Newsday Editorial
November 14, 2014 – newsday.co.tt
THE SITUATION in Guyana is one with which all nations in the region should be concerned. Guyana is an important trading partner. Trinidad and Tobago, for instance, exported an estimated $1.1 billion worth of products to the country over the period 2007 to 2010 and for that period imported $596 million in products. Additionally, both governments have recently partnered on initiatives and incentives to reduce the food import bill and boost production, with plans to make large tracts of land in Guyana available to Trinidad and Tobago agriculturalists.
The announcement that Guyana’s President has prorogued the country’s Parliament has provoked strong reaction. President Donald Ramoutar, 64, exercised his power under Article 70 (1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana to issue a proclamation proroguing the Parliament. The Parliament will therefore not sit for a maximum of six months, though Ramoutar said he hopes to hold a sitting before that time if a consensus can be bridged with opposition parties.
The move came in the face of a no-confidence motion tabled by a coalition of opposition parties which would have been successful since those parties hold a slender one-seat majority in Guyana’s unicameral legislature.
Ramoutar’s government, the Indo-Guyanese-tied People’s Progressive Party, holds 32 seats, while the opposition parties – including the Afro-Guyanese-tied People’s National Congress – hold 33. The President’s move was not altogether surprising as on November 4, he had indicated that if the opposition went forward with its motion, he would have either prorogued the Parliament or dissolved it, triggering a fresh election. An election is due in 2016.
In announcing his invocation of his powers under the law, Ramoutar said, “my decision to exercise this constitutional option was not taken lightly, but it was the sole recourse that was left to me to ensure that the life of the 10th Parliament was preserved.”
Ramoutar said he made a “practical choice between an atmosphere of confrontation, as the no-confidence motion debate would fuel, or that of possible accommodation, as a prorogued Parliament can facilitate, if there is a genuine intent on all sides.”
There is merit in Ramoutar’s reasoning, since in a highly charged environment which is fostered by political parties being perceived along racial lines, any move which maximises stability is most welcome. The prorogation has an utmost limit and Ramoutar has assured that if no consensus is reached he will hold an election. Such an election will, in any event, be inevitable as the government will be forced to reconvene parliament in order to pass a budget.
While the opposition parties have cried foul and have said the latest move is undemocratic, we beg to differ. It instead represents the valid exercise of a provision of the constitution of that country which must, at the end of the day, be supreme. At the same time, Ramoutar will have to soon face the reality that his latest move, although well-intentioned, may in the end be nothing more than a delaying tactic. Elections must and will come.
In the meanwhile, the President has waged in favour of a situation where there is a chance of consensus, as unlikely as that might be. And a chance is better than none. It is better for Guyana as a nation to have as regular electoral terms as possible, rather than volatile governments unable to implement changes.
Over recent years, the Guyanese economy has exhibited moderate economic growth. GDP has risen steadily, moving from US$5.9billion in 2011 to US$6.5 billion in 2013. Still, the economy is heavily dependent upon the export of six commodities — sugar, gold, bauxite, shrimp, timber, and rice — which represent nearly 60 percent of the country’s GDP and are highly susceptible to adverse weather conditions and fluctuations in commodity prices, such as the price of gold.
Inflation has been kept under control. Recent years have seen the government’s stock of debt reduced significantly. But many chronic problems still exist such as debt and poor infrastructure. Guyana must exercise caution and calmness in this current terrain and a mature approach to solving its problems must be adopted by all sides, respecting the law and balancing that with the need for expressions of the will of the electorate. To do otherwise will be an invitation to a return to the volatility that has characterised Guyana politics over the decades.
