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WEEK ENDING February 22, 2015 | guyanatimeSinternational.com
History is repeating itself Dear Editor, I read with interest an Editorial in a local newspaper, captioned, “The Cummingsburg Accord”. I agree with the view advanced in the editorial that coalition politics in Guyana have not fared well. The PNC-UF coalition folded up a mere three years after its formation. One factor that was responsible for the collapse of the coalition Government, which was not sufficiently highlighted, was the fact that there was no agreed programme on which to take the then colony of British Guiana forward. The only thing the two parties had in common was
a common desire to remove the PPP/C from office. It was for all practical purposes a marriage of convenience. Ideologically, the two parties were poles apart with the United Force unapologetically capitalistic and the PNC at some unspecified location in the left of the ideological spectrum. History, it would appear, is repeating itself. Another marriage of convenience has taken place ironically on Valentine’s Day, between the PNC and the AFC, with one common objective, namely, the removal of the PPP/C from office. Apart from how to apportion parliamentary and cabinet seats in
the highly unlikely situation of an electoral victory, there is hardly any mention of concrete measures of a programatic nature on the way forward. The Editorial was unfair to the PPP/C by stating that there were hardly any transformational projects undertaken by the administration. Indeed, it would have been much more correct to say that the administration’s plans to modernize Guyana were obstructed by an unsupportive Opposition which has now morphed into a political organism, not dissimilar to that of the ill-fated PNC-UF coalition. Hydar Ally
Iwokrama is a victim of poor management
Dear Editor, I welcome the gesture of the Government of Guyana to support Iwokrama. However, I would like to see Iwokrama being restructured and come under Government’s control with a lean and clean new management structure for the achievement of objectives. My recommendation therefore is for the Government of Guyana to take control of Iwokrama putting in place a new management structure and a contingent plan for its management effectiveness. It is a shame that after 20 years in operation Iwokrama cannot as yet be self-sustaining and self-financing, hence Government’s continued bailout. There is too much mediocrity going on at Iwokrama and no real effort
to run the institution properly knowing that the Government will come to its rescue. Most of Iwokrama’s business plans and models have failed. The problem with Iwokrama is that it has become a victim of poor management planning from the inception. John Simon
Guyana’s LCDS is well on track Dear Editor, Guyana’s LowCarbon Development Strategy (LCDS) launched by former President Bharrat Jagdeo on June 8, 2009 is so far well on track. Guyana’s deforestation rate of 0.068 per cent continues to be one of the lowest in the world, which tells of the hard work and commitment of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) to continuously achieve good forest performance to fight against global climate change. The European Union (EU) Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) process in Guyana continues to move forward with con-
tinued relevant stakeholder consultations with the active participation of Guyana’s indigenous/Amerindian communities. Led by the GFC, with oversight functions by the National Technical Working Group (NTWG), the FLEGT/VPA process will be completed by 2016, with the signing of a VPA with the EU to ensure continued good forest governance and that all forest products from Guyana entering the European market have been legally harvested, since the FLEGT/VPA agreement is about combating illegal logging, thereby stopping the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This is why the
EU FLEGT/VPA is an enabling activity of Guyana’s LCDS supported by both Guyana and Norway. Unfortunately there are unpatriotic elements among us in Guyana who are wickedly bent on stopping Guyana’s FLEGT/VPA process, since initially they were unable to stop the agreement between Guyana and Norway for Guyana’s LCDS. But these hindrances to Guyana’s Forest Protection Programme lack credible reasons for doing so and it is important that the forest experts from the EU recognise this before they themselves become counter-productive to Guyana’s EU FLEGT/ VPA process. Peter Persaud
The great hunger for votes Dear Editor, Moses Nagamootoo in his capacity of Presidential Candidate has strongly advocated the fact that his party would legalize marijuana use. He was making a passionate appeal to, the mainly youthful section of the population as well as to other ardent users and abusers of the drug to vote for them. The campaign slogan is, you put us in office and we will legalize it. This impassioned plea, that we are going to decriminalize, legalize, or what have you ganja, is the latest cry for votes. The AFC and Nagamootoo are on the campaign trail wooing voters with this call. How successful this solicitation campaign will be is anybody’s guess. However, let’s just pause for a moment to analyze how we’ve arrived at this
