Editorial

The euphoria, particularly in official circles in Western Europe, as well as, though perhaps less so, in the United States, over the eviction of President Yanukovich from Ukraine, now seems more tempered than two weeks ago.

It was only after the minibus had made its third unexpected stop en route to Georgetown from the East Coast that one of its long-suffering passengers essayed a protest.

In last Monday’s editorial `Pass this bill’ Stabroek News argued that it was time for the groups in Parliament to reach a compromise on the passage of the anti-money laundering bill as there was a growing risk of financial sanctions hitting the ordinary woman and man.

In the halcyon days when a true socialist lived modestly and the word capitalist carried disparaging overtones, democracy was regarded as the path to political righteousness.

In 2012, during the London Olympics, the Globe theatre invited foreign theatre companies to perform every one of Shakespeare’s 37 plays in different languages.

With the Venezuelan political crisis continuing to fester, Union of South American Nations (Unasur) foreign ministers agreed in Chile, last week, to travel to Caracas to “accompany, support and advise” the dialogue process initiated by President Nicolás Maduro’s government.

At the beginning of this month, we reported on questions raised by sustainable development advocate Mr Sydney Allicock with regard to the use of pesticides and fertilisers in the Rupununi by the Santa Fe mega-farm, which is growing rice among other crops.

Caricom Heads met in St Vincent and the Grenadines for their 25th InterSessional meeting with a call from outgoing Chairperson Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar advising her colleagues of the necessity to “take the tough decisions and fulfil our obligations”; and incoming Chairperson and host Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves advising his colleagues that whatever the deficiencies of the Caricom Secretariat, “the implementation deficit has to be put squarely at the level of national governments.”

This year, political events in Egypt have had to yield most of the international media limelight to more pressing global occurrences like the conflict and the diplomacy attending the intractable power struggle in Syria and the more recent East-West face-off over the Crimea.

Enough. It is time that the Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT)  (Amendment) Bill is passed by the National Assembly.

This country is not good at systems.  Thinking is not just short term but also fragmented, and when the inevitable consequences of a disorganized or incoherent approach make themselves apparent, procrastination seems to be the preferred response.

South Africa’s recent expulsion of three Rwandan diplomats for their involvement in the murder and attempted murder of political dissidents is yet another troubling instance of President Kagame’s willingness to use violence to silence his critics.

Hemispheric and regional reactions to the situation in Venezuela have taken an intriguing turn.

The realisation that at age 14, Andy (other name unknown) was so drunk or so high or both that he never heard the engine of the truck under which he slept start up has caused consternation.

Given the deep-seated divisions and stalemate that have characterized the 10th parliament, any type of all-party agreement is music to the ears and welcoming news to all Guyanese.

The National Communications Network (NCN) is a state-owned media agency and accordingly, it ought to be particularly mindful of its obligations to balance and fairness in its coverage of public issues.

In last Monday’s editorial we reflected on the negative view  of the PPP’s General Secretary Mr Clement Rohee on the readiness of the Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom) for the holding of elections and the latter’s own official silence on whether it could meet the August 1, 2014 deadline for the polls which have not been held since 1994.

The government received justified commendation for announcing last year that a commission of inquiry would be held into the death of Dr Walter Rodney in 1980.

Last week, in a statement that quickly went viral, a Washington-based anchor for the Russia Today television network resigned on air.

Contrary to what we posited in our editorial last Friday, that authoritarian regimes generally view making concessions, including being brought to the dialogue table, as a sign of weakness, the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, affirmed that same day that the Peace Conference launched by President Nicolás Maduro was not “a sign of weakness.”