Don’t people value good, clean and worthwhile entertainment anymore?

Dear Editor,
You ask anyone how things are and they quickly say things are bad, times are hard, cost of living is sky-high; but these same persons are drawn to the numerous “entertainment” shows which find their way into the Guyanese society.
There isn’t a time of the month or year when various promoters seep into Guyana to —what I see — rip off the Guyanese public.
The last such show at the Rose Hall Canje Ground, as I was made to understand, had patrons fighting their way on stage and performing vulgar and explicit dancing. I am sure there were children in the audience. Police had to manually remove those persons, who were obviously reeking in drunkenness that evening (or morning).
These shows are heavily promoted whether it is by persons coming from New York, Toronto, Trinidad or right here in Guyana. They are all over the TV screens and are advertised in such a manner to attract huge number of persons. Of course, alcohol is served in large amounts at these events.
Children with their parents attend such events. Children watch their parents get drunk. Children witness some of the adult-themed behaviours whether it is by the artistes or by patrons. These shows also end very late in the evening or early morning. Sometimes fights break out and loud music resonates throughout the neighbourhood. And of course, the Guyanese tradition is left in the ground until the next day — rubbish — litter!
The thing about these shows is that any person would want to attend due to the high amount of publicity and hype associated with such events.
Most recent, I was listening to a radio show in Guyana. The caller suggested that breathalyzer tests be given to drivers leaving horse racing events like the one that was held recently on the West Coast of Berbice.
It was observed factually that the event, upon coming to an end, bred persons who had consumed large amounts of liquor and as a result were speeding all the way through the Rosignol to Georgetown road. Just imagine, what the caller was recommending was that the State’s resources be used presumably after every event of such, wherever they are held, to catch these drunken drivers.
So, the more events of these kinds are held, the more the State has to provide officers on duty to do the testing which depletes the police force at that given time when crime or an accident may be happening elsewhere.
Why can’t people exercise restraint at these events?
Nobody said people can’t enjoy themselves, attend entertainment shows or horse racing. However, the blame I believe here has to be on the government for allowing these promoters to come into Guyana any damn how and carry out such shows. This open- house attitude must stop now. Guyana is seen as the land where anything is acceptable and anyone can come and squeeze people’s hard-earned money out of their pockets and in some cases rip them off.
Many of these shows lack the quality that they are advertised on. And many of them are a complete waste of time in attending. They serve no rational purpose whatsoever.
It does not stop there. Can you believe we also had religious so-called healers and preachers landing in Guyana and conducting “miracles” on persons, healing them of AIDS, and other illnesses? There was even one of them who claimed that he had made a woman conceived miraculously in the womb. That preacher has since been extradited from the UK to his homeland of Kenya where he is paying for his dastardly deeds of trickery and fraud.
The poorer sections of our population are more gullible to attend such events and be a part of those selling false hope and doctrines.
Unfortunately, we are still having the likes of Benny Hinn and Ernest Angely coming here and people are dying to see them.
On the other hand, though, Guyana has had its share from time to time of quality, family- oriented shows such as the Circus and Coney Island.
Valuable lessons and enjoyment too can be had from such shows. Maybe more promoters need to bring more of these to Guyana. International Wrestling was scheduled to come here a few weeks ago, but thank God it did not. How can entertainment be derived from men (and now women) beating themselves up in front of huge audiences? And the whole act is fake.
I saw personally children purchasing alcohol at the recently held exhibition fair in Berbice (in July). Children were purchasing and imbibing alcohol (beers). Yet the event went on and huge sums of monies were made I’m sure. So that’s where it all boils down to — money.
Once the promoters reach their targets, they could care a rat’s behind as to if Guyanese were satisfied or not, if anyone got injured or not in fighting, if alcohol selling resulted in domestic violence later that evening when people would’ve gone home or a deadly accident on the road while returning home.
Don’t people value good, clean and worthwhile entertainment anymore? Are people only attracted to vulgar, late- night, morally questionable rum drinking events today?
Well, people can’t do better I guess. There are hardly museums and zoos; no amusement parks, and hardly any recreational parks and facilities. That leaves us with only the ‘entertainment’ shows.
The government must come down hard on promoters. Standards of the highest must be set and alcohol should not be made available for sale at these events especially if children are going to be attending.
But if the general public are having a frolicking time and keep supporting such events, how can that send a message to promoters and even the government?
Leon J. Suseran