CIVIL SOCIETY

Civil society began to attain prominence about fifty years ago as non-state actors outside the political and business communities. The World Bank defines civil society as “a wide array of organisations: community groups, non-governmental organisations [NGOs], labour unions, indigenous groups, charitable organisations, faith-based organisations, professional associations, and foundations.” Under generally accepted principles of democracy and […]

THE BRIGHT CENTURY BECKONS GUYANA, BUT WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME, AND WHEN?

The spectacular possibilities that await Guyana were revealed at the recently concluded Oil & Gas conference. Government spokespersons, led by President Irfaan Ali, Prime Minister Mark Phillips and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, and other officials, revealed plans, set out priorities and declared objectives. The head of Exxon talked about the possibilities of the oil industry […]

MUDWATA

MUDWATA, still defiantly profane and homophobic, is back, daring the authorities to find him and ridiculing their arrest of Keron Bruce. It is not certain whether MUDWATA is a comedian, a campaigner against evil, or a vulgarian seeking to appeal only to the prurient. Some will argue that his profanity and homophobia disqualify him from […]

A DISUNITED PNCR IS NOT GOOD FOR GUYANA

Trends have emerged in Guyana where political parties, principally the PNCR, sometimes define their responsibilities as relating to only those who they ‘represent’ or their ‘supporters’ or who ‘voted for them,’ even though, as Government or Opposition, they are expected to represent the interests of all Guyanese. But political polarization over the years has created […]

UMBRELLA

Rihanna, the Barbadian-American singer, became popular with the song ‘Umbrella,’ released in 2008. ‘Umbrella’, along with later songs, are the basis of her status as a megastar and a billionaire entrepreneur of the ‘Fenty’ line of products. ‘Umbrella’ contains the lines: “With you I’ll always share…Know that we’ll still have each other.”