Guyana needs a national names authority

There has been much comment on the proclivity of the present regime and its associates to name and rename various national objects and institutions, and this article has been prompted by the dispute over its wish to rename Ogle International Airport and the possibility that the City Council might give rise to more controversy if it still has on its agenda the renaming of 100 city streets for our Jubilee celebrations.

20141126futurenoteI am not too concerned here about the pros and con of the various changes that have taken place or are being proposed. I believe that given the nature of the process by which these changes are made, sooner or later controversy was inevitable.  Subjectivism is inherent in any process of naming and particularly in divided places such as Guyana, the trick, therefore, must be the establishment of naming institutions that will disperse that subjectivism.

Generally, I am with those who are against the renaming of streets and other social artifacts in a fashion that permanently removes the names from their physical local space.