Exactly a week after the “Unite the Right” movement staged its demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia, sparking condemnation for its racist implications, there was a demonstration in Guyana that suggests some parallels with Charlottesville. There, a number of whites marched to aggressively express their disagreement with the decision of the town to pull down the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. To most Guyanese, this may have been a rather arcane issue to rile up counter demonstrations resulting in the death of one and injury to nineteen of the latter…
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Summer Jobs could be very helpful
By Ashley Anthony Whilst I’ve mentioned quite a bit about volunteerism, one summer activity I have yet to talk about is perhaps the most productive- a summer job. Summer jobs provide an avenue for personal development, including but not being limited to, confidence, ability to work and communicate with others as a part of a team, better time management, and increased professionalism, all whilst allowing you to earn a little money. Now, I understand that spending one’s free time working might not exactly be an appealing concept, and I’m not…
Read MoreBig issues such as overseas voting should be confronted
My suggestion last week that we begin to reconsider overseas voting has ignited some debate and much vitriol. It should be noted that I am not the first commentator to raise this matter; former Speaker of the National Assembly, Attorney Ralph Ramkarran, did so about two years ago. I have been called everything: from a madman to a PNC lackey, to the bearer of some secret plan to rig the next election. It’s yet another reflection of the state of our public discourse, which is generally bereft of reason and…
Read MoreIndia’s independence
India celebrated the 70th anniversary of its independence from Britain on the 15th instant. Its independence in 1947 was a remarkable event that reverberated in all of the colonies of the British Empire, including then British Guiana – on which “the sun never sat”. Independence for India confirmed that it was only a matter of “when” for the colonies to also be free. India has since continued to play a key leadership role for the other colonies. Initially, it attempted to chart a middle path between the two competing ideologies…
Read MoreThe facts are clear on breastfeeding
World Breastfeeding Week was observed from August 1–7 under the theme, ‘Sustaining Breastfeeding Together’. It provided yet another opportunity for the various stakeholders in the health sector to remind everyone of the many health benefits that can be obtained when couples go the route of ensuring their babies are breastfed. The evidence shows that breastfeeding has cognitive and health benefits for both infants and their mothers. It is especially critical during the first six months of life, helping prevent diarrhoea and pneumonia – two major causes of death in infants.…
Read MoreGroup identity and constitutional change
By Revi Dev While the Government has finally proposed a consultative mechanism for initiating its campaign promise for “constitutional change”, they are once again putting the cart before the horse. A Constitution basically allocates power in the State to ensure the society is governed according to the wishes of the people, and that the people in turn are not oppressed by the State. While the politicians like to pretend otherwise, “power” is what politics is all about: the currency of politics is power, and politics is ultimately concerned with the…
Read MoreThe Broadcast (Amendment) Bill
A cursory research would reveal that freedom of the press is generally defined as the right to circulate opinions in print without censorship by the Government. Freedom of the media is understood to be the freedom of communication and expression through various mediums, such as electronic media and published materials. Freedom of expression is the right to express one’s ideas and opinions freely through speech, writing, and other forms of communication, but without deliberately causing harm to others’ character and/or reputation by false or misleading statements. Freedom of the press…
Read MoreCoalitions in Guyana
By Ravi Dev With some cracks appearing in the coalition that constitutes APNU, even after the one between APNU/AFC were papered over, the merits and demerits of coalitions in Guyanese politics have risen to the fore. The attitudes of the leaders are critical in the formation of coalitions: if they are concerned with only winning elections for personal gains and power, then the risks they will be prepared to take for real change that will redound to the benefit of Guyana, will be minimal. In modern Guyanese political history, the…
Read MoreInaugural Diaspora Engagement Conference opens in Georgetown
…President says UG central to ‘green’ development in Guyana President David Granger said that the University of Guyana (UG) is central to fulfilling the scientific and technology objectives of the ‘green’ state that the Government envisions. He was at the time delivering the keynote address at the opening of the inaugural Diaspora Engagement Conference which is currently being held at the Ramada Princess Hotel, Providence, East Bank Demerara. “Guyana’s green development strategy aims at advancing climate adaptation so as to protect its fragile coastline and reduce environmental hazard which can…
Read MoreGuyana’s tourism potential
The United Nations 70th General Assembly has designated 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. Expressed simply, sustainable tourism can be defined as, “Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.” The 2017 designation marks a unique opportunity to raise awareness on the contribution of sustainable tourism development among public and private sector decision-makers and the public, while mobilising all stakeholders to work together in making tourism a…
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