Greece investors mull locally-based airline

- Price of aviation fuel a concern



PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo said the Guyana Government is considering a proposal from a group of investors out of Greece and other places for a locally-based airline to ply North American and Caribbean routes, bringing much-needed relief to the traveling public here now being held to ransom during the peak period. “They are offering the Government free equity in the new airline. We have made it clear that we are prepared to give tax concessions for domestically based airlines so you will get a tax holiday, but the big concern has been the price of ‘avjet’ (aviation fuel) here. It’s over US$5 per gallon [here] when you can buy that for US$2.10 or US$2.35 [at airports in New York],” President Jagdeo said.
He said it is simply not competitive if an airline has to refuel here. “That is why when I was in Venezuela I raised the issue of us importing avjet directly and not through the current importer because they have a monopoly,” he said.
“If we can bring that price down it makes it very attractive for a home-based airline. They are talking about basing three aircraft here. They will use Guyana as a base,” he said, adding that no local partners are a part of this venture.
President Jagdeo said the airline will fly to North America and to the Caribbean “…but we still have that difficulty of getting the price of avjet down.” He said the Guyana Oil Company may be used to import the fuel.
The President said even though the airline does not make much in terms of profit margin, “we get the benefit in cheaper travel, people coming home, airport departure taxes; so you make it back on the other side”. He said, also, that there will be positive impacts on Guyana’s tourism product.
During the peak travel season, Guyanese and other persons have complained of the difficulties in finding a seat, either going or coming or both in some instances. Further, prices have been hiked by those holding the monopoly on travelling out of Trinidad, for example.
The President and Minister of Tourism Industry and Commerce Manniram Prashad have both intimated their desire to see relief brought to the travelling public, especially during the peak travel season. Some customers, including this reporter, had to buy a ticket far outside their intended travel times and then pay a hefty penalty fee for changing dates, just to have a possibility of being able to travel and return by a specific time.

Stabroek News security expert on fraud charges

Clive De Nobrega a.k.a Robert Allan Gates

A known conman whose expertise and opinion on security related matters Stabroek News frequently sought was yesterday remanded to prison when he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court accused of a multi-million dollar fraud.

The allegation is that between March 19 and August 18 at Georgetown, Robert Allan Gates of 30 Seaforth Street, Campbellville, with intention to defraud, obtained from Thadius Khani, Jermain Mason, Romeo Barrington Randolph, Seerani, Urian Da Silva, Yonette Moses, Chandrika Arjune, Christopher Mc Adam, Delson Thorington, Ovid Adams, Imran Mohamed Ally, Otto Mitchelle and Mark Anthony Lewis the sum of $7.6M by falsely pretending that he was in a position to acquire motor vehicles for the said virtual complainants knowing same to be false.

The 53-year-old defendant was not required to plead to thirteen counts of the indictable charge of obtaining money by false pretense when it was read to him by the acting chief magistrate. Early last week Gates was given a severe beating by unknown persons and handed over to the police. Gates' daughter is before the courts on similar charges and in 2008 he was charged after he defrauded Wajenden Bacchus $4.1 Million whilst falsely pretending he was the director of an import and export firm.

CGX to drill for oil next year – Kerry Sully

With US$20M already raised on the Stock Exchange…

… significant drilling activity to start in two months time

ALTHOUGH there will be significant drilling activity in the offshore oil wells between Guyana and Suriname starting from October, the Canadian-based CGX Energy Inc. will commence its drilling in a one billion barrel resource potential during the second quarter of 2011, having raised US$20 million on the stock exchange at a price of US$0.50 per share.

Kerry Sulley

In an interview with Juan Castello of the Wall Street Reporter, President and CEO of CGX Energy Inc. Mr. Kerry Sully said the chances for successful drilling are between ‘one in five’ and ‘one in six’.

According to Sully, the first well that CGX Energy Inc intends to drill will be in the Jaguar Field, with another being drilled coming afterwards.

