught, so that when they socialize at functions,
particularly overseas, they would not be an embarrassment to their
country.
By the same token one may ask whether the present minibus culture is
deemed an embarrassment to our country and to the tourist industry and
is it an admirable reflection of our citizenry? Are the salutations by
minibus touts, variously ? 'old lady', 'uncle', 'grannie', 'mother',
'red girl',' shortman', 'big man' 'baby', and the 'sups' acceptable to
the members of the tourism authorities who are so visible in the
media. And yet there is a strong reluctance by the authorities to
bring some form of decency to the minibus environment by placing all
aspects of its operations under the Public Utilities Commission.
We are sacrificing the future of our youths and the development of
our country on the altar of rapaciousness, hooliganism, plagiarism of
the music industry and obscenity.
The education system is in serious crisis and the implications and
ramifications for the future of our dear land are serious. Should the
problems in our two main industries worsen we would evidently have
achieved an egalitarian society, but at the level of ignorance,
illiteracy, irrationality and a complete lack of logic.
Yours faithfully,
Aubrey Alexander