juncture. In the first place, the people of Guyana have seen a dramatic turn of events on the political landscape, persons who were once enemies are now close friends and associates, “comrades” once again. I speak of bitter enemies, persons who were accused of crimes such as torture and murder, yet these individuals and groups are in one combined whole moiling around in apparent unity. It is a marriage of convenience that is very obvious for all to see, politics do make strange bedfellows. So, the next convenient strategy is to appeal to drug users out there. From marriage of convenience to mass appeal to decriminalize ganja, where will it end! And who said that smoking weed is good for your
health? The mere fact that these people want to “smoke” ganja is indicative of fostering poor health. Smoking is dangerous to one’s health why push for something that is injurious to health? My understanding of going easy on ganja is that it is an ethnomedicine if imbibed as a warm beverage is a cure for asthma and other heart ailments. It is not for smoking … period. But it comes back to the point, say anything for the vote. How the latest marijuana crusade will translate into actual votes is minimum at best. With that glaring deception fostered by the combined opposition ever before the people I do not think the marijuana madness will make any headway. Neil Adams
Labour Ministry willing, able and prepared to mediate in UG stand-off Dear Editor, We wish to refer to several utterances which have been attributed to officers attached to the unions operating at the University of Guyana (UG) and which have appeared in various sections of the media. While we are still awaiting a formal response to our letter dated 11th February, 2015 to the president of the University of Guyana Workers’ Union (UGWU) which was copied to the other union, we take this opportunity to respectfully respond to some of the inaccuracies and innuendoes, ascribed to them. At best the union’s comments can only be described as unfortunate. Without hesitation, we wish to make it absolutely clear, that the contents and intention of our aforementioned letter were intended to foster an amicable resolution to the current impasse between the Unions and the University’s administration. We note with much concern, the unfounded and unsubstantiated accusation that our letter merely reflected the positions of the Minister of Labour. As a matter of fact, we would not only submit that such an accusation is baseless and without merit, but we would conclude, also that it stands in contradistinction to the fact that the Ministry of Labour in general and the Labour Department in particular functions in a most ethical and professional manner.
We are not in the habit of discussing or debating with anyone via the media, but we take this opportunity to invite the union officials or anyone else for that matter, to point out at least a single instance or one area in which our letter is, in any way related to anything which the Hon. Minister of Labour, may have said in connection with the issue under focus. We wish to reiterate that impartiality and neutrality have always been and will continue to be the hallmark of this Ministry’s conduct. A careful reading of our letter would reveal that we merely sought to highlight where the Unions would have violated the tenets of prudent industrial relations practices. Rather than embarking upon ill-advised and ill-informed accusations against this ministry, the Unions may find it more productive and useful to examine their own roles and agendas in the matter under the spotlight. We wish to reiterate that it may not be useful for this Ministry to intervene in any dispute until and unless both parties in such a dispute have indicated that they have a genuine willingness to discuss whatever is the issue at hand. In view of the foregoing, we are pleased to advise that the Ministry is always willing, able and prepared to meet and discuss, in an objective manner, once the parties so mutually express a desire to meet.
At no time did this Ministry abdicate its responsibility to resolve this or any other issue, no matter how small or great. We need not restate that no dispute or grievance is beyond our capacity. May we once again indicate that we would be most pleased, if we can be of help to the parties to bring a closure to this seemingly contentious matter. In closing, it must be emphasized that our letter of 11th February, 2015 represents a sterling effort, not only to break the current impasse, but also to present a Win-Win solution to all stakeholders. We wish to be advised –by the unions- on any aspect of our letter which could be considered bias and against the principles of good industrial relations practices. Indeed, we are confident that our stance is supported by established norms and theories which have withstood the test of time. We must add that advantage can still be taken of the proposed Winwin resolution, by having an urgent cessation, of the strike and returning to the bargaining table which is the place for the settling of differences. Our suggestion to cause the strike to be terminated so that the process of negotiations can continue in an atmosphere of normalcy is still very much alive, and the unions may wish to take advantage of it. Charles Ogle Chief Labour Occupational Safety and Health Officer