Repsol YPF with 45 percent and Tullow with 30 percent will partner with CGX with 25 percent for the drilling of the Georgetown Concession.

Of the one billion barrel potential that the Jaguar spot holds, CGX Energy Inc.’s share is 250 million barrels.

Sully told Castello that the company has identified 16 prospects and leads in the Georgetown Licence.

He said the prospects are all “drillable” with potential for 300 million barrels of oil.

Sully explained that the prospects are those on which Seismic work has been done and the leads are those sites which are yet to have the seismic probe done on them.

“In each of these prospects and leads we have resource estimates greater than 300 million barrels. That’s a big number. Through the period 2006 and 2008 there were only 18 fields found worldwide that had greater than 300 million barrels,” he said.
CGX issued 40,000,000 common shares of the Company for gross proceeds of US$20 million.

In a press release on August 17, Sully stated: “We’re pleased with the support from existing and new shareholders. The funds will be utilised to fund our 25 percent share of the costs associated with the drilling of the Jaguar well on our Georgetown License and to fund the preparatory expenses for the drilling of an exploration well on our Corentyne Licence.”
Sully believes the offshore region of Guyana and Suriname is now becoming one of the most attractive basins in the world. He said because of the mishap in the Gulf of Mexico, persons may be looking for opportunities in other places.
CGX holds three licences offshore Guyana stretching 400 km from the Venezuelan border in the north to the Surinamese border in the south. Using 2-D seismic, CGX has identified with five giant targets offshore and undertook a 2,375 sq km 3-D seismic programme on its offshore Corentyne and Georgetown licenses.

An independent report from Gustavson Associates showed CGX held a resource estimate of 2.8 billion barrels on three prospects on the Corentyne Concession.

Henry Jeffrey an oppotunist and political prostitute

Dr Henry Jeffrey

Robert Persaud: BURYING past mistakes with deception and distortion in today’s social environment smacks of political opportunism and a proclivity to historical revisionism of our contemporary political history as is seen in Henry Jeffrey’s missive in the daily newspapers captioned:
“Unitary opposition slate at the next general election is a critical component/The traditional PPP historiography is fundamentally flawed”.

The (mis)representation of our recent history as reflected in the recent letter to the editors could have been an extract from the teaching notes of PNC regime’s ideological school (Kuru Kuru Cooperative College) by its erstwhile Principal, Henry Jeffrey. The motive is classical historical revisionism of Dr Jagan’s/PPP’s role in Guyana’s social and political development.

The line is clear: all pre-independence difficulties and post-independence ruin that visited our people were solely the results of Dr Cheddi Jagan’s and PPP action and policies.

There is much historical evidence, revelations and impartial accounts of what transpired to debunk such contemptuous conclusions. Available in the public domain, the public can today determine who or what engineered the split in the PPP, spawned and nurtured ethnic distrust, calculatedly forced into exile thousands, introduced policies that marginalised and discriminated against sections of the Guyanese public and made Guyana and all Guyanese impoverished.

The political regime and actors responsible for the past decay of our society leading to sad conclusions of the Caribbean Council of Churches and McIntyre Report which warned against the `Haitianisation by the PNC Government’ cannot be exonerated or erased from our history by those prostituting themselves to the political bidders.

This case of historical revisionism is to cultivate a mindset, particularly among the young and the-less-politically-aware individuals the false impressions that all errors in Guyana were the product or by-product of the PPP and Dr Jagan.

Also, there is an accompanying subtle ethnic sub-theme in this mal-analysis of our recent history.

Inexcusable is the glaring lack of recognition or even a hint of the sweeping progress of our society, not only in terms of economic and social development, but the monumental efforts to heal the wounds of our past and modernize the political culture of this nation.

The venomous attack on Dr. Jagan/PPP’s role in our national politics and development pursuits is unforgiveable.

This type of analysis can only emanate from the mind of a bitter, frustrated political-has-been desperately trying to carve out a slot or role in some emerging political construct involving the AFC and company.

