A. A. Fenty

When I considered exploring today’s lead issue, during last week.  I suspected that it might just generate stimulating, even animated exchanges in the Assembly.

It is my habit to leave weightier issues like National Budget Analyses to those much better qualified.

Personal and collective respect for law, order, discipline, reasonably-civilised standards of behaviour, service and of living itself.

The Bandits’ Briefing/Meeting is the Summary of the Minutes of my own sometimes – creative mind.

The latter-day Chinese have fashioned a gem of wisdom which advises that “women hold up half the sky”.

There is still one senior PPP-man (a People’s Progressive Party Stalwart) – that I can relate to as a somewhat principled gentleman.

Pre-Republic Day Greetings to those “regulars” who have followed this man-in-the street feature over its twenty-one years, as well as to those newer readers of the column.

Leaving the contention and debates with respect to the acting Chief Justice’s ruling, Budget preparations and Money Laundering Bill to the more competent, I had (my own) today’s topics thrust upon me.

Independence. Republicanism.  During the February months of 2012 and 2013, the Central Mashramani Planning Committee agreed that I should respond to requests to discuss basic aspects of Republicanism and the 1763 Berbice Slave Rebellion with post-primary school students in three Regions of our Independent Republic.

Hello all.  Today’s date, thirty-first January 2014, marks two significant personal landmarks for me. 

Hello there Comrade Minister.  The “comrade” is a salute to and recognition of your former Communistic but still Socialist-oriented disposition.

-Suriname’s Civil Society While I have long decided to relinquish my right to vote for persons to govern me and this land, I usually pay reasonable attention to the statements and activities of the Parliamentary opposition.

This lead piece – a very summarized partial history really is most significantly different from what was planned for today’s offering.

(A peaceful, healthy and successful 2014 to all citizens from this soon–to–be twenty–one year–old column.)

I’ve never been persuaded to become a resolute believer or activist in any religion although, from childhood, my roots were decidedly Christian.

Even though I’m edging towards seventy it cannot be “old age” that is responsible for my increasing intolerance or cynicism with respect to the once–beautiful festival of Christmas.

Don’t Stop? Don’t Search? Don’t Detain?  The High Court Judge’s ruling tended to confuse my poor layman’s mind. 

Before allowing myself to be infected with what is usually described as “the Christmas Spirit” from next Friday – I hate the premature commercialisation of Jesus’ Season – today I allow myself to succumb to the now-daily death-on-the–front-page syndrome and reality of our society.

Crimes against cleanliness. Crimes against the environment. Beginning in 2004, those were captions I used to show off my grasp of the challenges and possibilities with respect to the daily, necessary and vital issue of solid waste management.

Businessmen-cops, the “lessons industry” Except for the comments on the Procurement Commission, I’m again wearily exploring that which has attracted repeated commentaries and analyses elsewhere.