Future Notes

On 30th October 2015, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) published its Global Response to Climate Change Keeps Door Open to 2 Degree C Temperature Limit, which synthesized the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) from some 146 countries, including all the developed and three quarters of the developing countries, including Guyana.

A few weeks ago, this column drew attention to the upcoming Paris Climate Summit (COP 21), which will be held under the aegis of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) between November 30 and December 11 (UNFCC Paris 2015: the meaning of success.

A few days ago, it was reported that former president Donald Ramotar stridently objected to Red House, the home of the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre (CJRC), being used as a state-funded research centre for all past presidents.

When Cheddi Jagan came to office in October 1992 he did a most unusual thing for the working people in the public service.

The decision by the current regime to substantially raise its own salaries has been a disaster that I believe will follow it far into the future.

When a government deliberately refuses to listen to the voice of its people it had better be on solid ground, e.g.

A few weeks ago, in accordance with its commitment made under the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC), Guyana published its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC), stating how it was prepared to help to prevent the climate change disaster that is likely to engulf humankind unless we immediately take more radical action to protect the earth’s resources and utilise them more carefully (Gov’t identifies three priority sites for hydro -ignores Amaila.

What President Granger recently referred to as the “extraordinary and abnormal” presence of Venezuelan troops on Guyana’s border and the Venezuelan government’s flagrant incursions into Guyana’s territory with maritime presence in the Cuyuni river, when added to Venezuela’s decades’ long harassment, which has stymied Guyana and particularly the Essequibo region’s development, are clear indicators of the level of intimidation our larger neighbour is prepared to reach in pursuit of its spurious territorial claim.

Negotiation is quite a unique process: it is well known that calling for, engaging in and even completing negotiations does not mean that one or both parties wants them to be successful.

If the leaders of the opposition, Mr Bharrat Jagdeo, and his close associates have stolen even half the amount of public funds they are alleged to have, they would have had the good sense to employ some of the best minds in the world to hide it.

Properly engaging the PPP/C is the central pillar upon which this government will stand or fall and on which a good life for all of us depends.

We became accustomed to the PPP/C government not caring much about the distinction that should exist between politicians and public – particularly top public – servants.

In the history of quarrels about borders, the Guyana situation appears quite unusual in that one state is trying to overthrow an arbitral award that has stood for over a century.

When told that the Venezuelans were likely to seriously press their territorial claim to Guyana, Cheddi Jagan is said to have brushed the possibility aside, claiming that, ‘the Venezuelans are our friends’.

On 3 October 1899, the Arbitration Tribunal handed down its decision and immediately thereafter Mr.

On 3rd December 2014, as Guyana and Venezuela were still wrangling over Venezuela’s audacious entry into Guyana’s territorial waters, the towing away of the seismic survey ship the RV Teknik Perdana and the arresting and charging of some of its crew, thousands of miles away, the portrait of Friedrich Fromhold de Martens (1845-1909), whose alleged activities stand at the heart of the modern border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, appeared on a stamp of the Russian Republic in recognition of his contributions in the field of international law.

The Venezuelan government is now at loggerheads with ‘U.S. imperialism’, which they accuse of all kinds of infamy.

Guyana, whose rich feet are mines of gold. Whose head knocked against the roof of stars.

In this series on the education sector I have so far been attempting to draw attention to some basic beliefs that are bound to affect our theorising a way forward.

A 2010 McKinsey follow-up study, ‘How the world’s most improved school systems keep getting better’ made the obvious but yet noteworthy point that improvements in the education system are possible from any level of development.