April 2020 – The Michael Lam Collection's Blog

Today as Lent ends, and this Lent has been a time of trial indeed with our local Elections fiasco GECOM-20 and the arrival of the Sars-CoV-2 Coronavirus that causes the disease now known as COVID-19, as a church community, we cannot gather because of social distancing and curfew restriction placed on the populace in an effort to limit the spread of the disease.

Today marks the end of Lent and the beginning of the Easter Triduum, many will either pray as families, or just be there for each other, or join with others online as today’s service is streamed live from the Bishop’s Chapel, as will services and masses for Good Friday, Easter Satrurday and Easter Sunday. I decided to look back a bit and share two images from a past Holy Thursday, from the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception; many images from these service resemble any other service, as the main services remain similar with but a few differences, the two images I share can easily be associated with the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper by Catholics.

Seen above is the re-enactment of the “Washing of the Feet”, a gesture that reinforces the idea that those we call Master are also there to serve. A reminder in these troubled times that those who are there in positions of Power, our elected officials, are there to Serve the people, not to be served by them.

This image shows Bishop Francis Alleyne OSB, Bishop of Georgetown, as he carries the monstrance containing the Blessed Eucharist to the Altar of Repose. On Holy Thursday, Catholics are asked to spend an hour in prayer at the altar, just as the Disciples were asked by Jesus to keep vigil with him as he prayed in the Garden at Gathsemane, at the foot of the Mount of Olives.

In troubled times we cling to tradition, but in these troubled times we cannot do so physically, we can but cling to the memories, and to the hope of a better future. Celebrate today the camaraderie of family, of friends, mourn tomorrow the death of a saviour, of the leadership we once knew or dreamed of, and on Easter, celebrate the life we have, the life we can give to others, the life we can nourish in the world. Holy Thursday also became popularly known as Maundy Thursday, the word Maundy was derived from the Latin word mandatum, meaning “commandment”, referring to the words of Jesus to his disciples that night “I give you a new commandment, love one another as I have loved you”, would that we all could do so, then a better future, a better world, we be ours.

Sundays are well known Market Days for various markets within and outside of Georgetown. Within the city limits two notable markets that abound with activity on a Sunday morning would be Bourda Market and the La Penitence Market.

With Friday’s announcement of COVID-19 Emergency Measures, I heard that the Markets would be closed on a Sunday morning (5th April 2020). My friend Shola mentioned that she passed Bourda and that she ” never thought there would be the sound of silence at Bourda” – as tempting as it was to pounce upon the cricket reference, I knew what she meant.

At La Penitence, traffic along Saffon Street and along Sussex Street are usually very slow moving on a Sunday mornings, this morning there was little traffic to speak of, and Bourda is ever a hive of activity, any day of any week of any year.. except now.

I was parked just before the old Yong’s Bakery building and across from the Kaieteur News building. This gent on the bicycle was approaching from the other side of the road, and he casually angled across the lanes and came towards me, there was no traffic to interfere with his maneuvers.

The La Penitence market off to the centre-right of the image above is almost never seen in such a quiet state. On a Sunday morning I’d be lucky to see the market itself from this vantage point, actually, on a Sunday morning I’d never be able to stand in that vantage point, it being in the middle of the road.

Bourda Market consists of the main Market Building that is surrounded by Orange Walk, Regent, Robb and Bourda Streets, to the north of the main structure, over Robb Street is the extended market area with stalls filling that block up to North Road. This was further extended onto Merriman’s Mall that lies between North Road and Church Street, the main section between Orange Walk and Alexander Street having enclosed stall structures, the additional section with open stall structures lies between Orange Walk and Cummings Street (pictured above).

Above you can see the market area along North Road (approaching Orange Walk) this junction is usually quite busy, noted for the Coconut Vendors on the corner there.

Above you can see a view of the Market area along North Road, I had originally hoped to catch a scene with some clear skies, but the accompanying clouds added to the mood.

A view of one of the north-south entraceways, looking into the market area between two stalls tat face onto North Road.

Not a street I make a habit of traversing, but I have gone through here on a couple of photo walks, and even at it’s more quiet times it is usually bubbling with life and activity

There are essentially two street in Georgetown that are usually described as the busiest, Sheriff Street and Regent Street. Regent Street outside of Bourda has probably not been this quiet since Good Friday 2019, and even that I’m not sure of.

Robb Street between Alexander Street and Orange Walk is usually known for being a section of street that you don’t ever try to rive through, unless you have the patience of Job. Here it is today, you could roller-skate (blade) own it and probably try a few stunts while you’re at it.

COVID-19 and the precautions we need to take will change things, are changing things, and will change us, but it will also help point out the things we take for granted.

Be Safe, practice social distancing as much as practical, please don’t spread fear with all those inaccurate social media posts, try to think for yourself.

Please click on the images to see them in the Gallery