THE HONEYMOON IS SURELY NOW OVER

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Saturday, 17th October 2015, 8:00 pm

Neither pace nor spin could contain the eruption over the salary increases by ministers of the government, to themselves. The usually mild mannered Minister of State, Joe Harmon, tried pace. “I have no apologies to make.” The technically adept Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, tried spin – “I maintain that these changes were necessary.” These efforts and others (the AG said the increases were ‘transparent’ and Minister Trotman said ‘trust us’) have failed to ease the political controversy, which has continued with unabated ferocity for two weeks. Back to back editorials in Stabroek News and Red Thread’s ‘fat cat politrickian’ cartoon, advertising a picketing demonstration on October 14, have underlined public dismay at the substantial salary increases.  If there was any doubt about it before, the honeymoon for the APNU+AFC Government is surely now over.

Between 1957 and 1964, the totality of salary and benefits for a minister was $840.00 (then about US$420) per month with $120.00 as a travel allowance and a driver. In order to attract Shridath Ramphal, who had served as Deputy Attorney General of the West Indian Federation and was then in private practice in Jamaica, the PNC-UF coalition government in 1964 offered him a salary of $4,000.00 tax free as Attorney General. The salaries of ministers remained the same.

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IMPENDING CHANGES IN THE JUDICIARY

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Saturday, 10th October 2015, 8:00 pm

During last week the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, the Honourable Basil Williams, reminded us that the current Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang is due to retire shortly. According to the Constitution, the acting Chief Justice is required to retire next February but with pre-retirement leave, if taken (he has reportedly never taken leave in fifteen years) he might leave as early as the end of this year.

Chief Justice Chang is like no other judge before or, likely, after. He combines a burning passion for law with a voracious reading appetite. These have gifted him with wide knowledge and sharp and innovative analytical capability. With an easy and approachable manner, the Chief Justice combines a gregarious disposition with uniquely expressive skills. His ripe and colourful images and metaphors in speech, disguise a prodigious work ethic. His countless, usually well written decisions, will guide lawyers and judges for many years to come. Some decisions have been reversed, some controversial, as is normal and to be expected. The lawyers defending his decisions in the Budget Case and the Two Term Presidential Limit Case will have challenging arguments to contend with.

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THE US SHOULD AFFIRM GUYANA’S BORDERS

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Saturday, 3rd October 2015, 8:00 pm

“I am not unhappy with the US position,” said Vice President and Foreign Minister Carl Greenidge, speaking about the US position on the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy (iNews 14/7/15). It is not known whether the use of the double negative indicated that the Vice President was merely satisfied, and not enthusiastic. If it did, he had good reason. The US played a dominant role in the 19th century in pressuring Great Britain on behalf of Venezuela to agree to arbitration of the border dispute. Like Venezuela, it accepted the Arbitral Award of 1899. The US has therefore recognized Guyana’s borders from 1899 to the present, but has pointedly not said so.

Both Caricom and the Commonwealth have repeatedly affirmed recognition of Guyana’s internationally accepted borders. Commonwealth and Caricom Foreign Ministers, meeting in New York last week, did so again, as did Caricom Heads at its recent meeting. The confirmation of such a position by the US, based on historical facts, would be fair and just. But for some unknown reason, the US has been reticent. It cannot be that a forthright position, based on the facts and international law, which the Venezuelans can hardly dispute, would be seen as taking sides. Neither would it derail its current discourse with the Venezuelan Government, or affect its relations with Latin America, many large countries of which do not support Venezuela’s claim.

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HOW THE PPP LOST THE WEST FOR THE SECOND TIME

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Saturday, 26th September 2015, 8:00 pm

It was President George H. W. Bush’s February 1990 Republic Day message to President Desmond Hoyte, expressing the hope that the upcoming elections will be free and fair, that signaled the end of the West’s four decade hostility to the PPP, starting in 1953. Dr. Jagan had written to the US President in December 1989 seeking US support for free and fair elections in Guyana.

Earlier in 1989 Dr. Jagan wrote to President Gorbachev, President of the USSR, also seeking his support. Dr. Jagan had reminded President Gorbachev of the latter’s earlier support of President Bush’s demand for free and fair elections in Nicaragua, which was a friend of the USSR. Dr. Jagan’s hope was that President Gorbachev would elicit a quid pro quo from President Bush for his support on Nicaragua by supporting free and fair elections in Guyana. Dr. Jagan figured that with the Cold War fading, it was the opportune time for convincing the US to review its hostility to the PPP by supporting democracy in Guyana.

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THE PPP AND NATIONAL UNITY

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Saturday, 19th September 2015, 8:00 pm

Since the public invitation by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo to the PPP for talks leading to a government of national unity, varying opinions have been expressed by several commentators on the issue, including Henry Jeffrey (SN 2015-09-16), Tacuma Ogunsaye (KN 2015-09-19) and Anil Nandlall (SN-09-19). Jeffrey called for clarity of intention from the coalition, Ogunsaye expressed the view that the PPP believes it will win the next elections and that Jagdeo sees himself as president for those reason will not agree to a national unity government. Nandlall called for a ‘peaceful atmosphere’ to be first established before any talks can take place.

There were times in the history of the PPP when the national interest took precedence. In August 1975 the PPP offered ‘critical support’ to the PNC government. At that time the PPP perceived that government was moving in an ‘anti-imperialist’ direction. It had embarked on a policy of nationalization of foreign owned industries and was perceived to come or likely to come under attack by ‘imperialism.’ In these circumstances the PPP felt compelled to protect what it saw were advances made by the PNC government by showing solidarity.

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The Conversation Tree is both physical and philosophical. The physical is the tree itself, which has given its name to the road from which it originates at the intersection of the Rupert Craig Highway. It was reputedly first planted by Napleton William King in 1876 to celebrate the birth of his son Napleton Walter. As...
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