Guyana’s main political parties will only be interested in constitutional reform to transform our ethno-political system, if a sufficiently large portion of the electorate demands it. Consider the following: In free and fair elections, the PPP will obtain either the votes of the majority or of a plurality because the Indian Guyanese population is the largest single block. The PNCR will obtain the second largest number of votes because African Guyanese are the second largest block.
Continue reading “POLITICAL OPPORTUNISM AND CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM”STILL TIME FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
President Granger’s address to the National Assembly completely omitted any reference to constitutional reform. Since a budgetary provision was made, the Guyanese people were entitled to be told what legislative initiatives to expect from the Government.
Continue reading “STILL TIME FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM”STABROEK NEWS AT 30
Stabroek News will forever be defined by its birth pangs from an authoritarian womb. The last free and fair elections prior to 1992 were held in December 1964. The PPP obtained 45.8 percent of the votes and 24 seats in the Legislative Assembly. The PNC obtained 40.5 percent and 22 seats. The UF won 12.4 percent of the votes and 7 seats.
Continue reading “STABROEK NEWS AT 30”THE FAMILIAR RING OF THE ELECTIONS SEASON
Local government elections are to be held on November 12. With it, the never-ending stream of suspicions emerged as the Government established new local government units and merged others. The Opposition argued that these were done to give an advantage to the Government and the Opposition, through one of its representatives, promptly launched legal proceedings. This event provided the explanation for the ‘disappearance’ of the Chief Elections Officer, Mr. Keith Lowenfield, on one of the most critical days of the elections process, namely, the day after the submission of lists, when corrections have to be made and defects rectified.
Continue reading “THE FAMILIAR RING OF THE ELECTIONS SEASON”SEX AND POLITICS IN THE US
Sex and politics intersected in an explosive controversy that has gripped the United States as Professor Christine Blasey Ford gave evidence last Thursday to the United States Senate about a sexual assault perpetrated against her in the summer of 1982 by Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s nominee to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, on the US Supreme Court.
The Republican-controlled Judiciary Committee of the US Senate initially refused to hear Professor Blasey Ford. However, public pressure forced the Judiciary Committee to reopen the hearing.