I will like to share my point of view for as a Guyanese born in 1955 growing to the experiences of all that was, will like to expressly claim the Political Parties now seem locked in greed instead of concentrating on the motives of what will and what may not be for the Development of the Country and its’ Citizens, I am saying this for I am deeply sadden to having to witness the deterioration of the minds, for to say Racial discrimination is the number subject will not be true there are more hidden deception an hate,for the East Indians have done tremendous evil against each other,the last President who claim a few millions as his retirement plan due to all Presidents is beyond justification for Guyana is in no way stabilized to be able to afford such and that is also a major downfall that has reflected on others, for instead they face these make shift Laws with Judicial and Justification they tried to bind into same with the expectations which has now become a life long battle to the prize, the Churches also is not doing their part for they should be able to see through these thing and direct their prayers or call the parties or even send a message of the factors to the acknowledgments, the battle is facts,truth, justice, choice, unity,and a strong sense of self, what the PPP is and has done is so evil, it hurts to see the transformation,of pure lies, deceptiveness, spite,hate, disrespect for self and others, the lack of knowledge of the Judicial system, where robbery is prevalent,I am a victim of such which could have caused me great pain had I not been Praying for the truth to be made known, it is time they the ppp sees themselves for who they really are and what they really represent in the symbol of their symbolize cup,it is also time for Guyanese to know what hurts and what do not and stop accepting what is shoved to them, even on the air waves and TV channels, raise questions, do not mistake bate for Genuine,stop being deceived,Love all and conquer all. it is time for a change, the PNC has a lot of cleansing to do so as to return with renewed strength to accomplish the gift of the symbolize Branch, I do hope and Pray that Guyanese can once again walk the streets and not be afraid, of a gun being pointed at them for reasons unknown and those that has travel to foreign countries liberated themselves and return to Guyana under pretense should be strong enough to accept the wages of their doing, for some of the crimes being carried out is organized, so far it is Only Dr. Cheddy Jagan that has ever presented himself in an appropriate manner as to gaining the respect of the Nation his wife was not ever sworn in to Parliament by way of vote to be called President of Guyana and our children have to accept this folly as is, she even had the color of the flag shown as with different colors hanging all around the country,a clear sign of tyranny, for she was not the Vice President, Mr. Jagdeo was also seen as a vulgar and disrespectful man to self and Nation posing public body language that dose not coincide with leadership, Mr. Donald Romatar also with his public Back Balling of his Citizen is distasteful for the constraint of the dance is clearly shown on his partners face while the audience look on with shock. may he please get out and allow some one that has some kind of or is willing to exercise the pattern of Prestige so design for Leadership to take their place, for those actions have thrown a blanket of disgust to all Guyanese near an far causing them to having to Labor excessively for peace,acceptance, self respect, and all that goes with gaining success.3
Burnham messed up Guyana so badly that it will take Hercules, superman and batman to attempt to bring Guyana back from the precipice. It is not about race but rather about the two evils hate and fear. Hate and fear are two really bad forces when it enters the leadership of any nation. Burnham possessed both. The slaughter of indians started at Wissima with shouts of “kill the coolie”, little indian boys skinned alive in the rampage that followed. The gangs roam Guyana freely under Burnham with the 2:00 a.m. “Kick down the door” bandits raping, stealing and killing at will. Over 300,000 Indo Guyanese fled entire villages uprooted.
Yes the dark years of Burnhamism was not fully exorcised and so those twin spirits of fear and hate still dictates much of what happens in that nation today. Poroguing parliament is nothing new, the current Prime Minister of Canada did it not so long ago. Politicians are not different anywhere. The difference is will the monsters of fear and hate enveloped Guyana again….that remains to be seen.
Mamoo, please answer my blog, it was meant to be a reply to your hateful garbage as usual.
If your summation is true (and it is stretching the truth very far), how come after over twenty years of successive Indian rule after Burnham you are in a worse state? Is it the ghost of Burnham or is it hateful Indian rule?
Read carefully what I wrote I did not say Guyana is in a worst state, I said it would take a whole lot of effort to truly repair the damage created by Burnham. The precipice I am speaking of is the two forces operating in Guyana, fear and hate. The current PPP govern by fear, fear of another Burnham arising, so people vote for them even if they don’t do things right. The PNC governed by hate, they instructed their supporters under Hoyte to have “mo fire, slo fire” and when they are in charge crime skyrockets.
Do see the dilemma I am talking about? Unless fear and hate is removed Guyana will always be the second poorest nation in the Caribbean right after Haiti….
I have said it once , twice , and three times my lady, but it’s worth repeating, foe dw benefit of your sleeping /comatose /don’t give a hoot, if Good Friday falls on a Monday, fellow Trinis.
The Guyanarization of T&T must never be allow to take place.
If a hell truly exist, then Forbes Burnam , just for the murder of that great intellectual ,Dr.Walter Rodney,would be one of the first to get his due reward, however the racist Indo Guyanese bastards , that have ruled the political roost since -From Chedi, his Jewish Yankee CIA wife Janet, tte Cummunist Jagdeo, and this present comedian Ramoutar – were / are just as despicable.
Their neo genocidal subjugation of Afro Guyanese , are legendary .
Their culturally driven acts of blatant corruption are quite common.
That country has vast potential, as natural resources abound, but when 99.9 % of her politics since the demise of Burnham , are tribal in nature, such is a prescription for disaster.
Their blatant disregard for basic Human Rights pri principles, coupled with repeated attempts to muzzle any independent press ,is common.
http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2014/09/21/jagdeosattaur-plot-to-destroy-kaieteur-news-unearthed/
It would not surprise me one bit , if pretty soon this underachieving English speaking ,South American fiefdom , degenerate into a civil war .Yep, it’s that bad.
Fortunately , there is T&T, where many of our desperate, suffering neighbors can escape the Guyana cesspool.
We wish dem well.
If our neighbor descends into a civil war as being suggested, then it goes to say that history has a sad way in repeating itself. We are no different and possibly possess savage instincts e.g., ISIS decapitating their American hostages, Boko Haram capturing girls from a school in Nigeria etc., Malala defending free education for young girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan etc.
http://www.guyanaundersiege.com/History/wismar/wismar%20page.htm
You forgot to add 14 million Indians today , are living under slavery. Pakistan , and China are right up there.
http://m.bbc.com/news/world-30080578
Tell me about it, Royal Trini. Ain’t it the reason we love our T&T so much? For the record ,it did not suddenly become a paradise, for it’s 1.3 million plus citizens , plus 110 thousand ,desperate ,illegal immigrants, only because your Auntie K, and her PP ascended , de political throne, mind you.