This type of discourse is most unhealthy in improving the political structure and culture of our country. For any society to move forward there must be an accurate, honest understanding and full account of its history.

With hindsight, objective political observers can and do suggest more enlightened policies and approaches. This can be useful if we are to ensure that, as a nation, mistakes are not repeated. The PPP continues to be fully committed to a healthy and inspiring political atmosphere if we are to realise the aspirations of all our people and make Guyana more stable and united.

Dr Jagan has laid the foundations. Those who have succeeded him are rolling out an unprecedented socio-economic developmental programme, and nurturing Guyana’s nascent, inclusive political culture.

Henry knows this but his denials remind me of a misquote of Napoleon: “Some men will believe anything to keep you from believing the Bible”. He sadly hopes that readers will believe anything but Dr. Jagan’s/PPP’s continuing legendary positive contribution to our dear land.

I wish Henry all the best in his future political endeavours, but to alert him that his Dr. Jagan/PPP bashing exercise has and cannot help his cause or credibility.

President outlines colossal development plans for Berbice

After a productive day of interactions with residents of Region Five, Cabinet Ministers gathered a wealth of information that will fashion a response relevant to the needs of residents.
Over 20 communities in the region were visited by Government Ministers, adding to the successful Cabinet outreaches conducted by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
At the culmination of the exercise a large gathering converged in Bath where President Bharrat Jagdeo, the feature speaker at the occasion, assured residents of government’s interest in their concerns and finding adequate solutions.

President Bharrat Jagdeo and Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud speaking to residents during the Cabinet outreach at Bath on the West Coast of Berbice

“Everything that you raised with my Ministers today in the outreach, we will not just leave here and throw the sheet of the notes they made away. We meet again at Cabinet over and over… I want the people in this region to know that this government, whether we can fix it or not, we are sympathetic, we understand the challenges people face, we are connected to the ground and we want to change lives,” President Jagdeo said.
President Jagdeo, speaking to a large gathering of residents from Bath and further afield on a tarmac opposite the Bath Post Office, was accompanied by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon, PPP’s General Secretary Donald Ramotar and other Cabinet colleagues.
Addressing some of the immediate development plans for Regions Five and Six the President pointed to the construction of a fibre optic cable network extending from Charity in Region Two to Moleson Creek in Region Six.

ADDRESSING CONCERNS. President Bharrat Jagdeo offering advice to a resident during Cabient outreach at Bath on the West Coast of Berbice

The network will complement the plan to provide 90,000 households with a computer.
Within six months the exploration for oil and gas is expected to commence in the Guyana offshore basin and if successful, Guyana could become a major producer of oil and gas.
“If we find oil you will see an explosion not just for associated services to that industry but a whole range of other things, hotels etc, to provide accommodation for the industry,” President Jagdeo said.
Infrastructure wise the Guyana Government is encouraging talks with the new Surinamese Government for the bridging of the Corentyne river, a discussion which President Jagdeo said has been engaging with Suriname since in the time of the previous Government.
In education, the Government is mulling expansion of the University of Guyana’s Tain Campus even though disappointed in the low enrollment at the institution. President Jagdeo said the Tain Campus is important for the promotion of higher education in Regions Five and Six.
A contract for a new technical institute in Mahaicony has been awarded and according to President Jagdeo the institution will make a big difference in the lives of youths in the Region.
Given that rice production is synonymous to Region Five and sugar to Region Six, plans are in the pipeline to expand the east Canje reservoir scheme with a deep water harbour that will create bulk exports.

A section of the large gathering at Bath on the West Coast of Berbice during the Cabinet outreach to Region Five

Over the past few years the two Regions have benefited from over US$70M in paved roads from Mahaica to Moleson Creek. At present the long stretch of road in Black Bush Polder is being paved as well as Canje.
The new state of the art Skeldon factory came on stream in August 2009, complementing Guyana’s plan to modernise its sugar industry
The Head of State admitted that while his administration has vowed to speedily address community concerns the task of meeting the overwhelming demands of Guyanese in a country with limited resources, is challenging.
Such a shortfall, the President said, was as a result of bad policies of the previous regime which accumulating wealth, leaving an insurmountable debt problem that was carried for more than 15 years.
Upon its ascension to office in 1992, the PPP/C administration placed debt repayment on its priority agenda.
Guyana now utilizes 40 percent of its Gross Domestic Produce (GDP) equivalent to four percent of revenue to service debt, and according to President Jagdeo, such an achievement leaves more room for the country to invest in the resources necessary for development.

