Blossom Inc., the Belle West murder, more crime and catching hell
>>> Encouraging Events, Disrupting Developments <
By GHK Lall
Kaieteur News – It’s a story that encourages hope in the darkness of this society, as there are still those who care, and in ways that count. Blossom Inc., a not-for-profit agency led by its leader, Ms. Ayodele Dalgety-Dean, is such a heart-warming story. Remarkably, for those things that are not distracting, those people for whom society wants to remain silent, and to deal with their pains and trauma in private. Through it, Blossom Inc., Ms. Dalgety-Dean, gets none of that; through her agency, those who are first crucified and then humiliated from our local world receive some justice, some dignity and healing. Blossom Inc., is working tirelessly, and largely under the radar, to stand up in court to support victims of sexual abuse. The simple thinking of courts and being in front of all those intimidating strangers only intensifies the trauma of those persecuted and intimidated previously. But Blossom Inc., through Ms. Dalgety-Dean and her team, is there for them, when it matters, when it makes a difference. At the center of that other endless trauma, the COVID-19 pandemic, were twenty convictions. He exposed twenty criminals and brought them to justice, because few people cared enough to want to do something about their pains and suffering, and actually do it. This is encouraging, exciting.
Now, I touch on the dark, haunting reality of living in this country. Crime seems to be everywhere, and in the most routine, the unworthy places. The difference of the Belle West football pitch was not forgotten, a man delivering puri to a friend’s house in Houston, and another buying cigarettes in Albouystown. These are the ordinary things in life that are taken for granted, yet in two of these three places, the encounters ended in a horrific death, while the third nurse sustained a shooting wound. He’s lucky, since he was targeted twice the same day by gun-thieves. The football disparity was particularly harrowing, with foreboding and extreme heinousness. The multiple stabbing, the persecution and the beating and killing by several siblings were so decisive in their long moment of madness that only a horrible death satisfied their lust. I read about too many such events, these break-up episodes of barbaric violence. They do not comfort, they are exceedingly disturbing, for there is no end in sight; and we are far more scared and debilitated about this ongoing attack of violent crime everywhere. Having to look anxiously over your shoulder in all walks of daily life is bad enough; participating in the regular interactions of life and to intentionally or accidentally persecute, all add to the unrest of everyday battles for survival, are all criminal.
The unrest happens in the circumstances now facing the sea workers, our fishermen. They are ‘catching hell’ and it shows. I can share from personal experience, although I no longer visit the Meadow Bank wharf. A place that once thrived with the rich produce of our fishing grounds is now reduced to a smaller and less rewarding outlet. The ’50 per cent ‘catch is less, despite longer trips by sea. Our fishermen are hurting, and so are we, of fewer choices and the much higher prices that accompany those. When there is lower custody, which is most of the time, the cleaners and hustlers have (in the good sense of the word) less work, almost no earnings, and no room to go to make up proven money. They lose their opportunities to beg, the fishermen may be out of work, as boat owners can no longer afford workers, and are forced to look after their own needs. I hear oil exploration is a factor, which makes sense; and I hear about the government needing to do something to improve these men, and consumers who depend on them a lot. The outlook is not good, it can get worse. This is not comforting and in many directions.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper.)