She inherited that.
We must remain vigilant to ensure diabolical bums from either tribe , or party, don’t destroy our T&T, eeeeh?
Long live de Republic of T&T!
Let me see. According to the history of Guyana, it was under Forbes Burnham that national recognition was given to the Cultural and religious festivals and observances of Indians. It was under Forbes Burnham that the wedding ceremonies of Pandits and Imans gained equal legal recognition with those performed by Christian Church leaders. It was under Burnham that the Demerara Harbor bridge was built, thus providing Indian Guyanese farmers in areas across the Demerara River, and some islands they call the Essequibos Islands, to have 24 hour access to the largest markets for their agricultural products. Previously that crossing was made with some 1940s ferries that Guyanese say was always one lisp away from sinking.
Burnham also constructed the Enmore Martyrs Monument in honor of Indian Sugar workers who were gunned down while protesting during the Colonial period. He constructed a agricultural drainage product called the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary project, another boon to Indians whose economic niches were in agriculture and business.
Under Burnham black criminals were not given a pass. When attorneys challenged the anachronistic evidence system used in drug matters, at a time the black youths were pursuing Rastafarianism as a religious conscious movement, he changed the Law to the Psychotropic Substance Act, with mandatory penalties for possessing the smallest amount of marijuana.
I have been to Guyana several times. Today it is the most racist nation in the world, and hopefully our beloved Trinidad and Tobago will not be taken down that path. Burnham is suspected of having something to do with Rodney’s death, but there is evidence in Federal Court on Brooklyn that links senior Indian Ministers of the GOG with complicity in the assassination of social and political activists Ronald Waddell and George Bacchus, a whistle blower who exposed the vigilante lynchings of black people that was being carried out under the command of Indian Drug Czar Roger Khan, who was a twice convicted felon who fled the US from a third strike conviction and life sentence.
For every crime that one can lay at the feet of Burnham, you would have to multiply them one hundred times to even get near to those being committed by the Indian Government of Guyana. Recently the AG was recorded by reporter threatening to kill employees of a newspaper that criticize the Government, and claiming that he belonged to the Indian superior caste of Chatree, or some thing like that.
So make no mistake about what exist in Guyana. Doctor Keane Gibson accurately described and exposed it in a book named “The cycle of racial Oppression. You have to expect that Indians in T&T will always support what it is happening in Guyana, because that is what they hope to have accomplished in T&T. But T&T is not Guyana, and they will not allow some wannbe Aryan implantations to create their idea of India, complete with the traditional stratifying of people into who is them, and who is black. Guyana today when you go down there is like South Africa, with Indian Businessmen and Drug traffickers building castles in the sky, pistol whipping black people, and outrightly arguing that they are superior. They aspire to be the new slave masters.
From Talking to Guyanese, it is just a matter of time before that nation explodes, and it aint gonna be pretty. There is a lot of simmering anger, that comes out when people are among those whom they trust. It is like a dam holding back a raging river, and when it breaks, which everyone should hope and pray that it does not, there will be hell to pay. Hopefully when and if it does, the innocent will be spared, and the little Mussolinis that are running things will meet the same fate that he experienced.
The PPP Henchman revealed.
Propensity for violence’
Meantime, according to court documents in support of Khan’s charges the government said it would seek to establish that he was the leader of a “violent drug trafficking organisation (the Khan organisation) that was based in Georgetown, Guyana, from at least 2001 until his arrest in 2006.” Khan and his co-conspirators reportedly obtained large quantities of cocaine, and then imported the cocaine into the Eastern District of New York and other places for further distribution.
“Khan was ultimately able to control the cocaine industry in Guyana, in large part, because he was backed by a para military squad that would murder, threaten, and intimidate others at Khan’s directive. Khan’s enforcers committed violent acts and murders on Khan’s orders that were directly in furtherance of Khan’s drug trafficking conspiracy,” court documents said. The documents added that the paramilitary squad was referred to as the phantom squad.
These accusations had led Justice Dora Irizarry to rule earlier this year in favour of an anonymous jury for Khan’s drug trial.
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2008/archives/10/05/is-the-phantom-squad-still-lurking-in-guyana/
https://barbadosunderground.wordpress.com/2011/11/20/jagdeo-and-the-ppp-mafia-sold-out-guyanas-security-apparatus-to-criminals/
Excerpt: The Minister, during the conversation, attempted to find out which reporter investigated his uncle in a remigrant vehicle scheme fraud.
He wanted the name of the young reporter so his uncle can f*^k her, he said. He was also heard saying that he is a Chatrie- a high caste Indian. That statement has sparked widespread anger against the Minister and the administration.
http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2014/11/17/nandlalls-threat-to-knewspresidents-conclusion-on-nandlall-recording-is-shocking-lawyers/