By Lomarsh Roopnarine Over the past month or so I have been analysing Caribbean Indian identity, namely ethno-local and ethno-national. In this column, I will move on and analyse the third of the multipartite model of Indian identity – ethno-trans-Caribbean. An ethno-trans-Caribbean identity is when an individual does not identify or see him or herself in relation to a specific country in the Caribbean but identifies with other countries across the Caribbean. Put differently, individual as well as collective thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are associated with other countries in the…
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Representation of interests
By Ravi Dev After the Forum of African Guyanese by Cuffy 250, some Guyanese expressed alarm at the frank speech on expectations in an ethnically divided society. They insist that only “multiracial” politics can work for Guyana. But what is a “multi-racial” party? Is it one in which the leaders are drawn from all or most of the various racial/ethnic blocs that constitute our polity? Is it one that has members drawn from all the various groups? Do the proportions have to roughly mirror the population or will any assorted…
Read MoreGuyana’s real “third force”
By Ryhaan Shah The idea of a “third force” that would act as a balance of power between the two major political parties, the PPP and PNC, is still being floated as the best way to help us transcend ethnic politics and graduate to a national issue-based agenda. The feeling is that this would introduce the kind of political maturity needed for progress. However, despite the appearance of several new political parties over the years and the emergence of two coalition governments formed by the PNC with one respective “third…
Read MoreUS elections and American Exceptionalism
Contrary to what most of the political pundits outside US borders thought would be the case by now, Donald Trump is still setting the agenda for the US presidential race against Hillary Clinton. With their elections less than two months away and the polls indicating Trump is trailing Clinton by a whisker, it seems that with the capacity to outspend Clinton in advertisements and commercials during that time, Trump is well on his way to becoming the next president of the United States – as this paper proposed back in…
Read MoreOil and the climate
Guyana stands on the precipice of becoming an oil-producing economy and while the knowledge that oil-producing countries are at an advantage economically is comforting, there is an oxymoronic dynamic that is involved with this particular situation. On one hand, there is Guyana’s push for a “green economy”, which is premised on the reduction of our carbon footprint, while on the other hand, Guyana is advancing the proliferation of oil for economic gains. The end result of which will invariably add to the already colossal greenhouse gas emissions that come with…
Read MoreStrangling the manufacturing goose
The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has suddenly decided to impose duties on imports of goods that are inputs into local manufacturing operations. For example we were informed that containers of textiles destined for Denmore Garment Manufacturing are lying at the wharves because the manufacturer had never been charged the duties now demanded. Consequently Denmore’s calculation of costs and selling prices, which would have been quoted and contracted to its customers (foreign in this instance), will now be thrown out the window. Denmore has to shutter its operations for two weeks…
Read MoreLiberal Democracy
Democracy at its core is intended to represent the interest of the many; it is an institutional configuration that allows the people of a given country the freedom to elect leaders of their choice. Leaders who are then expected to govern in the interest of the masses. According to political scientist Robert Dahl, the democratic ideal is based on two principles: “political participation and political contestation”. Political participation, he posits, requires that all the people who are eligible to vote can vote. Elections must be free, fair, and competitive. “Political…
Read MoreThe bitter fruits of hate
As the world reels from the shock of 50 persons from the LGBT community in Florida being slaughtered like shooting fish in a barrel, we have to examine the systemic factors at work in the US and apply them in our small country to ensure such an event never occurs here again. And while it may surprise some to see the word “again” used, that simply means we have forgotten, or refuse to confront, the madness of Lusignan, Bartica and Lindo Creek. On a per capita basis, they outweigh the…
Read MoreEnormous potential of CPL
In a matter of days, the HERO Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2016 tournament will commence with some of the leading West Indian and international talents set to descend on the Caribbean. Excitement is building as many fans across Guyana and the other nations where the games are expected to be played are now in a rush to secure tickets and be part of the action. Now in its fourth year, CPL is now truly established as one of the leading T20 leagues in the world and compares favourably with the…
Read MoreRepaying UG Student Loans
The audit of the UG Student Loan Facility did not provide any surprises save exposing the names of several prominent members of our society who contributed to the Gy$13.6 billion in principal and interest outstanding as of December 31, 2014. Back in 2014, the then Minister of Finance Ashni Singh, while announcing the moderate increase in fees at UG, had pointed out the unwillingness of students to repay their loans even though many were in a position to do so. He hoped the delinquent defaulters would respond to moral suasion…
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