A fascinating editorial appeared in a Guayanan newspaper yesterday. It was entitled "Work ethic" and began as follows:

"Some of those who have emigrated to what they thought were greener pastures, have been shocked to discover that in order merely to survive they have to work infinitely harder in their adopted home than they ever had to do here. They have found that the material goods which beckoned so seductively from the north when they were living in the south, can only be acquired at the cost of great effort involving perhaps long commutes, or working at two jobs. And in the big, bad industrial world they have learnt that there are no excuses: there is a low tolerance level both for unpunctuality and for absences, no matter how justified, while slacking in the workplace does not recommend itself as a route to a gold watch for long service."

The essay is thought provoking——even if I don't agree with all the offered points. I never have been to Guyana or even know anyone from there. 

Tom Anderson  12 24 05