Category: Features

In our issue two weeks ago (week ending May 5th), we gave a background to the privatisation drive that was initiated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) back in 1989 under the then People’s National Congress (PNC) regime of President Desmond Hoyte. The rationale for privatisation was that the performance of the enterprises would be improved; employment increased; government would not have to subsidise them and in fact could collect taxes from income and profits; market forces would be strengthened in the economy; and a domestic capital market could be…

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Written by Bharrat Jagdeo, president of Guyana from 1999 to 2011, and now roving ambassador for the Three Basins Initiative. First published in the UK Guardian on April 16, 2013 (http://www.guardian.co.uk) While forests once provided subsistence for local people, for generations clearing forested land has also been good for global business, providing immediate food security for the world. Put simply, forests have been worth more dead than alive. As populations grow, emerging and industrialised countries are looking to the three great world forest regions – the Three Basins of the…

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In 1955 Harry Ramanand created cricket history by becoming the first schoolboy and the youngest player ever to be called to Berbice trials.  Before that, you don’t allow a youngster to be more than two miles to the cricket ground. But wait until you hear the juiciest part of the story. The diminutive Harry was the only player who turned up at Mental Hospital ground in short pants. It was rather unusual those days for someone, anyone to play in short pants. I too was in short pants, but as…

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On May 5th 1838, the very year of final slave emancipation in the British West Indies, a small batch of 396 Indian immigrants popularly known as the ‘Gladstone Coolies’ landed in British Guiana (Guyana) from Calcutta. This was the beginning of the indenture system which was to continue for over three-quarters of a century and whose essential features were very reminiscent of slavery. Within a decade Indian immigration was largely responsible for changing the fortunes of the sugar industry, the mainstay of the economy, from the predicted ‘ruin’ to prosperity.…

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In response to a request by his granddaughter, overseas-based Guyanese author Chetram Singh was inspired to travel all the way to India to research and document his ancestral heritage, in helping his family connect with their roots. “The idea about writing this book came from my late eldest grandchild Deepa Devi Singh. She asked me if I could provide her with some information about our family; who they were; where they came from and how they ended up in Guyana. She was doing an assignment for her school that required…

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An overseas based organisation which seeks to increase the popularity of common interests in the international Indian community is the Indo-Caribbean Federation (ICF). Under the presidency of Guyanese Ralph Tamesh, ICF’s focus is to raise awareness of the needs of the Indo-Caribbean people residing in the U.S., while keeping their rich culture and heritage alive. The organisation was established in 1985, and since its conception is involved in numerous projects in fulfilling its mission. It is part of many humanitarian efforts within the Guyanese community and abroad. Speaking with Guyana…

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Eighty-three-year-old Ameena Ishmail’s story is one of endurance through hardship on tough sugar estates, and developing resilience to face up to others in a society where women were not bestowed with the recognition they deserved. In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Ameena, born August 1930, disclosed that she could not afford to attend school because her family was very poor, and she had to work in the “backdam” with her mother from just 12 years old. “I worked at such an early age because my father died when…

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organised by Angels Caribbean Entertainment Group of Companies and having sponsors such as Westbury Toyota and Kaieteur Restaurant, the 18th Annual Mothers’ Day Extravaganza [To Mom With Love] show was held on May 5th 2013 at the Resorts World Casino in Queens, New York. The event saw over 2000 persons attending. There were performances by a host of artistes, including; Angels Caribbean Band, Geeta Bisram, Anil Bheem, Terry Gajraj, Soca Raja, Devindra Pooran, Rick Ramoutar, Manik Malhatra, Rangeela Dance Troupe, Natya Tilakam, and Arvin & Sahil Batra. The event was…

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Deven Dindyal was born in Georgetown, Guyana, and currently resides in New York. Deven pursued his undergraduate studies at St. Johns University in Queens, New York, and he later did his Master’s Degree at the prestigious Columbia University in New York. Deven has been working in the finance and information technology field for over a decade. He started out in the corporate world and then ventured out into the field of Higher Education Administration. He is currently employed as a Senior Associate Director of Student Financial Services at Nassau Community…

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