Future Notes

In his defence to demands by the opposition that he should resign over the police action at Linden that killed three innocent protestors, the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr.

It is generally believed that the presidency of Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo constituted one of the most autocratic periods in the post-independence political history of Guyana in spite of the fact that he did not have control of both the government and the PPP the way Cheddi and Janet Jagan did.

The question I want to consider here is what can be done to improve internal democracy in the political parties in Guyana?

My last three articles focused on the need to radically reform the undemocratic/illiberal nature of the PPP, rooted as it is in old and misunderstood autocratic doctrines such as democratic centralism and vanguard party. 

Notwithstanding the present stagnation in the area of political reform, I believe that our political parties are on the cusp of major restructuring and that John Maynard Keynes was perhaps correct when he claimed that: “The ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood”, for even today, notions like “democratic centralism” and “party paramountcy,” rooted as they were in autocratic political cultures that are either dead or in their death throes, are still being used to explain contemporary issues.

In my previous article I pointed out that one of the reasons given by former Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr.

For those who have some understanding of the nature and workings of political parties, a few weeks ago we were treated to a quite extraordinary exchange between former speaker of the National Assembly, Mr.

If they were unaware of it before, the recent hoopla about the cuts that were made to the 2012 budget by the opposition has certainly enlightened the citizenry as to the limitations on the role of the National Assembly in the budget process.

Last week I completed my article with the contention that the budget cannot be properly scrutinized by the Committee of Supply of our National Assembly.

If the public reaction to last week’s article (Cheddi’s mantra was `give them the books’ SN: 16/05/12) is anything to go by, discussions between the government and the opposition on financial matters will not bear much fruit anytime soon.

“Interest and objectives are two sides of the same coin. They are closely related, yet being able to differentiate one from the other can often make all the difference during negotiations.”

The Stabroek News, quoting GINA, reported that in response to the statement by Opposition Leader, David Granger “that he is ready for Government to seek a supplementary budget provided that certain conditions are met, President Ramotar said that he is not running a `casino-type’ operation and maintains that all decisions will be based solely on what is in the best interest of Guyana and its people.”

What took place in Linden over the proposed increase in the electricity rates for the community is truly astonishing. 

Two weeks ago I said that for us to grow into a “normal” political society we should consider putting in place three transitional measures.

Separation of powers is the cornerstone of any list of checks and balances for a shared governance regime (“A shared governance regime must contain strong checks and balances!”

Mario is a pimp and a heroin addict in Rome. He regularly pays graft.

In 1649 Charles 1 King of England was beheaded largely because he tried to raise taxes without the authority of parliament.

For a country that has remained the poorest in the English speaking Caribbean and one of the poorest in the northern hemisphere notwithstanding its abundant agricultural and mineral, to say nothing of human resources, the prospect of our finding oil in the near future has generated an almost reckless optimism. 

The Organisation of American States report on the 28th November 2011 elections in Guyana.

All who care to already know that funding is the major ailment affecting the University of Guyana.