FLEXING MAJORITARIAN MUSCLE

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Thursday, 27th December 2012, 10:08 pm

Mr. Carl Greenidge outlined the Opposition’s pre-conceived views on the Supplementary Estimates (‘Estimates’) in an interview in the KN published on Thursday, February 16, just before their consideration by the National Assembly on the afternoon of that day. With his eye on the struggle for the leadership of the PNCR, words like “illegality” and “police action,” and threats to surcharge delinquent officials, flowed liberally against the Government and with reckless unconcern that a consideration of the Estimates do not give rise to such possibilities. Worse, these premature conclusions preceded consideration of the Estimates.

This is the first opportunity which the Opposition has had to flex it majoritarian muscle. And obviously it could not allow the moment to pass. After all, its constituency is looking on and anticipating fire and brimstone, as promised, over issues which the Opposition has made much about during the election campaign – financial mismanagement and corruption. The test of whether it failed or succeeded can be judged by the fact that the Opposition supported the first Paper, except two items, and merely caused the deferment of the second.

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NATIONAL UNITY – HAS THE TIME ARRIVED?

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Thursday, 27th December 2012, 9:58 pm

The PPP started life as a political party which consciously embraced all strata of the society. The most important, immediate, objective was the unity of the major races of the main social groups, the working and middle classes, including intellectuals and professionals. At this early time, 1950, the founders of the PPP understood that its eventual goals, independence and socialism, and more immediate goal of universal adult suffrage, could not be achieved with a divided society and without a mass based party.

The wave of euphoria after universal adult suffrage, and then the general elections, were won disguised the deep fissures which then existed in our society. These types of divisions were not new. They first existed between the slave owners and slaves, then the Portuguese and Africans and later between the Africans and Indians. The foundation of these differences was the existence of poverty and the ensuing competition for scarce resources. Of course there were other reasons, much of which have been revealed in the debates since that time and more recently. But the PPP’s ideological posture at that time suggested the primacy of economic determinants, which in its view still plays the leading role in keeping these divisions active .

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EXPOSED – ATTEMPTING TO SNATCH BREAD FROM THE TABLE

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Thursday, 27th December 2012, 9:57 pm

According to press reports Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, Chairman of the Alliance For Change and the leader of its parliamentary contingent, has indicated that the AFC intends to vote for the reduction of allocations to various agencies. One objective is to reduce the number of contact employees. The total sum being cut amounts to $3.8B.

To fully appreciate the full magnitude of the cuts the astonishing details need to be set out. Under the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce the following cuts are being proposed: the National Bureau of Standards from $119M to $62M, the Guyana National Conference Centre from $12M to $3M, Tourism Development from $5.3M to $3M, the Consumer Protection Commission from $91M to $31M, the Competitiveness Programme from $235M to $220M, and Industrial Development from $50M to $25M.

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ABOLISH JURY TRIALS

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Thursday, 27th December 2012, 9:52 pm

In 1978 the PNC administration proposed the Administration of Justice Bill which sought, among other things, to increase the number of offences which could be tried summarily, that is to say, before a Magistrate. These offences which were known as indictable offences, were heard before a Judge and jury. There was great opposition to the Bill in the legal profession across the political divide on the ground that it was an attempt to abolish jury trials. A strike was called which was supported almost unanimously by the entire Bar. A picketing demonstration was held outside the Parliament Building. Even though these were dangerous times, the demonstration was a great success. The Bill was eventually passed with some modifications but the number of indictable offences reduced, or capable of being reduced, to summary offences, was increased. It meant that jury trials for a number of offences was abolished.

It is not known whether the suspicion that the Government was attempting to abolish jury trials was accurate. Such suspicions about legal and other matters abounded at the time because of the undemocratic nature of the regime in power and the belief that every effort was being made to deprive Guyanese of rights which had long been won. The right to vote had already been lost. No further attempt was made to expand the list of indictable offences to summary offences which can be tried before a magistrate.

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DECRIMINALISING ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLES

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Thursday, 27th December 2012, 1:12 pm

More than fifty years ago the United Kingdom gave recognition to a reality that had existed for centuries or even millennia. It decriminalized homosexual acts by repealing legislation which made these acts illegal by providing that consenting adults are not guilty for such acts done in private. Such legislation, inherited from our colonial masters, who repealed them fifty years ago, is still on our books.

President Obama has now announced support for marriage between persons of the same sex. It was big news in the United States. The idea was not new because several states in the US, including New York, had already changed their laws to allow same sex marriage. But it is the first time a President has endorsed same sex marriage. It is likely to be a controversial campaign issue in the US elections in November because social conservatism is strong in the US. But President Obama must have felt politically safe in coming out in support of same sex marriage because, despite conservative opposition, the issue has attracted the support of a majority of Americans.

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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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