NOTES ON POST-CONGRESS EVENTS

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Saturday, 7th September 2013, 7:00 pm

The recent Congress of the PPP concluded just as was predicted by me in a recent article (“The PPP’s 30th Congress). There were lots of applause, the Central Committee Report was adopted unanimously, poor organizational work was declared to be responsible for the 2011 electoral defeat, the Opposition and some other ‘enemies’ were identified and vilified (myself and Moses Nagamootoo) and a new Central Committee was elected without any headline catching result.

An atmosphere was established which appeared to rule out any new initiatives to break the political deadlock. Even if a more structured mode of conversation with the Opposition had been proposed, it is difficult to see how that could be accomplished or produce any results after the Opposition was accused of ‘criminal’ and ‘terrorist’ conduct.

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LAND TITLING: CORRECTING ‘HISTORICAL PROBLEMS.’

Written by admin
Saturday, 31st August 2013, 7:31 pm

Two weeks ago a Government team led by the President Ramotar visited Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice. This area is populated by descendants of indentured labourers and has a substantial land problem. The President described it thus: “…historic problems which has (sic) been in the making for a long time whereby lands were given out to people and some of them sold out but no title was passed to them while some died out and some migrated and in the meantime, over the years, it was festering and beginning to cause some problems in the community itself.”

The President announced the Government’s decision to resolve the problems of the community. Under the Land Registry Act the area would be declared a “registration area.” When this is done the parcels of land occupied would be surveyed. The President announced that the Government will allocate the sum of $46 million for the survey. Upon completion of the survey the Land Court will then receive applications for title, hold sittings at which evidence of occupation will be taken and ownership granted.

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THE AFC’S POSITION ON AMAILA WAS POLITICALLY ASTUTE

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Saturday, 24th August 2013, 7:00 pm

The Alliance For Change (AFC) made its position on Amaila known from the outset. It said that it would rely on the outcome of the IDB’s assessment in order to determine whether or not to support the project. The AFC joined others in expressing its concerns but when confronted with Sithe Global’s position that unless there was full Opposition support for the legislation, it would terminate its interest, the AFC quite consistently decided that it would vote to let the project live until the crucial IDB report was available.

It’s Chairman’s professional association with Sithe Global that may have complicated the situation for the AFC.  The criticisms of the AFC appear to suggest that it opportunistically voted for the legislation at the behest of its Chairman. But in fact the AFC was maintaining its consistency and credibility while protecting its electoral and political interests.

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THE PPP CONGRESS, AMAILA AND THEIR AFTERMATH

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Saturday, 17th August 2013, 7:00 pm

The Amaila Falls Hydro Project became a victim of Guyana’s political culture. The new Cheddi Jagan Airport and the Specialty Hospital are now in jeopardy. It is not known how the PPP came about the idea that it can move these projects forward in the National Assembly without a far higher degree of collaboration and trust. A Party of such vast experience appears to believe that once there are ‘healthy political debates,’ whatever the outcome, all are then expected to act the ‘interests of the country.’ Who determines those interests?

It is Guyana’s authoritarian political culture that is responsible for the failure of Amaila. This culture gave us the Skeldon Factory, the new Cheddi Jagan Airport and the Specialty Hospital with no ‘healthy political debate’ or consultation, and Amaila with initially little more than nominal disclosures. These flowed more freely only when Opposition votes in the National Assembly became necessary. Amaila was conceived, planned, negotiated and announced without any consultation or ‘healthy political debate,’ first as a fait accompli, then followed by a scramble for ex post facto support from the Opposition.

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THE EPIDEMIC OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAS BECOME A NATIONAL EMERGENCY

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Sunday, 11th August 2013, 9:25 am

Most of the reports on domestic violence describe it as prevalent. Statistics are not reliable because of under reporting. Nevertheless all of the experts and activists in this field agree that the statistics that are available suggest that domestic violence in Guyana is extensive and deep rooted. The incidents of domestic violence against women and children over the past five years or so suggest that it has now reached epidemic proportions, notwithstanding a large number of government and non-government agencies which are doing dedicated work to reduce or prevent domestic violence. Domestic violence seem to be getting more gruesomely spectacular with each passing year.

While there can be substantial improvements in the services offered by both government and non-government bodies with the appropriate amount of resources, the impression of some observers is that the problems are too entrenched and in segments of society which are either not reached by agencies or, if reached, are impervious to the programmes normally deployed. It is believed that it is in these sections of society that the vast majority of incidents of domestic violence take place. Clearly the strategies adopted must take into account this fact and should target these communities in a more creative fashion.

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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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