It is with deep sorrow that I have learnt of the passing of Ashton Chase. He was a friend, mentor and colleague against whom I appeared in many court cases and with whom I served in many bodies, the main one being the Guyana Bar Association as assistant secretary and secretary on the several occasions that he was president in the turbulent times of the Bar Association’s fight for free and fair elections, democracy and the rule of law. He was a leading figure in the struggle for democracy in Guyana from 1946 to 1992.
Continue reading “ASHTON CHASE”BLINKEN’S VISIT
The visit to Guyana of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is an indication of the growing importance of Guyana on the international stage. This importance is a by-product of Guyana’s bourgeoning, petroleum-based, economy which will soon place Guyana as the largest petroleum producer per capita in the world. This, however, means little because with production at 1 or 2 million barrels a day, which is expected to be the maximum that Guyana will attain unless our reserves increase significantly by more discoveries, Guyana will not be in the big leagues. Guyana’s oil will have no influence on the world’s economy, as Saudi Arabia or Russia, which both produce in the vicinity of 9 billion barrels a day. However, Guyana will become economically powerful enough to have an influential voice in the Caribbean and even in Latin America and, perhaps, further afield. It is in the recognition of that growing reality that brings Blinken to Guyana. The US would undoubtedly wish to influence the direction of that voice.
Continue reading “BLINKEN’S VISIT”RETHINKING CRIMINAL JUSTICE
A week ago, Justice Jacob Wit, a Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice, participated in a Seminar at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on “Rethinking Criminal Justice.” It was a timely and important conference because our criminal justice system, like our appeal system, is in a state of collapse. This is no exaggeration because these systems do not deliver justice to the Guyanese citizen in a reasonable time, as provided for in the Constitution. Accused persons are tried years after they are committed to trial. Those on remand have to spend their time in prison. Civil appeals now take about six years to be heard. I hasten to add that this state of affairs is not the fault of judges. They work diligently and under great pressure.
Continue reading “RETHINKING CRIMINAL JUSTICE”BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
The accusation involving Minister Nigel Dharamlall has become a matter of much public interest since it was revealed on social media. The accusation was graphic and is very serious. It was a matter that could not easily be written about because it was fast moving and involved police investigations which are still continuing. It is always wise to stay away from ongoing criminal investigations because of the danger that they may be jeopardized by a rash or inappropriate comment. There were also competing national events of interest such as the escape of Royden Williams, called “Smallie” and an analysis of the results of the just completed local government elections and what they meant for the general elections in 2025. At the international level, the loss of the “Titan,” a submersible, and five lives, by a ‘catastrophic implosion’ in the North Atlantic, on its way down the ocean to view the wreck of the Titanic and the loss of hundreds of lives of migrants just over a week ago as the result of the sinking of an overloaded fishing vessel are international events which have attracted much international attention and merited comments. Underwater exploration and the plight of refugees are very important matters that compete for attention with national issues.
Continue reading “BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE”THE SINGULARITY
“Singularity” is achieved when human and machine become united. This would become possible when a computer’s processing power is integrated with human intelligence, or when computers become so complex that they could think. An exponential growth in intelligence so that centuries of progress can be achieved in months could become possible when singularity is achieved. Singularity was recognized in the 1950s. John von Newman, a computer scientist, said that the “progress of technology” would lead to “singularity.” In the 1960s Irving John Good, a British mathematician, said that “the survival of man depends on the early construction of an ultra-intelligent machine.” Ray Kurzweil, a computer scientist, said in the 1990s that “artificial intelligence is near.” In 2005 he said that “artificial intelligence is nearer.”
Continue reading “THE SINGULARITY”