Category: Editorials

Dear Editor, There is a current wave of optimism regarding upcoming dialogue between Guyana’s President and Opposition Leader, initiated by former US President Jimmy Carter; and expectations by civil society, social commentators, the private sector and politicians as a whole are very high. These meetings are expected to address a range of issues affecting the forward movement of the country, and it can be agreed by any right-minded Guyanese that the pooling of intellectual resources and ideas is critical to Guyana’s transformation and development. But perhaps the greatest derivative of…

Dear Editor, I must commend ExxonMobil for being open with us by releasing the exciting news that the Stabroek Block will yield over four billion oil equivalent barrels, an increase from an earlier estimate of 3.2 billion oil equivalent barrels. This is fantastic, because ExxonMobil could have hidden this find; but it appears to me that they want to be open and fair with the Government and people of Guyana, and I compliment and thank them for adopting this approach. Exxon has reported that Liza Phase 1 will produce 120,000…

Dear Editor, Regarded by many as one of the finest buildings in the Caribbean, and claimed to be the most beautiful example of Gothic architecture in the capital city of Georgetown, Guyana, City Hall is in dire need of extensive repairs and restoration. That is a fact no one can deny. After years of neglect and lack of maintenance, this 128-year-old magnificent structure, built in the 19th century between 1887 and 1889, has been allowed to ‘fall apart’ before our very eyes. Claimed to be the most beautiful example of…

Dear Editor, Almost every person of Guyanese nationality welled up with fury at the ‘’alarming’’ description of Guyana by the American Clifford Krauss. Who is he to denounce a country he wasn’t born in? Well, like all outsiders, Mr Krauss sees Guyana as an underdeveloped, uncivilised and corrupt nation. He didn’t consider that Guyana’s geographic location renders it ‘’a watery wilderness.’’ He didn’t consider Guyana’s unfortunate political past. Why should he consider Guyana’s setbacks? These are matters of no importance to him. He sees Guyana exactly how most or all…

On Wednesday, Guyana joined with other countries in various parts of the world in celebrating Emancipation. For the slaves, the road to freedom was long and arduous, they, having been kept in bondage and forced to endure inhuman conditions as unimaginable atrocities were meted out to them. But freedom did dawn, with the expectation that the mental and economic shackles would be forever banished. Unfortunately, over time, the shackles manifested themselves differently, as others are still being forced into situations that enchain them from opportunities for advancement. Obviously, this can…

In the three centuries of development of Liberal Democracy since the 18th century European Enlightenment, there has been a sustained debate about the relative importance of “outcome” versus “process” in that form of governance; which gradually became the most widespread, but which is now facing challenges. The outcome of democratic governance was described succinctly by US President Abraham Lincoln as “rule of the people; by the people and for the people”. It is now accepted as inextricably linked with the processes that undergird it, and which are mediated through various…