Freddie vex he name ain’t get call

Freddie Shit-soon

GT Bluetooth: Bluetoothers back at work. Jamzone done. Plenty went fuh see de girls, Chutney stars, Movado and Yo-Yo, ooops…ah always getting that wrong; Ne-Yo. Everybody enjoy themselves. Dem who get catch in de traffic didn’t. Foreigners can’t believe de plenty vehicles here. That was only East Bank! De zone was jam from Berbice to Parika. To avoid Jamzone, some head east and west. Plenty others think de same way. Traffic jam all over.

Dem who avoided Jamzone and get jam in traffic, blue vex. Uncle Freddie more vex than dem. Movado and Ne-Yo (ah get it right, thanks Bheri) mek he vex. He ain’t vex ‘bout Movado songs, rum lyrics and de traffic jam. He blue vex that Ne-Yo ain’t call he name during de concert! E-magine a man crying because another man ain’t call he name! Because he name ain’t get call, de sourpuss blame de guvment. He seh how de guvment bring de singers.



So what happen to DGsell and de plenty other sponsors? Why he ain’t seh dem bring Ne-Yo? Monkey really know which limb fuh jump pun. So what wrong if de Tourism Ministry give professional support? Is not a tourism pageant? De same Freddie does seh guvment don’t do enough. Why Uncle Bharrat and other dignitaries can’t attend? What wrong if Ne-Yo acknowledge de dignitaries in de crowd? If Big Red and X2 perform in de States and Uncle Obama in de crowd dem mustn’t give he “shout-out”? Does that mean Barrack paying fuh dem?

Is de South African guvment paying fuh de upcoming 20/20 championship? No. If Guyana did pay fuh Ne-Yo, then de country rich! It ain’t poor like Freddie sehing everyday. Things not bad as he trying fuh fool people. By de way Uncle Freddie, if yuh want yuh name call, then yuh gat to be at de concert. Yuh can’t just stay home and tek de reporter story and mek it yuh own. De Sugarcake girl song just pop in me head, “Ah stupidy yuh stupidy…”. Anyway, now is not time fuh song. I at wuk. Hmmm!

Cocaine Nigel & his Wife are part of Bramma's cocaine family.

Nigel Hughes & his wife doing work for Drug Barons

Cocaine Nigel was once again exposed as a two timing cocaine Lawyer. He failed recently in several attempts to do his cocaine boss' bidding. It has to be explained that local drug lord Clayton 'Redman/Clay' Hutson is the under boss of Bramanad 'Bramma' Nandalall.


Clayton Hutson & Euclides Erian Da Silva

Bramma is also cocaine Nigel's boss. Nigel's wife, AFC executive member, Cathy Hughes is pictured above receiving a donation from Bramma's front man and brother, Shiv Nandalall, so it is evident that the cocaine money is circulating in the family.
Now extradited Brazilian drug fugitive, Euclides Erian Da Silva or Euclin as he is known in the drug world, was Clay's under boss and also his Nephew-in-law. Guess who was his Lawyer? Cocaine Nigel!

During their search for Euclin the police found Clay with an unlicensed firearm and a bogus firearm license. He was subsequently arrested and charged. Guess who was his Lawyer? Cocaine Nigel!

PNCR must explain recorded conversation between Basil Williams and Winston Felix.

