Pleasant, puzzling encounters in the diaspora
“Allan, you kyan remember dis face?” “Tell me who speaking to you.” “Mr. Fenty you remember me?” “Let me take off the cap. Recognize me now, sir?” “You getting ole Allan, ah bet you doan know who talking to yuh.” The above questions and comments are a sampling of what flew at me as I [...]
Gecom on Election Day
Joe Hamilton’s crossover: any meaning? Up to the time of writing this, President Jagdeo was still awaiting Gecom’s official intimation that it is quite ready and capable to conduct the General and Regional Elections some time before December 2011 ends. (Eds note: The President has since received official notice from Gecom) See how vitally important [...]
Cocaine: substance, trafficking, morality
Dr Luncheon – And my Grandchild Believe me, I had decided to explore, yet again, this issue, before I fell upon the editorial in this Tuesday’s Stabroek News. Tilted “Bolivia’s Cocaine Conundrum” the ‘paper’s views touched on much of what I had contemplated. (“Conundrum” is even one of my favourite words!) Of course, I’ll stick [...]
President Ramotar, Prime Minister Granger?
Alright, of course, the lead caption with “Ramotar” and “Granger” is a journalistic attention-grabber. Virtually facetious. Perhaps, as usual, however, I use it to today to teach the Guyanese electorate – both seasoned “electors” and the younger, newer voters who are all actually in the majority. Frankly speaking, to me both the political parties and [...]
A God of love – and of fear?
careers and companies thru’ cocaine Look Friends, I appreciate that the captioned lead today is, perhaps not an issue for a Friday columnist. Especially when there is now a daily diet of traffic accidents, politics, fires, crime, elections, corruption- and WikiLeaks Guyana. However, suspecting that this could be one of my time-out, shorter pieces, I [...]
Celebrating Guyana-in New York
I’m pretty sure that I used my lead caption in this newspaper a few years ago. But it bears repetition today, believe me. Unabashedly and whole-heartedly, I’m lauding the work of the Guyana Cultural Association of New York, Inc, which, in my assessment of this year’s tenth anniversary activities, out-did the “effort to preserve, promote [...]
The lighter side as vacation ends
For some, their minds, psyches and vocabulary heavily influenced by foreign lifestyles and development, the Guyana “summer” is at an end. For me the “school children’s” long July – August “holidays” is about over. I observed how that long vacation was spending as compared to my own generation’s rather innocent, primal and relatively healthy pursuits [...]
Getting out the vote (GOTV)
-Good Police, Bad Police If we consider this pre–season of the Elections Campaign we may want to evaluate, even recommend, certain actions and activities related to that campaign. For example, all of you who will actually exercise your right and your qualifications to vote would also be quite in order to request that the Elections [...]
The Yoruba Singers, 40 years old
Eze Patrick Rockcliffe – founder – leader of the durable Yoruba Singers is proud of his band’s fortieth birthday this year. Only the Mischievous Guys and the Cannonballs-the latter in name only – could have attempted any comparison with the Yoruba Singers
Our diaspora, our deportees
Again the brightest of observations and notes on the subject of Guyanese migration and its consequent diaspora – or dispersal, which now sees very much more “born-Guyanese” living permanently away from their homeland. Why? Because, as one who has decided to live (and die) in the land of my birth, I’ll always be intrigued by [...]
Cheddi’s honest, patriotic capitalists
My brevity today indicates that this offering is one of my “time-out productions.” However, as I read, weekly, of the huge cocaine busts which now irrevocably taints my Guyana as some “Cocaine transshipment/trafficking point,” thoughts of the stories of some of our legendary business families cross my mind. And reflections of Cheddi Jagan’s 1993 call [...]
All God’s gays?
Guess what? I’m pretty sure that in last Friday’s offering on issues related to same-sex/gender matters, Guyana-wise, I had promised to take a long time out from such topics. But guess what again. I just happened to be in New York City, New York over the past week-end when the New York State government negotiated [...]
“My two Mommies live together
I’ll probably leave this lead subject alone after this treatment. I’ve explored, cursorily, male and female homosexuality in two previous pieces over the years. They were titled `What? A same sex partner?’ and `Homos in high places’. A few of my basic observations back then went like this: that for the more “upright”, straight-laced, Christian [...]
Komal Chand on May Day
Occasional association with GAWU President Komal Chand was good enough to arouse my interest – and curiosity – a few years ago. I was interested in various aspects of his history,
Granger’s Veterans, Volunteers, Scrutineers – - – and GECOM
Since I’ve decided not to vote for anybody to lead me, I certainly have to abide with other people’s choice. However, I’ll always retain an interest in election goings – on, determined to be as neutral and impartial as I could remain, with respect to criticism or praise/support for parties and their Candidates. I won’t [...]