Defence
November 16, 2008
INTRODUCTION:
Our military has not been modernised in decades. Their mission has been recently changed to crime-fighting instead of building a military for the current times, such as protecting our borders.
As we enter the last few years of this decade, it is time we come to grips on the future of our nation from all aspects of political, social and economic perspective. We are all aware of the nagging claim Venezuela has on key portions of our country that is affecting our economics, and as I have said before, contributing to the growing poverty in our nation while holding us hostage. We continue to have border disputes with Suriname. Read more
When a government is unprepared, people die
November 15, 2008
INTRODUCTION
It has been over a week since a U.S. private plane disappeared in our jungle. What I found criminal is that it took over 24 hours before the Ministry of Transport got involved. With the international community paying close attention to this incident, one would have thought that an immediate response would have been launched.
This incident alone has grave effect on our economics, since this is a major foreign investor pumping large sums of dollars into a Uranium project that has positive implications for our nation. This lack of immediate response can affect future investments if companies feel we do not have adequate resources for contingencies, or even care. Read more
Re-Calling the Diaspora
November 12, 2008
INTRODUCTION:
The new role of the 21st century Third World immigrant has significantly changed from the last 50 years. This change has become necessary because of the transformative nature of the global economy and the ultra competitiveness of those of the developed countries. This discussion serves to do three things: highlight the reasons for the change, demonstrate the necessity of a new strategy, and identify the tenants of said strategy. Read more
Changing - Foreign & Domestic Policies
November 9, 2008
INTRODUCTION:
One of the weakest links in our system is the lack of a foreign policy agenda which in turn affects the development of our nation. Guyana’s elected leaders need to discuss and formulate a plan as to its relationship with the Global Community of Nations.
We must focus on countries which can best become a partner with Economic, Industrial, Social, Infrastructural, and Financial assistance.
This week America chose a new President, Barack Obama. It was a historical moment and has inspired millions that they too can dream. Read more
Change in America- What it means for us
November 7, 2008
INTRODUCTION
This week, history was made with the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. Many Guyanese, both here and in the Diaspora, were advocating for his election. Many issues face America–the financial meltdown, a war gone wrong and a country alienated from the rest of the world. The people finally decided that change was necessary.
The issues America now faces are really no different from what we are experiencing right now in Guyana; only that we have it on a smaller scale.
Most of our people are frustrated with our economics; we have had over 16 years of one-party rule with no new initiatives on the horizon. We keep attempting to fix the same old things we have had for thirty years. We are still fixing the rice, sugar and bauxite industries. We are still fixing the old Demerara Harbour Bridge. Read more
Change in America- What it means for us
November 7, 2008
INTRODUCTION
This week, history was made with the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. Many Guyanese, both here and in the Diaspora, were advocating for his election. Many issues face America–the financial meltdown, a war gone wrong and a country alienated from the rest of the world. The people finally decided that change was necessary. Read more
The black market and capacity
November 6, 2008
INTRODUCTION
I was speaking to a major business owner yesterday and he was contemplating getting out of business due to his inability to compete with, as he termed, “friends of the system”. Some of these individuals get past Customs while others have to pay the full duty price, therefore creating unfair competition. When I came though the airport a few weeks ago and after I was given the go ahead in the nothing to declare line, suddenly another officer ran over and told the officer to hold me. He then went back to the Director’s office and they both came out and ordered my bags to be searched. Read more
Creating a viable legacy for the next generation
November 2, 2008
Taken from Chapter 14 of My Book “Road to Eldorado – The People’s Revolution”
Given that America is about to seriously consider change, we here in Guyana must also realize we too can experience change, we too can stop the current race politics, we too can focus on our economy, we too can have one destiny as a nation. We too can look forward to a government in 2011 that makes us the citizens’ number one. Let us keep the faith, get involved in changing the way we think, it is about our next generation, they are not just our future but they are our today. This piece was written prior to all the current focus on ‘real change”, and many of the young in Guyana have also been motivated by the Obama movement and believe they can help influence that here in our own nation. I also believe we can. Read more
Continous Economic Adjustment is Needed
October 31, 2008
INTRODUCTION:
Many of us are closely monitoring the financial crisis. The interest rate has been cut in the US to one of the lowest in history - 1% Prime Rate. Here in Guyana, we have not seen any adjustment to any economic indicators.
