Editorial

It is not often that the police get big breaks in sensational murder cases that allow them to make arrests, lay charges and present formidable evidence in the courts.

We have now entered Round Two with Suriname it seems. It should come as no surprise, given our neighbour’s history in relation to the border; as we all know from experience Suriname has only two strategies in its playbook − brute force and bullying.

In our editorial last week (‘Return of the Prince of Darkness’), we mentioned that the UK’s new Secretary of Business, Peter Mandelson – or Lord Mandelson as he is now known – was already attracting unwelcome attention for having been entertained on a Russian oligarch’s yacht in August, while still European Union Trade Commissioner.

Since the middle of last year, the US Congressional Budget Office estimates that Americans have lost almost two trillion dollars from their retirement plans.

In his speech to the general debate of the UN General Assembly last month, Prime Minister David Thompson of Barbados reminded his audience of the special interest which the governments of the Caribbean have had in the recognition of the vulnerability of small island developing states, and the variety of vulnerabilities of the Caribbean region as a whole.

While there is vague talk about heritage tourism or historical tourism to complement the various eco-tourism development plans, the government has never really put effort into exploring how our heritage could earn the country foreign exchange, let alone committed funds to such a project.

The Suriname government is working hard to polish the international image of its national army.

Suriname’s seizing of a sugar transport boat just off the Skeldon wharf earlier this week underlines the fractious state of border relations between the two Caricom states.

Earlier last month Minister of Education Shaik Baksh announced that his ministry would prohibit the holding of ‘extra lessons’ on public school premises once the payment of money was involved. 

It is said that people can be divided into two types: those who want to be something; and those who want to do something. 

No, this isn’t about a Hollywood B-movie or the latest Harry Potter sequel.

As has often been the case in recent times, the 2008  Nobel prizes for Peace, Economics and Literature seem designed to send a message to Washington.

We suggested last week, in our editorial on “The EPA and Regional Undercurrents” that the manner in which the discussion on the outcome of the EPA negotiations with Europe had been conducted among governments, could well lead the onlooker to believe that there is a great divide among them on the issue of the appropriate path to economic growth and development and the role of ex ternal assistance in it.

The hijacking of four civilian, passenger aircraft in order to carry out a series of coordinated terrorist attacks upon the United States of America on September 11th 2001 has been implanted indelibly in world opinion.

The unilateral declaration of a deadlock in the local government reform task force by former government minister and longstanding PPP activist Mr Clinton Collymore has not come as a surprise.

A notice board outside the building earmarked to accommodate Guyana’s National Archives in Homestretch Avenue reads: “Walter Rodney Archives.”

“Women do two-thirds of the world’s work for five percent of the income.

Even as the US presidential and vice-presidential candidates manoeuvre to score points off each other on the campaign trail and in their so-called debates, the hosts of America’s comedic, late night shows are sparring with each other to come up with the best jokes about Messrs McCain, Obama and Biden, and of course, every comedy writer’s dream, Sarah Palin.

Wall Street’s sudden collapse and the prospect of a global recession have now overshadowed every other issue in this year’s US elections.

Over the past months, particularly during the period in which CARICOM’s  negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement(EPA) have been coming to a conclusion, there have been two undercurrents running through regional relations which give pause for thought.