ISRAEL CANNOT SURVIVE AS A PARTIALLY LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC STATE

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Saturday, 29th July 2023, 9:00 pm

Israel is in the throes of a struggle between opposing forces in support of its partly liberal democratic state and those proposing a fully neo-fascist one. For seven months now large demonstrations have taken place against legislative proposals by the most rightwing government in Israel’s history to remove the power of the judiciary to overrule government decisions as being unreasonable. The government has been described by Bret Stephens, a conservative New York Times columnist, and a strong supporter of Israel, as “a coalition of the bigoted, the corrupt, the dependent and the extreme.” Reforms to give more power to the government over judicial appointments, weakening the power of government lawyers and limiting judicial review of appointments, are yet to come. The already conservative Supreme Court has approved the torture of Palestinians, the destruction of their homes and the expansion of settlements.

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AN ERA IS COMING TO AN END

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Saturday, 22nd July 2023, 9:00 pm

The passing of Ashton Chase ushered in the end of an era spanning the entire modern history of Guyana from its earliest conception. He was a founding member of the Political Affairs Committee which gave rise to the Peoples’ Progressive Party. But it also confirms the end of another era – that of the great lawyer – one who appears in great, nationally impactful, cases and stamps their personalities on the profession. The surviving trio of that generation were Ashton Chase, Rex McKay and the lesser-known Joseph King. Their era ended when they terminated their legal practice in the way that lawyers do – with decreasing tempo spread over many years. But a time comes when the brain loses the support of the body. I was fortunate to appear in many cases against Ashton Chase and Rex McKay and in some with Joseph King. I learnt from these numerous appearances what no textbook can teach.

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WHITHER APNU?

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Saturday, 15th July 2023, 9:00 pm

All agree that there is a democracy deficit when an Opposition is unable or unwilling to hold a government to account. In 1992, APNU, then known as the PNC, was voted out of office and remained in opposition for 23 years. After 19 years, circumstances began to change when two opposition parties, APNU and the AFC, obtained a majority in the 2011 elections. As expected, joining in a coalition, the two parties sustained a majority in 2015 and formed the Government. Instead of sober economic policies to grow the economy and constitutional reform to further democratize the governance system, the APNU-AFC Government raised taxes and went on a spending spree. It failed to keep its promise to reform the constitution. Instead, it reached down into its history for guidance and attempted to rig the elections of 2020.

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ASHTON CHASE

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Tuesday, 11th July 2023, 7:52 am

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.

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BLINKEN’S VISIT

Written by Ralph Ramkarran
Saturday, 8th July 2023, 9:00 pm

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.

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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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