The interest rate to borrow money from our banks is a whopping 16%. The excessive Value Added Tax (VAT) concerns have been ignored by the public sector.
It is about fixing the entire fiscal policy and tax system with a complete overhaul of how taxes are collected and spent in the country. Cutting personal income tax for a majority of our workers should be a major political decision now. Read more
Technology Infusion
October 30, 2008
Introduction
When we discuss technology in a broad sense, most of us view it from the context of artifacts. (The manufactured objects of technological design: cell phones, IPods, computers etc) One does not think of technology as to its history, origin, and a meaning and purpose.
Technology has its origin from the word “techne,” which was derived from an Indo-European word — “teks”. The word “techne” means the techniques or methods of creating and improving things or artifacts. Since the concept of technology cannot be define as just the artifacts, we can say that “technology is not a collection of things, but rather a systemic and rational way of doing things; it is in general the organization of knowledge, people, and things to accomplish specific practical goals”. Read more
Our Economy – What to expect? by Peter Ramsaroop
October 26, 2008
INTRODUCTION
Much has been said on our economy over the last few weeks by both the private and public sectors. We know remittances have dropped around the world and in Guyana.
This will affect many this Christmas and in 2009. The private sector is coming to grips that we must brace ourselves for a slow-down economy. Read more
The Immigrant Factor – key to development
October 24, 2008
INTRODUCTION:
I touched on this subject a few years back and given the heavy lobbying we have been doing on the Brazilian connection, it is time we re-look at the issue of Immigration and whether our laws are current.
Every country must have strong immigration laws but it should be balanced to economic development. Canada, for example, allows for self-sponsorship if you have a skill that is needed. Business drivers are tied to public policies in many ways. We constantly talk about reviving our nation’s economy, and why we have so little foreign investments to why there is still so much poverty in our nation while other nations around us seem to strive. This opens the discussion to immigration and how do we manage the need for economic development. Read more
EPA: Let Him Save Face—Focus on Us by Peter Ramsaroop of Vision Guyana
October 22, 2008
INTRODUCTION:
I have had to do it a few times, “try my best to save face” as we say in Guyana. President Jagdeo has impressed us all of being “wrong and strong” as it relates to the EPA. His failed defence strategy has twice led to Suriname invading our territory without any response by our military.
Venezuela bombed our miners and we did not even register a complaint with the United Nations; instead we took thousands of barrels of oil to keep our mouth shut. Our economy has been on a decline for the last decade with inflation rate above 13% and cost of living beyond our capacity to cope with along with the excessive 16% VAT. Read more
Our nation is Mismanaged by Peter Ramsaroop of Vison Guyana
October 19, 2008
INTRODUCTION
Nowhere in the corporate world will you ever find a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) being hired without any experience in managing people and more importantly how to manage profitability of a company. I believe the mismanagement we have seen in the way our country has been directed over the last decade is a result of inexperience at the highest levels of Government.
We have a President that never managed an entity in the private sector and most ministers that are in portfolios never had any experience. You can judge which ones fit those criteria. Read more
“We Punishing Bad” by Peter Ramsaroop of Vision Guyana
October 17, 2008
INTRODUCTION
This week a few workers from the Sugar Industry visited my office. They were concerned about our economy and wanted to discuss a column I had written in support for their 14% pay raise which is yet to be determined. These hard working citizens told me “we punishing bad”. They described how their transportation, utilities and food bills were beyond their capacity to cope with for their families. They fully understood my analysis of the inflation rate and consumer spending power as it relates to pay increases. At the current inflation rate, even a 10% increase can’t get you past the current cost of living numbers. They confirmed, as so many of us have, that they do not mind paying taxes but couldn’t understand why the government was so “anti-Guyanese and taxed them so excessively”
Being from the West Coast, they said that the car they were travelling in to come and see me fell into a hole on the Harbour Bridge and had to be pulled out. When I asked them if they heard that the President said “it was criminal” referring to the bridge, they laughed, the wanted to know “if he firing himself or the Minister of Works this time” Read more