-conversation is evidence of PNC being in bed with criminals

PPP General Secretary, Donald Ramotar

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Donald Ramotar has fired another salvo at the leader of the Opposition Robert Corbin and his party, saying that the People’s National Congress Reform is now at a state where it is desperately clutching at straws.
As it relates to Corbin’s charges that the Administration is in cahoots with criminals, Ramotar said that the PNCR must explain a damning recorded conversation, purportedly between one of the party’s executives and a former Commissioner of Police.

See transcript of recording here

The PPP General Secretary pointed specifically to a section of the recording where the individual said to be PNCR executive thanked the person believed to be the Top Cop at the time, for allegedly turning away from an issue, but it had reached a stage where the facts were emanating and as such he (Top Cop) could not turn a blind eye anymore.
Ramotar said that implicit in that conversation was the fact that the PNCR leadership was in bed with criminals.
Ramotar stressed that the party must also explain why they never made a pronouncement when eight persons were mercilessly shot to death on the East Bank of Demerara.
On the issue that Corbin raised with regard to Buxton having thriving businesses in the community such as factories, Ramotar said that when the current administration took office in 1992, none of the factories was operable.
He said that it was while the PNC was at the helm that the once thriving factories and businesses failed, and as such, it was the policies of the PNC that caused the village to deteriorate.
Ramotar said that the current administration by its investments nationwide, not just in Buxton, which is causing the livelihood of Guyanese to be significantly improved.
He stated that his party is surprised that political forces are once again trying to blame the PPP and government for the criminal seizure of Buxton following the infamous 2002 jailbreak.

Local cops praised for nabbing ‘one of Brazil’s most wanted’

Euclides Erian Da Silva

The Guyana Police Force has come in for high praise from their Brazilian counterparts for the capture of a man described as one of Brazil’s most wanted.
Last week local police handed over Euclid Da Silva, who also goes by the name Euclides Erian Da Silva, to Brazilian authorities at the Guyana/Brazil border.
The man was held here on suspicions of being in possession of a forged Guyana birth certificate through which he managed to obtain a Guyana passport. They later learnt that he was a fugitive from Brazil, after contacting their counterparts in the neighbouring country.
A senior police official had told this newspaper that Da Silva was arrested in Brazil in 1998 on drug trafficking and money laundering charges but later escaped from custody after being sentenced to 29 years in prison.
Local police, acting on their belief that Da Silva did not prove that he was Guyanese, then commenced preparations to send him back to Brazil where an international warrant had been issued for his arrest.
There were attempts to block the move after attorney Nigel Hughes secured an order from the High Court to stay his expulsion from Guyana.
However, police are claiming that by the time the order could have been effected, Da Silva was already in the custody of the Brazilian authorities.
According to a release from Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Interpol Brazil, on behalf of their National Central Bureau, has expressed gratitude to the Guyana Police Force “for the priceless help of the National Central Bureau Georgetown” and complimented “the vital Guyanese initiative” which led to the quick arrest of Euclides Erian Da Silva, one of Brazil’s most wanted fugitives.
“Brazilian national Euclides Erian Da Silva was arrested by the police in Georgetown on August 13, 2010, and handed over to the Brazilian authorities on August 17, 2010,” the police statement said.

PPP/C Government not going to accept permanence of divides among Guyanese.

- Luncheon says Government ‘ready to rumble’ in fight against those who want to maintain divides


W.P.A member David Hinds

THE Government has vowed to take the fight to those in the political opposition and other interests bent on maintaining divides among some communities in Guyana.
Reacting sharply to criticism from the main Opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) to President Bharrat Jagdeo’s visit to Buxton last week, Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon said it is clear that some are prepared to preserve existing situations.
“The PPP/C Government is not going to accept the permanence of divides among the Guyanese people”, he declared at his weekly post-Cabinet news briefing yesterday.
“To those who would want to rail against our efforts to demolish, remove, undermine these divides, we can say to them `they got a whole lot of railing to do’ because we can promise them that what is happening in the geographic Buxtons of today is being replicated across the length and breadth of this Guyana.”


