Dear Editor, Two cases, now in the courts, say to me that our police officers have to up the ante. It is time the law enforcers be more proactive, get a feel of the community, and make criminals fearful. Also, I call for their support at every level. I first recall the 22-year-old, who was refused bail, for being charged with possession of an unlicensed gun and ammunition. This man pleaded not guilty to the charge, which alleges that he was in possession of a 9mm pistol and 11 rounds…
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Is Guyana taking the backtracking issue lightly?
Dear Editor, The time is long gone for some action to be taken regarding backtracking allegations. Quite a few are still involved in the act, and I find that ignoring those purportedly involved, or even side-stepping the issue as such, to be quite distasteful and complacent. It is not so in other places, and authorities have been at it for quite some time now. In the UK, a 30-year-old man was charged with facilitating the entry of illegal immigrants. He was arrested at his home by the National Crime Squad…
Read MoreSports have immense overall value
Dear Editor, Many people take involvement in sports as just the ordinary. Reading that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport is pushing sports, was encouraging. The ministry has been fulfilling its commitment to strengthen sport activities in hinterland communities and elsewhere. In this regard, it handed over tennis tables to various communities. Research has clearly established that sports go hand-in-hand with proper human development. For example, exercise improves the structure of the body, which can help promote a better body image. During exercise, the body also releases endorphins that…
Read MoreThe National Song Festival was classy
Dear Editor, I refer to a recent letter lauding the first ever National Song Festival for choral groups. The writer was thankful for a delightful afternoon of glorious music at the National Cultural Centre. In the end, the call was for the serious re-introduction of music in schools and choirs in Guyana. There appears to be a renewed emphasis in Guyana for greater concentration upon the traditional basics – English, Maths, Science, and History. There is also a new focus on computer competency and the need for a foreign language.…
Read MoreThere should be more undercover officers on our streets
Dear Editor, Security reforms are underway and I feel a kind of apprehension among some people. They are beginning to get nervous. It is only the guilty or schemers who are fearful about being under the microscope. Guyana can get even more serious as regards crime-fighting. I suggest undercover work, which can help nab petty thieves posing as innocent bystanders. One of the most notable exceptions to uniformed duty is undercover work, arguably the most problematic area of law enforcement. Undercover work is one of the most unique investigative techniques…
Read MoreTaking green awareness to a higher level
Dear Editor, Recent discussions between the Chinese Ambassador to Guyana and the Natural Resources and Environment Minister focused on investments, training, and technical support for the expanding extractive and environmental sectors. All of us must embrace the use of environmentally-friendly technology. Guyana is very much in the lead when it comes to promoting sustainable development in the context of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). A worldwide survey found that the environment and global warming are greater concerns for the Chinese than the economy, per se. The green awareness among…
Read MoreOpposition should not see its role as policy formulation
Dear Editor, The court recently dismissed the opposition’s challenge to government’s deposit of monies into the Lotto Fund. I have this distinct feeling that the combined opposition knows it cannot win certain legal arguments, but goes ahead with all kinds of challenges, using its one-seat majority for mere procrastination and tomfoolery. This particular matter has now come to an end as the court dismissed the legal challenge filed by A Partnership National Unity Member of Parliament Desmond Trotman. The respondent of course was Attorney General Anil Nandlall. Trotman should have…
Read MoreA tribute to Ismay Spooner
Dear Editor, I cannot refrain from writing a short note on behalf of the Humanitarian Mission of New Jersey Arya Samaj and the members of its Guyana Chapter, after I heard of the sudden demise of a dear friend of the organisation, Ismay Spooner, Guyana’s oldest living person. The news of her passing came to me and the organisation with deep shock and a void is now being felt with profound sadness. Ismay was born in Barbados on December 27, 1900 to Bajan parents. Her father, Livingston, died before she…
Read MoreChanderpaul still has a lot left in him
Dear Editor, Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s encomiums seem never ending. This time it is in the form of a call up from Derbyshire. They have signed the Guyanese and world Number Two Test batsman for a two-year contract. Based on just county performances, Chanderpaul stands very tall. He has delivered in his previous stints in county cricket. In 2011, he played for Warwickshire, scoring three centuries and averaging a massive 89.83 in his five matches, helping his club finish second in the County Championship. As for his three spells at Durham, Chanderpaul…
Read MoreGuyana’s food security intact
Dear Editor, The agriculture minister has said that, if Guyana wants to enhance its economy and ensure food safety, producing meat of better size and quality is vital. According to him, the way forward is that high quality genetics be utilised, as it will enable local scientists to produce better breeds of animals that are of international standard. There are many advantages of modern genetics, and this field of study is not in infancy anymore. It goes back to as early as 1939, when the first animal, a rabbit, was…
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