Dear Editor, The expected was realised: “Shivnarine Chanderpaul is the leading candidate for the Sportsman of the Year (2012) award.” The reason for his nomination rests on his outstanding year with the bat in Test cricket, his only form of the game at the international level. He is currently the number three ranked Test batsman, and was the Caribbean’s highest scorer of test runs during the time. He actually notched up 987 runs from nine games, at an average of 98.7, inclusive of three centuries. Chanderpaul has three nominations for…
Read MoreCategory: Letters
Government pushing local art
Dear Editor, I thought deeply of the fact that, not too long ago, the culture, youth and sport minister proposed funds to help showcase the work of artists. It went kind of unnoticed when in my view it should have stirred up a lot of interest. Research has shown that study and participation in the fine arts are integral components in improving learning throughout all academic areas. Evidence of its effectiveness lies in reducing student dropout, raising student attendance, developing better team players, fostering a love for learning, improving greater…
Read MoreThe police can do better
Dear Editor, The Guyana Police Force will now focus attention on pedestrians who walk and text, and after arresting them, they will face disciplinary action by the police. This texting-and-walking thing was one of the very top concerns addressed by the Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC), the police, and several stakeholder ministries. To all of these stakeholders, I have to ask what is the statistical backing in relation to accidents caused by pedestrians’ texting and walking? Even in big, busy cities such as Tokyo and London, texting-and-walking accidents are…
Read MoreNo right to gag Minister Rohee
Dear Editor, Regarding a news item on Clement Rohee chastising the opposition for gagging him as an elected member of parliament in the Guyana Times daily paper dated February 9, the minister is absolutely right. It is unprecedented that a parliament would punish an MP for not violating any standing order. So far, the opposition has not been able to cite any rule that Rohee violated to be denied his right to address the House or to be sent to the Privileges Committee for discipline. Also, the opposition passed a…
Read MoreFinally, a radio station that caters for the residents of Pomeroon
Dear Editor, The residents of Kabakaburi in the Pomeroon would like to thank the management and staff of Radio Guyana 89.3FM for catering to the needs of our village. Villages like ours feel very left out when television and radio stations start broadcasting in Guyana and we do not receive their signal. At the moment, we only receive one channel from the Essequibo Coast and all others are foreign channels. I am a school teacher and I do not come to Georgetown often, but whenever I do I get the…
Read MoreGuyana’s wooden architecture can be an addition to the tourist experience
Dear Editor, It was interesting to read in the international edition of the Guyana Times of February 3, 2013, an article headlined, “The historic timber architecture of small houses,” referring to Guyana’s architectural heritage. When truthfully explored, these smaller wooden homes maintained a style of architecture that exists on a far grander scale in surviving public wooden buildings that were once private mansions. We have to put aside our temptation to evaluate Guyanese historic data via a class/economic disparity, but rather by what was experienced practically as satisfying and beautiful,…
Read MoreA collective approach to fighting drugs
Dear Editor, It is very encouraging to note that the governments of Guyana and United States just signed two agreements seeking to advance the local and regional security sectors in the area of trafficking of drugs. This signing is really in tandem with the United Nations policy in this aspect of crime fighting. It goes back to 2000 when countries agreed to cooperate with one another in every aspect of the fight against corruption, including prevention, investigation and the prosecution of offenders. Countries are now bound to render specific forms…
Read MoreA new dispensation for Guyana’s indigenous people
Dear Editor, Our indigenous people must never be taken for granted. They have been neglected for too long, but over the last decade or so, there have been noticeable, positive changes in this regard. Generally, indigenous people want to retain local forms of organisation to defend their culture and livelihoods. Many have witnessed the collapse of their traditions under the burden of poverty, and believe that they must now reject their ethnic identity and integrate into society if they are to improve their living conditions. Guyana, however, is taking steps…
Read MoreFinally, some action by MARAD
Dear Editor, Two gruesome river accidents and all of a sudden there is a flurry of activities. This kind of knee-jerk reaction is so common these days that I am almost tempted to ignore this all-of-a-sudden interest from the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD). Reports indicate that it has begun an aggressive safety campaign on river transportation, which is commendable, but it took the deaths of 17 persons in the Pomeroon and Mazaruni before this move was made. In Guyana, the litany of travelling illegalities is quite long and well established…
Read MorePoor excuse for not selecting Sewnarine Chattergoon
Dear Editor, The explanation of the Chairman of national selectors for the non-selection of Sewnarine Chattergoon is so dumb that I am now forced to ask how come he is a selector, let alone serving as chairman. Can someone put up his cricketing CV? There is more cricket in Chattergoon than there is selecting acumen in the chairman of selectors and I am therefore not that surprised with his explanation. Just ask any of the coaching greats what makes the most successful team, and almost without exception, their immediate response…
Read More