PNCR leader Robert Corbin

Luncheon said the detractors can expect many, many more opportunities to engage the media, different intellects in this exercise about trying to justify the government in discharging its mandate in moving to address disparities, improve economic possibilities, livelihoods and ultimately to deal with access to opportunities.
“If they want to fight us down on that ground, then we’re ready to rumble and they will have a good fight on their hands”, he said.
Luncheon argued that the average Guyanese is not bemused by this event and said it “has caused many of us to sit down and ponder precisely what would it take to get a greater buy-in as we focus on communities and needs that must be addressed if this country is going to move forward as one.”


W.P.A member Eusi Kwayana

He said the government’s detractors will also have a lot more to say “were they to continue to have that mindset about initiatives of central government akin to the one that led to the President’s presence in Buxton.”
“If they are going to remain in that mindset and they are going to be consumed with that mentality, then I can assure them that they would have lots of other examples and opportunities to exercise their minds in that type of behaviour”, he said.

Norway retracts comment on Barama operations

-- Reaffirms support for LCDS

NORWAY’S Ministry of Finance has withdrawn comments that seemed to express concern over operations of the Barama Company Limited (BCL) here and has reaffirmed support for this country’s low carbon development thrust.

Hilde Singsaas, State Secretary in the Norwegian Finance Ministry

“Norway strongly supports and is impressed by the efforts of the Government of Guyana to create a low-carbon and low-deforestation future and remains a committed partner to Guyana in these efforts”, Hilde Singsaas, State Secretary in the Norwegian Finance Ministry said.

Singsaas, in a letter to Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud yesterday, explained that the recommendation to censure applied to BCL’s parent company Samling Global Ltd and its activity in Sarawak, Malaysia.

“The description regarding…Barama’s activities in Guyana primarily relates to events that took place some time ago and as such would seem to reflect criticism of Barama already expressed publicly by Guyanese authorities”, she said.
“The recommendation of the Council on Ethics does not opine on the extent of deforestation, forest degradation or environmental damage in Guyana, nor does it assess the forest policies of the Government of Guyana”, the letter added.

PNCR encourged Buxton take over by criminals-PPP/C

PPP/C: The People’s Progressive Party is deeply concerned at the vehemence of the opposition’s reaction to President Jagdeo’s visit and meeting in Buxton.

The wild accusations by leading opposition spokespersons have shown clearly that they have no interest in promoting inter-ethnic understanding and unity among all the people of our country.

It has demonstrated that all the talk about power sharing by the opposition parties and personalities are fundamentally insincere. What they are more interested in are deals to promote their personal agendas.

The PPP is also surprised that those same forces are once again trying to blame the PPP and government for the criminal seizure of Buxton after the February 23, 2002 jail breaks.

Anyone vaguely familiar with Guyana’s political scene and those who have been following developments in that period must know that the only Party that could have encouraged such a take over of that village by criminals was the PNCR.

That was the only political party that frequented Buxton in that time. Many of the leaders were actually rubbing shoulders with the criminals who used the village as its base.

Few of those making hysterical noises now said anything of the abuse that many ordinary Buxtonians had to face at the hands of the politically sponsored criminals who took over the village.

Many Buxtonians were gunned down in cold blood, women raped and the burning of homes of persons in the village who dared to utter any word of displeasure, took place amidst the resounding silence of the PNCR and some others in the opposition.

Since the PPP/Civic took office Buxton experienced much gains in the building up of its infrastructure. More roads, schools, health clinics have been made available to the people of that village under this government than during the whole period of PNC rule.

The President in his remarks mentioned how closely the Cabinet have been following developments in Buxton. He also mentioned the on going efforts of the PPP/Civic administration to accelerate Buxton’s village economy which was seriously harmed by the criminal enterprise that was centrally directed.

It is clear that the over whelming welcome that President Jagdeo received is deeply worrying the opposition who are ready to resort to racial appeals to bolster their flagging image and their dwindling support.

The PPP will not be deterred by the outbursts. We will continue to work in every part of Guyana to strengthen the socio-economic conditions of our people. We have always advocated equal rights for all out people and all communities.

