Guyana /// "No Sympathy for the Baby Whale..."
C2C Interview /// Georgetown, Guyana
Do you have a favorite childhood memory from the ocean?
No...
Not one?
No... I have a favorite memory of the beach... not the ocean.
Oh… can you tell me about your favorite childhood memory from the beach?
Well the beach is where I would go with my school friends especially during holidays. It was full of people… it was nice because it was the first time you enjoyed your time in the water… you would go and swim.
Was it clean?
It was cleaner than today but still it was muddy and brown and you had to wash off right away when you got out of the water because there was bleach in the sea and it would stain your skin… your skin would turn white.
What’s Guyanese society’s relationship with the ocean?
I don’t think Guyanese have a relationship with the ocean… Guyanese are not really nature-minded. You will find educated people who would know this is what you should and should not do but Guyanese generally don’t care for the land… as you can see the ocean is full of trash. We eat and we throw.
The other day a whale was washed up here… a baby whale… but more persons were taking photos then being sympathetic for the whale. It has happened twice.
What can the youth people do to change this?
It could start with the government but I think if we teach our children the importance of the earth… whatever we learn when we are small that is how we grow… if children learn the importance of the ocean and keeping it clean… I think it will grow better from there.
