First Person Singular

A powerful hunter constantly on the prowl for prey of opportunity, the silvery sabre-toothed species is famous for its distinctive lengthy fangs protruding from the lower jaw.

Plagued by prolonged delays, missed deadlines, shoddy work and pricey revisions, Guyana’s Chinese-funded and contracted international airport expansion project is proving another expensive embarrassment, long dogged by controversy from its shady start.

Yesterday’s historic visit to Guyana by the United States (US) Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo has prompted a public frenzy of conspiracy theories, ranging from an impending invasion of neighbouring Venezuela to pressing the new Government on its hold-up of the Payara permit for American oil giant ExxonMobil.

Today’s historic visit to Guyana by the United States (US) Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo has prompted a public frenzy of conspiracy theories, ranging from an impending invasion of neighbouring Venezuela to pressing the new Government on its hold-up of the Payara permit for American oil giant ExxonMobil.

Wearing a brown New York Yankees cap and the now customary mask, a composed Gladson Henry looked straight ahead last Wednesday, and spoke simply and plainly from his great, big heart.

As the COVID-19 pandemic spread, a private liability entity based in Guyana, and virtually unknown outside, hurriedly paid a negligible fee in pounds sterling and was newly incorporated with Companies House, the United Kingdom’s (UK) registrar, in Cardiff, Wales.

For months, the soft-spoken public sector employee, we will call Donna James, had growing doubts about the incredible business a trusted colleague raved about.

With its big, bright yellow sign, “Khan’s Hideout Bar” proved anything but a safe drinking hole for 17 thirsty men who defied COVID-19 regulations on Tuesday, and ended up being arrested at the Montrose, East Coast Demerara establishment.

The upbeat Chief Executive Officer of the “young and growing” Guyana-based timber export company promised logs and lumber in “any quantity” and of “the best quality.”

The abrupt conclusion of Guyana’s prolonged election crisis evolved swiftly last Sunday, with the swearing in of the ninth Executive President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, 40, the country’s first Muslim Head of State.

As true slips of the tongue, it was hardly along the lines of the American politician, who resigned following evidence of tax evasion, or like the quip about dictatorship from the 43rd President who gave the world “Bushisms.”

More than 140 days after Guyana’s elections, the losing regime and its disingenuous leader remain defiantly in power, with yet another brazen legal attempt underway to thwart democracy and further delay the formal declaration of the winner. 

Yesterday, incumbent President David Granger serenely celebrated his 75th birthday with special invitees including core party loyalists and key Government figures, before his smiling portrait in a huge banner that proclaimed “May God bless you with a life full of health, happiness and love.”

The word “abyss” comes from the Greek for without depth or bottom, “a” and “byssos.”

On Tuesday, the Chief Election Officer, (CEO), Keith Lowenfield proved he was even more mathematically and morally challenged than the now infamous Clairmont Mingo, when he arbitrarily invalidated without any explanation nearly a quarter of the total votes cast at the March 2, 2020 polls.

Some five years ago, the then Executive President of Guyana, Donald Ramotar famously declared at a press conference, “We are convinced that these elections were rigged,” following early general and regional polls.

“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes” is the chilling line from a rhyming couplet by William Shakespeare in his famous play “Macbeth,” that we whispered to each other along lit school corridors.

Towards the end of her life, my elderly mother’s favourite musical refrain, was adapted from the classic calypso “Jumbie Jamberee,” and she would ruefully admit, “Nora gal, you done dead already.”

A week ago, Guyana’s Department of Public Information (DPI) issued a flattering Government statement saluting incumbent President David Granger on the fifth anniversary of his swearing in and congratulating him on his second term in office.

“I have never seen a more transparent effort to alter the result of an election.”