We will not be side tracked in our work to build national unity in our country.

We urge all Guyanese to ignore the doomsayers and let us work unitedly to make our country peaceful, prosperous, united and free.

WPA has outlived its usefulness

Dr Randy Persaud: The Working People’s Alliance has outlived its usefulness and the time has come for it to acknowledge this to the Guyanese people. No one will doubt that the party was once vibrant, and that it made a real contribution to the re-emergence of democracy in Guyana. But time and circumstances change, and when a political party or group refuses to adapt, it must suffer the ignominy of being ignored.

Back in the late 1970s Dr. Walter Rodney and colleagues worked tirelessly with other democratic forces (the PPP, the DLM, GAWU) to bring about betterment in the lives of all of Guyana’s people. Although the country still has many challenges, there is clear evidence today that it is a country on the move.

The honourable thing for the WPA to do today is to acknowledge the sea change, beginning with the fact that governments are democratically elected, and that Guyanese have practically no limits in expressing their political views. No such thing seems possible from the small group of men and women who speak under the name of the WPA.

One question that future historians would have before them is to explain the dramatic decline of this once influential Marxist party. We all look forward to the history and historiography on this. As a warning, we should note that it would take qualified historians and political scientists to do this work. No shallow and vengeful columnist is up to the task, no matter how many references are made to Kant, Hume, and Hobbes.

Two points come immediately to mind regarding the decline of the WPA.

Firstly, the party was founded on an interesting admixture of progressive cultural nationalism and Marxist political economy. Over the years, the ‘progressive’ part of the cultural nationalism has mutated into a politically convenient and reactionary nationalism. Without any shame, the party intellectuals now only speak for one ethnic group in Guyana. Anyone who does not claim ancestry to that group is nonchalantly vilified in the discourses of the WPA.

As for a critical political economy perspective, the party intellectuals have retreated. To the best of my knowledge only Prof. Thomas has maintained an active research agenda. Many of his columns are interesting and thoughtful. The other intellectuals have replaced all that is critical about subaltern knowledge to a sign, in this case, race.

There is no problem with that in and of itself, excepting that rather than using race as an analytical tool to investigate lived experience, the current ‘intellectuals’ of the WPA use to make irresponsible pronouncements. The aim, it seems, is always to find some group guilty.

The second reason for the decline of the WPA is that it has never managed to rid itself of both the fact and stigma of being a group of urban intellectuals who have no taste for walking through the far-flung regions of a country defined by vast forests and roaring rivers. The option for these Georgetown intellectuals has always been to stay at Turkeyen from where they issue press statements that have no resonance with the Guyanese people.

It appears that all of Guyana knows that the WPA is extinct, excepting, of course, for the WPA itself.

President Jagdeo’s visit to Buxton has been so massively misconstrued by the WPA that they have gone from confused nonsense to patent nonsense. Just read the party statements fronted in Kaieteur News and Stabroek News.

Buxtonians rejected Opposition attempts to protest Jagdeo's visit to the community.

Most villagers in Buxton, East Coast Demerara, rejected moves by activists of Opposition political parties to organise protests against the visit there by President Bharrat Jagdeo last week.

Huge turnout at Buxton during President Jagdeo’s visit last Wednesday

The President on Wednesday visited Buxton where he received a warm welcome from residents who overwhelmingly resisted attempts by Opposition elements to persuade them not to attend the meeting and to protest villagers said.

Some noted that the enthusiastic welcome the President received on his arrival showed that Opposition parties that once regarded Buxton as their stronghold were rebuffed in their bids to mount protests.

Mr. Jagdeo was invited to the village by the committee that organised the commemoration of the 170th anniversary of the founding of Buxton.

He arrived at the school to the sound of African drumming and singing and was escorted by a cultural group in the school compound where there was a larger gathering. Along the path were children, from various schools in the community, with garlands.

Resident Ms. Barbara Thomas Holder, declared, “The President is in the house. Today is a historic day and I feel good.”

