MEDIATING A STRIKE BY JUDICIAL ORDER

The Civil Procedure Rules provide that a Court may, on its own initiative, order any or all parties to a proceeding to participate in a mediation. This is the first high profile court-ordered mediation and it involves the Government and a major trade union, the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), which is engaged in an nation-wide […]

ENDING THE POLITICS OF ETHNO-POLITICAL DOMINATION

The spectacular discoveries of oil in offshore Guyana, with promises of a glowing future, must be tempered with what that future really means and with the realities of today. It appears that Guyana stands to receive $US300 million a year for the first five years after production commences and a little over that sum for […]

THE SOCIALIST REVOLUTION

The Russian Revolution, referred to as the ‘Great October Socialist Revolution,’ took place one hundred years ago on November 7 (October 25 on the calendar in force in Russia at the time). Although the revolution was inspired by noble ideas and ideals, mainly the elimination of exploitation and poverty and the creation of a party […]

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

Last week the 27 year old Anthony Joshua dethroned 41 year old Wladimir Klitschko, the reigning world heavyweight boxing champion for the past 15 years.  In the history of heavyweight boxing, Klitschko is one of the all-time greats. He would dominate a fight with sharp and powerful left jabs, keeping his opponent at bay, until […]

INDENTURESHIP AND INDEPENDENCE

John Gladstone, the owner of Plantation Vreed-en-Hoop, was regarded as a prime mover for indentureship. In his now famous (or infamous) letter of 4 January, 1836, to recruiters in India, he painted a glowing picture of the possibilities: “They are furnished with comfortable dwellings and abundance of food….They have likewise an annual allowance of clothing […]