Tag Archives: Analysis

Guyana Politics: The Familiar Ring of the Elections Season – By Ralph Ramkarran

October 12, 2018 – 12:22 am

The Familiar Ring of the Elections Season 

By Ralph Ramkarran – 6th October 2018

Local government elections are to be held on November 12. With it, the never-ending stream of suspicions emerged as the Government established new local government units and merged others. The Opposition argued that these were done to give an advantage to the Government and the Opposition, through one of its representatives, promptly launched legal proceedings. This event provided the explanation for the ‘disappearance’ of the Chief Elections Officer, Mr. Keith Lowenfield, on one of the most critical days of the elections process, namely, the day after the submission of lists, when corrections have to be made and defects rectified.       Continue reading →

By guyaneseonline | Posted in History, Local Government | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT – by Ralph Ramkarran – commentary

March 24, 2016 – 12:22 am

LOCAL GOVERNMENT – by  

Posted on March 19, 2016 – Conversationtree blog

Ralph Ramkarran

Ralph Ramkarran

Once upon a time, during the colonial era, Guyana had a local government system that functioned. It emerged from the establishment of village democracy in estates purchased by freed slaves. It did not cover all of Guyana and its functions were limited. But legislation throughout the 20th century improved and expanded the local government and municipal systems. These became so well organized that there was a national body called the Guyana Association of Local Authorities, which had great influence in the early years of our modern political development.

Many might be tempted to attribute the destruction of Guyana’s local government system since 1970, or thereabouts, by the failure to hold no more than two elections since then, as a conspiracy between the main political parties. But it was not.    Continue reading →

By guyaneseonline | Posted in Governance, Government, Guyana, Local Government, Politics | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

CLUTCHING AT STRAWS – by Ralph Ramkarran

December 3, 2015 – 12:03 am

 CLUTCHING AT STRAWS

Ralph Ramkarran

Ralph Ramkarran

Posted on November 28, 2015   –  by  – ConversationTree Blog

The announcement by Government that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Fedders Lloyd, a reputable Indian company, relating to the Specialty Hospital project, has attracted several negative comments. During the life of the last government, the then Opposition consisting of both the AFC and APNU had refused to support the Specialty Hospital.

The AFC’s opposition was founded on the suspect award of the contract to Surendra Engineering, a spare parts supplier, rather than Fedders Lloyd, which had a track record in the construction of such facilities and had made the lowest bid. APNU argued that Guyana needed improved primary care centres, rather than a specialized facility. One high official suggested that ‘Indians’ were ‘taking over.’ Chinese and Brazilian immigrants, who should be applauded for their valuable contributions to Guyana, were spared.    Continue reading →

By guyaneseonline | Posted in Commentary, Governance, Government, Guyana, Personalities | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)

BUDGET BLUES – By Ralph Ramkarran

August 23, 2015 – 4:00 am

BUDGET BLUES – By Ralph Ramkarran

Posted on August 22, 2015 by  – Conversation Tree Blog
Ralph Ramkarran

Ralph Ramkarran

The population has learnt not to expect much that is edifying in the annual budget debates. This ritual by the political classes throws up with mundane regularity all that is wrong with our political culture. It gives them the opportunity to reinforce the principles that underlie that political culture so as to fuel it up for another year.

It also facilitates the deteriorating behaviour of parliamentarians in attempting to prevent each other from being heard. They must have tried the patience of Speaker Scotland, whose dignified management of the proceedings, and silence at a most insulting and patronizing reference as the ‘new kid on the block,’ were among the bright spots of the week.   Continue reading →

By guyaneseonline | Posted in Business, Commentary, Governance, Government, Politics, Racial Conflict | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (13)

Jamaica Government: Consultant hired For Medical Marijuana and Industrial Hemp + Video

August 19, 2015 – 12:37 am

Jamaica: Ministry of Industry Hires Consultant For Medical Marijuana and Industrial Hemp

SJamaicaWeedFlag(rectangular)[DutchPassion.nl]ubmitted by steveelliott on Tue, 08/18/2015  

Jamaica’s Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce on Friday (August 14) announced that BOTEC Analysis has been hired as a consultant for the development of regulations to guide Jamaica’s nascent medical marijuana and industrial hemp sectors. At the end of the consultancy, BOTEC Analysis will submit to Jamaica’s Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) a final report with regulatory recommendations, which will include, but are not limited to, licensing, market sizing, taxation, and organizational structures.