As the Head of State made his way into the building, there were loud cheers from Buxtonians.
Observers noted that this kind of reception for the President in Buxton, in the face of the failed attempts to get residents to boycott, would not be of any comfort to those in the Opposition who have long regarded the village as their preserve.

“The opposition parties are losing the influence and clout in Buxton because Buxtonians are fed up and disgusted with their kind of divisive politics”, one analyst said.

Govt. is constitutionally bound to manage in the interest of all and Buxton is no different

Govt. is constitutionally bound to manage in the interest of all-Lincoln Lewis



And this is precisely why the outcry surrounding the President's recent visit to Buxton is mind-boggling. Isn't Buxton a part of Guyana also?
Its also very good to see that unlike his Afro-centric colleagues Lincoln Lewis of all people could come around to this type of reasoning.

Buxton has spoken! Their message is absolutely clear! This does not amount to a “slavish deliverance of their ancestral house”

Terrence Greaves: AS would be expected, a response to President Jagdeo’s visit to Buxton has been made via an article in the Stabroek News by Professor Dr David Hinds, Buxtonian and a well known WPA activist. This article, which must be described as being very angry-toned and vitriolic, begins with describing President Jagdeo’s visit as a “political charade”; and is further laced with stinging criticisms at what Hind’s has described as the “accomodationist attitude being promoted by some African Guyanese leaders” and the slavish deliverance of “our ancestral house” to the ruling party and government among the heavy broadside he fired.
First of all, let me say that I have the greatest of respect for this Guyanese-United States-based academic, who stood up fearlessly against the Burnham dictatorship and felt the repression of its jackboot, as well as his condemnation of the gunmen’s presence in his beloved Buxton during those horror years. Believe me, I felt very disappointed and sad at what he has had to say in this article, for there is no doubt that he loves his village and wants to see it progressing. However, regrettably but quite frankly, his must be a lone voice in this angry outburst. But let me begin my response to his description of President Jagdeo’s visit.
There is no “charade’ about the President’s visit to the rural community of Buxton, since charade is about pretence to create a pleasant impression. Neither was it a political expediency because of the nearness of the 2011 poll, as Hinds perceives. It was a visit that had to be done, because this was the opportune time for such a visit
. And though it is the President’s prerogative, in deciding the when/where of his visits, this particular one, I dare say came about when Buxton would have been normalised and Buxtonians ready for such an important occasion. In fact, this was a visit that Buxtonians coveted most and unanimous in wanting, not as “beggars” and “weaklings” as they are derisively described by this activist, but as Guyanese in their own right who understood the great damage that had been done to their once-proud village, and who wanted to signal to the Executive that they were ready to move their village forward, taking its place in the productive mainstream of national life. And this is precisely what President Jagdeo advised and accordingly offered, because this is central to this community’s future well-being, as any other, especially its young. Can you, Dr Hinds, better in a practical manner, what His Excellency has offered?
Of course Dr Hinds, they have the right, like any other community, to ask for assistance, a fact which you supported; but that does not necessarily mean that such will shift their political allegiance. But, in the end if they do, who can fault them? They will only be giving just reward to an administration which led them to an improved life. I need not remind this academic that such is political realism.
The tone of Dr Hinds’ discourse, suggests that Buxton ought to be still resisting when he mentioned about the “right to self-determination” for there and other communities. What does he mean? How can he make such a statement when Buxton is an indivisible part of Guyana. There is not anything “accomodationist” about some African leaders, as he contended. Instead, there is a realisation that this nation is witnessing a great social and economic transformation, and rather than listen to the negatives of ethnicity being pedalled in all subtleties, many African leaders are correctly advising their constituents to partake in this great dispensation and become beneficiaries for themselves and families.
This does not make any black community “beggars” and “weaklings”, above all, Buxton, Dr Hinds! No doubt, your views did not find favour among the enlightened majority in your village.
Buxton has spoken! Their message is absolutely clear! This does not amount to a “slavish deliverance of their ancestral house”