Cutting the nose…

Satiricus is a history buff. He was picking up Cappo’s claim that Linden was ‘cutting its nose to spite its face’. It wasn’t ‘spile’ or ‘spoil’, he explained patiently. It was ‘spite’. In the old days when the Vikings used to attack the early European Christian settlements, virtuous women would cut off their noses to make themselves look repulsive and not be hauled away to be ravished. Problem was, when the Vikings left, they remained repulsive looking and could never attract any suitors, much less husbands. Their ‘face’ or honour…

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Not surprised – interior food prices soar and fuel ‘drying up’

Dear Editor, Even Lindeners are getting frustrated. I never envisaged all of this. In fact, the word ‘protest’ and ‘vigil’ have now taken a downward trek. They are synonymous with uprisings, lootings, vandalism and wanton destruction. Even now, the aftermath will take a lot of doing – clearing and cleaning, repairing, and returning to normal activities. In the beginning it was about ‘prayer’ and ‘praying.’ So imagine my shock now! Remember Editor, it was supposed to be a five-day peaceful protest. Currently, some residents are in a state of panic.…

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Cultural penetration is needed for cricket to become more popular in Canada

Dear Editor, Sometimes honesty leads to a lot of trouble. I think here of Ramnaresh Sarwan. He spoke out against Coach Gibson and more than once too, and I think that he has sealed his cricketing fate. This almost happened to Shivnarine Chanderpaul, but some voices came through, and “Tiger” is still ‘pawing away’. How about Chris Gayle? If it were not for the T20s, then he too may have been in Sarwan’s position. However, many came to his rescue. I hope that a strong lobbying will be made for…

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Gov’t will proceed with development projects despite budget cuts – President

By Svetlana Marshall President Donald Ramotar on Monday said he will not sit back and allow developmental activities in Amerindian villages to stall as a result of the multibillion-dollar “budget cuts” imposed by the joint parliamentary opposition earlier this year. His statement was made during the opening ceremony of the National Toshaos Council’s Conference at Guyana’s International Conference Centre. The conference is being held under the theme “Establishing Strategic Approaches and Alliances for Sustaining Amerindian Development.” “Let it be known that this government was elected by the majority of the…

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Berbicians call for better trained police to handle gender violence

Residents of West Coast Berbice have called for enhanced training for police officers handling cases of gender-based violence, particularly those cases involving children. This call came when they joined the National Conversation on Gender-Based Violence at the Lichfield Primary School. The residents opined that while domestic violence is present in their communities, they are particularly concerned about violence against children, especially since the perpetrators are often family members. The residents were of the view that the police are not properly trained to deal with reports of child abuse, particularly sexual…

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GuyExpo preparations in full swing

Preparations for the highly anticipated GuyExpo 2012 are in full swing, as Guyana’s premier trade fair and investment show looms closer. This year’s exhibition, launched under the theme, “Strengthening the Traditional, Embracing the New” promises to provide the perfect platform for the showcasing of local businesses and investment opportunities. As such, the GuyExpo Planning Committee, led by acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali has already initiated plans to ensure that all expectations are met. This year’s exhibition will see many changes, including an earlier starting time, as committee…

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‘Rediscover Home’ initiative taking root

– Guyanese returning home Close to 100 members of the Cort family arrived in Guyana last Sunday morning as the recently launched “Rediscover Home’ initiative takes root. Excited and exhausted at the same time, the group touched down at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) amidst a flurry of hugs and hellos as many met their kin for the very first time; their Family reunion began. The Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Mr. Indranauth Haralsingh, greeted the guests as they disembarked and welcomed them to Guyana, particularly those…

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Hang the scapegoat

There are twits and there are twits. This fella Mike Persaud has to be a major player in the kingdom of Twitland. Every now and then he feels compelled to inflict his vapid opinions on Guyanese – from his haven somewhere in New York. Maybe it’s the heat in summer and the cold in winter, but could he, maybe, get a life? Anyhow, he decided that the Guyanese just had to know his opinion on the Linden shootings in general and on Minister Rohee’s responsibilities in particular. First off the…

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NGHO group meets in Toronto

Navin Chanderpal, Chairman of the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre (CJRC), was in Toronto to meet with, get feedback from and update the Circle of Friends for the promotion of the New Global Human Order (NGHO) proposal. Chanderpal said that the timing of the meeting reflects the fact that a new Resolution on the role of the United Nations in the NGHO is coming up for consideration by the 67th Session of the General Assembly beginning in September 2012. The proposal for a New Global Human Order was initiated by the…

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Linden as a metaphor

The protests by Lindeners against the gradual equalisation of their electricity rates with the rest of Guyana and the killing of three of those protestors have once again made that interior community the cynosure of all eyes. In more than one sense, Linden is a metaphor for all Guyana and maybe a recap of its history will offer us all lessons towards a resolution of our troubled politics. The discovery of bauxite in our “Hilly Sand and Clay Belt” eventually led to some interesting “robber baron” manoeuvres by one Mackenzie,…

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