Over two months, BOTEC Analysis will conduct on-the-ground research and a series of interviews with stakeholders in the Jamaican government as well as marijuana industry participants, local business leaders, scientists, police departments, medical associations, and consumers.   Continue reading →

By guyaneseonline | Posted in Arts / Culture, Business, Medical, Music Videos, Personalities, Politics | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

THE FALL OF THE PPP – by Ralph Ramkarran

May 25, 2015 – 6:51 am

 THE FALL OF THE PPP

Ralph Ramkarran

Ralph Ramkarran

Posted on May 23, 2015 – by Ralph Ramkarran

The PPP’s boast has always been that it never lost elections. While it gained the highest votes in 1964, it was the PNC that was invited to form the government, which it did in coalition with the United Force. The slogan of ‘cheated not defeated’ resounded through the decades. The slogan is once again rearing its head.

The claim that it lost as a result of fraud allows it to maintain the delusion, for the benefit of its supporters, that it has never lost elections. This also serves to protect its leaders and policies from critical analysis and corrective action and revive its historic claims to victimology, now of an openly posturing ethnic political entity, to sustain the sympathy of its innocent supporters against the tribal hordes. Continue reading →

By guyaneseonline | Posted in Government, Guyana, History, Personalities, Politics | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (4)

Guyana Elections 2015- PIT BULL POLITICS – By Mr Ralph Ramkarran

May 5, 2015 – 12:59 am

PIT BULL POLITICS

Ralph Ramkarran

Ralph Ramkarran

Posted on April 25, 2015 by

The OAS Observer Mission, the British High Commissioner, the United States Representative and the Private Sector Commission have all publicly raised concerns about the dangers of inflammatory language being used in the election campaign in Guyana. The US representative went further and pointed out that the consequences that such language could endanger post-election peace and stability.

The pit bull politics of aggression and personal villification were launched this elections season, as it was at the last elections, with Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo. The elections of 2011 were characterized by the excessive use of hostile and accusatory language, focused mainly on the PNCR’s past and abuse of political opponents.   Continue reading →

By guyaneseonline | Posted in Commentary, Government, Guyana, Military, Personalities, Politics | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (10)

Alliances and Compromises in Guyana’s Politics – By Ralph Ramkarran

February 24, 2015 – 12:38 am

Alliances and Compromises in Guyana’s Politics

Ralph Ramkarran

   Ralph Ramkarran

By Ralph Ramkarran – February 21, 2015 conversationtree.gy blog

The Cummingsburg Accord is only the latest in the history of alliances in Guyana’s post-war politics. The PPP emerged out of informal class and ethnic alliances in 1950. The PNC-UDP sought to merge African working and middle classes in the 1950s, with some resistance. The ‘moderate’ PNC came together with the ‘right wing’ UF in 1964. The opposition formed the little known VLD (Vanguard for Liberation and Democracy) in the late 1970s and the PCD in 1985, which comprised groups of differing ideological persuasions. The WPA emerged out of an alliance of several left/radical groups.

The PPP sought to engage the PNC by ‘critical support’ in 1976. In 1977 the PPP offered to sacrifice the presidency and take the second spot of prime minister in a new constitutional formula outlined in the National Patriotic Front in the interests of national unity. It was the epitome of political magnanimity in Guyana’s modern political history. The PPP saw working class unity and the strengthening of the left trend initiated by the PNC Government, as the outcome. It was rejected.   Continue reading →

By guyaneseonline | Posted in Commentary, Government, Guyana, History, Personalities, Politics, Racial Conflict | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (3)

The Census and its Political Implications – By Ralph Ramkarran

July 13, 2014 – 4:38 pm

THE CENSUS AND ITS POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS

Ralph Ramkarran

Ralph Ramkarran

Posted on July 12, 2014 by Ralph Ramkarran

 The census figures substantially confirm the analysis I made in an article “The Future of the PPP” published in November, 2012. I had argued at that time that declining Indian population had an impact on the election results of 2011, having regard to ethnic voting patterns. I had also indicated that the effect of a slowly decreasing Indian population could be seen in voting patterns and results since 1992. The census results show that in Region 6, a stronghold of the PPP, the population declined by 15,000 at the end of 2012. Adding Regions 5 and 3, also strongholds of the PPP, there was a total decline of 20,000 persons.

There was no publication of figures indicating the sizes of the various ethnic groups in Guyana. I had predicted at that time that the Indian population is likely to have gone below 40 percent. The census of 2002 showed the Indian population to be 42 percent and I had based my prediction on the prior rate of decline. I do not know the reason for the non-publication of these figures but it is quite possible that it is because the Indian population is now below 40 percent. Continue reading →

By guyaneseonline | Posted in Government, Guyana, Messages, Personalities, Politics | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (2)
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