Dear Editor, As Guyana joined the rest of the world in celebrating the 28th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) on November 20, 2017, it is important that we recognise the connection between child protection and our nation’s well-being. Protecting children from violence and abuse is critical to ensuring economic and social development in society, as well as achieving several of the United Nations’ Sustainable Developmental Goals (UN SDGs). More importantly, it is about doing the right things to keep children safe from…
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Haitians, other refugees deserve America’s help
The recent attack on immigrants and minorities in the United States by the Donald Trump Administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and send 60,000 Haitians back to suffering and pain in their country – the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere – is the latest in an alarming trend. Haiti cannot provide for them, and this decision is inhumane and unconscionable. This status was extended to Haitians, as America has done in the past with several other countries, after a destructive earthquake hit the island nation in 2010. With…
Read MorePNC faction in the AFC
Dear Editor, I have read with interest the comments made by President David Granger’s son-in-law, Minister Dominic Gaskin, in attempting to justify, and poorly so, the Alliance For Change’s (AFC) denial of being consulted on President Granger’s unilateral appointment of Reverend James Patterson as the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman. And also the denial of playing any part in the selection process, in face of the present AFC leader, Raphael Trotman, at the October 19, 2017 meeting between the President and the Opposition Leader. The report in sections of the…
Read MoreWhat gains come from M&CC’s overseas trips?
Dear Editor, It seems as though the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown have decided to discontinue a rather insipid weekly television programme that was titled ‘Georgetown on the move.’ Such a decision would make a lot of sense, as not only was the programme dull and senseless, but it was a waste of money and time. It was clearly a feeble attempt at political propaganda, and an attempt to divert attention from the mismanagement, corruption and unlawful activities ongoing at the Council. However, one would have hoped…
Read MoreGAWU will not shirk from responsibility of protecting sugar workers
Dear Editor, The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) was not surprised to read the comments of Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo) Senior Communications Officer, Audreyanna Thomas, which were contained in an article titled “Despite low attendance, GuySuCo says on target for second crop” that appeared in the November 13, 2017 edition of one of the newspapers. The GuySuCo officer is quoted to have said that our Union is seeking to “frustrate the company”. For some weeks now, our Union has been pointing out that the Corporation had begun to…
Read MoreGuyana plagued by external interference, quite to its detriment
Dear Editor, Guyana has always been a stomping ground for the big and powerful colonial and neo-colonial superpowers: Plagued by international interference for decades, with most of it to the detriment of this country. As far back as our entrance into adult suffrage and self-rule, the superpowers dogged our path. Our history lessons are inundated with these facts. At one time in history, our fledgling democracy was cut short by the physical removal of the elected head of government. The situation got so bad that the premier and his wife…
Read MoreFavourable resolutions to public servants’ difficulties
Dear Editor, The news media all reported about President David Granger’s meeting with officials of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU). The President’s swift response was surprising to say the least and served to convey the impression that the Administration was concerned about the plight of the nation’s teachers. The interest shown by the State must have been pleasing to the eyes and ears of our teachers who play a tremendous role in moulding and training the nation. But I have long learnt and strongly believe that the devil is in…
Read MoreRecognising what is at stake
Dear Editor, President David Granger demonstrates an immaturity in several of his decisions that appeared to be designed to impose his “one-man-will” on a “750,000-person” nation. The last time I checked, President Granger at his political peak secured 4506 votes more than the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) candidate. So why is he operating like he won 78 per cent of the votes similar to the numbers the People’s National Congress (PNC) declared for itself in 1985. In an economy that is crumbling today, his entire organisation has been pushed behind…
Read MoreThe AFC and other parties in APNU are like an abused spouse
Dear Editor, Just around ten days ago, I penned a piece which was published in the Guyana Times on the 26th Oct, 2017, captioned “The AFC is sleepwalking into an immediate oblivion” where I cited, among other things, the fact that the AFC was not consulted on such an important national issue as the appointment of the GECOM chairman and that the AFC has no nominee representative as a commissioner of GECOM as the bases for my assertion. Fast forward just nine days later and no other than the President…
Read MoreGuyanese Americans oppose unilateral appointment of GECOM Chair
Dear Editor, The large majority of Guyanese Americans I communicated with on the ground (in the New York area) and on the phone oppose (condemn) President Granger’s decision to unilaterally appoint the Chairman of GECOM. They are outraged at the President’s unilateral action in choosing the GECOM Chair without any opposition input. They feel the President should have chosen someone from the final list of nominees provided by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, since all of them are considered to be fit and proper. But, as in Guyana, Guyanese have shown…
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