Christopher Ram

Introduction Earlier this week I received a copy of a wonderful book called Poor Economics written by professors Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo of the renowned research university, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

Introduction A report compiled last November by the staff of the IMF in which two officials of the World Bank participated predicts a brighter future for Guyana despite the challenges, risks and threats to the economy.

Introduction Even though auditors sell their services, the profession of auditing – certainly of the financial kind rather than the forensic type – is unlikely to feature in the list of top one hundred most sexy professions in the world.

Introduction Five months after the passage of the largest budget ever, Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh has gone back to the National Assembly for an additional $6.3 billion for spending this year.

Introduction Mr Hinds’s intervention on the Amaila issue came one day after the press carried a report that hydro-electric “pioneer” Mr Fip Motilall had received approval for the transfer of a licence to Sithe Global, which some time in 2002 he had been awarded under the Hydro-Electricity Act Cap 56:03 to develop a hydroelectric plant at Amaila Falls.

Introduction As it enters its forty-second year as the workers’ retirement and short-term insurance fund, the National Insurance Scheme is facing one of its most serious crises ever.

Introduction Even as mainly organized labour assemble at their various points today to march in silent resignation, listen to flat speeches from their leaders, numb their plight and pain with music, food and liquor produced by their colleagues for the profits of the investing class, the evidence so overwhelmingly confronting their membership on this Labour Day points to a movement that is in complete crisis, their numbers in decline, their leadership in disarray, their unity in tatters, and their very survival in question.

Introduction As the season for general meetings moves into high gear, members, or as some companies call them shareholders, have been showing some interest in these meetings, although not always for what might be considered the right reasons.

Beneficiaries of hundreds of millions in Sports and Arts Development Fund uncertain.

Introduction Today’s column resumes the review of the 2011 budgetary allocations to the principal ministries of government.

Introduction Last year when the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry published its annual report for 2009 Business Page interrupted its series on the state-owned Guyana Sugar Corporation.

Today’s column resumes the review of the 2011 budgetary allocations to the principal ministries of government.

An appendix to the budget speech includes some very useful indications about the health of the nation.

Introduction The Budget debate is over and the spending is now in full flow.

Guyana has improved marginally in the World Bank/ International Finance Corporation publication called Doing Business 2011 publication.

Today I continue the discussion on the Guyana Stock Exchange and what we might do to make it work.

Introduction We have not heard much from or about it recently.

As promised, this week’s column looks at the importance of tax rates in the overall scheme of tax policy in any country.

Before going into a couple of matters arising out of the 2011 Budget let us clear up a few points.

2010 has turned out as a bumper year for some of Guyana’s leading businesses.