Consistent, High Quality Sleep is Essential to Heart Health Says Groundbreaking Study

By Mark DaCosta

For the first time scientists have definitively concluded that high quality sleep is a major determinant of cardiovascular health (CVH). In a paper dated October 19, 2022, the Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health released its findings. “Our results demonstrate that sleep is an integral component of CVH.

Nour Makarem, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and lead author of the study said the following. “Even a CVH score that includes only sleep duration, the most widely measured aspect of sleep health and the most feasible measure to obtain in a clinic or public health setting, predicted Cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence.”

The Professor said, “Notably, we also found that a CVH score that incorporated multiple dimensions of sleep health was also significantly associated with incident CVD. Our results highlight the importance of embracing a holistic vision of sleep health that includes sleep behaviours and highly prevalent, mild sleep problems rather than strictly focusing on sleep disorders when assessing an individual’s cardiovascular risk.”

The study found that those who slept fewer than seven hours had a higher prevalence of heart disease risk factors like obesity, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Other research has also shown connections between short sleep and chronic diseases that could also hurt heart health.

David Goff, MD, PhD, director of the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), agreed. “This study provides compelling evidence that sleep metrics are an important factor in cardiovascular health,” he said.

Background

The American Heart Association had long established 7 guidelines for a healthy heart and general CVH. Those guidelines were: quit tobacco, eat better, get active, manage weight, manage blood pressure, control cholesterol, reduce blood sugar. Following preliminary reports from ongoing research by the Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, the American Medical association (AMA), in June, added “get healthy sleep” to the guidelines. The 8 items in the revised guidelines were officially named “Life’s Essential 8.”

What does this study mean?

The research concludes that “sleep [measurements] add independent predictive value for CVD events [such as heart attacks and strokes] over and above the original 7 CVH metrics.

The study shows that inadequate high-quality sleep contributes to other unhealthy behaviours such as bad eating habits, unwillingness to exercise, unhealthy coping mechanisms such as excessive alcohol use and smoking, all of which contribute to CVD. Short sleepers also had higher prevalence of being overweight / obese, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension, suggesting that multiple unhealthy sleep dimensions may occur at the same time and potentially interact, further increasing risk for heart disease.

This study is important and different because the research firmly establishes that CVH scores that included sleep duration only as a measure of overall sleep health as well as CVH scores that included multiple dimensions of sleep health such as sleep duration, efficiency, and regularity, daytime sleepiness, and sleep disorders were both predictive of future CVD. In other words the research not only looks at how long a person sleeps but also when and how well persons sleep. And both the sleep-duration and sleep-quality predict and affect the risk of CVD.

The study recommends that, “Healthcare providers should assess their patients’ sleep patterns, discuss sleep-related problems, and educate patients about the importance of prioritising sleep to promote CVH. Furthermore, the formal integration of sleep health into CVH promotion guidance will provide [healthcare providers with] benchmarks for surveillance and ensure that sleep becomes an equal counterpart in public health policy to the attention and resources given to other lifestyle behaviours.”

While other studies are currently being undertaken, persons are advised that 7 to 9 hours of sleep is recommended. And, considering the importance of these findings, persons experiencing sleep related problems should consult a doctor.

(Co-authors of the landmark study are Marie-Pierre St-Onge and Brooke Aggarwal, Columbia University Irving Medical Center; Susan Redline, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School; Steven Shea, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University Irving Medical Center; Donald Lloyd-Jones and Hongyan Ning, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University).

Guyana Continues Associating with Huawei Despite Security Concerns

By Mark DaCosta

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) regime — ignoring local and international concerns — continues the practice of using Huawei’s equipment. Huawei Technologies Ltd (HTL) is a Chinese multinational information technology (IT) and consumer electronics company. The company has, for years, faced numerous allegations of designing its communications equipment with hardware and software that allows governments to spy on citizens. HTL equipment has been banned ny many countries in numerous sensitive areas.

In November 2021, the PPP regime received a donation of 1,000 Internet (WiFi) boxes from HTL. Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d), Mark Phillips, who received the devices on behalf of the government, said that, ”This equipment will go a far way in helping us to achieve an important part of our plan for the people of Guyana — that is to bridge the digital divide in the area of connectivity.” The Prime Minister said, too, that the donation will assist his government in its aim to bridge the digital divide by providing access to ICT (Information and Communication Technology) throughout the country.

While there appears to be no public record of where the boxes were installed, one is left to speculate about whether the equipment is being used in government buildings or public areas where journalists and opposition politicians may wish to access the internet via this equipment. Of course, journalists, politicians, activists and other persons may need to exchange sensitive and private information to which the ruling PPP regime may want clandestine and probably illegal access.

In addition to the aforementioned equipment, it is not known whether the PPP regime has received or procured other ICT equipment from HTL. It is known though, that HTL has supplied millions of dollars of equipment to the PPP regime that is being used in a city-wide high-tech video surveillance system.

Local companies that have voiced and acted on concerns about the security risks associated with HTL’s equipment include the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT). In august 2021, GTT scaled back the use of HTL mobile communications equipment, amid persistent claims by the United States (US) that that company has embedded espionage (spy) gadgets in some of its equipment. GTT’s Chief Executive Officer, Damian Blackburn said, “We have minimised the use of Huawei equipment on our network.” He said, “Our policy is to minimise the use of Huawei.”

HTL has been under scrutiny for some time. In 2005 India banned HTL from bidding on a contract to provide cellular equipment to a major Indian cellular network; In 2009 India’s Department of Telecommunications publicly warned companies to be cautious when doing business with HTL; in 2010 all government arrangements with HTL were cancelled due to, “doubtful integrity and dubious links.” India was not the only country to take action to protect its citizens.

The United Kingdom expressed concern as early as 2005 and raised the issue in its legislature in 2009. In 2012, the governments of Australia and Canada excluded HTL from tendering for contracts to expand their respective countries’ cellular networks.

In 2011 the US government used extraordinary laws to force US companies to disclose ties to HTL. The following year, the US House Intelligence Committee recommended: “[HTL] be barred from doing business with the US government.” The committee described HTL as a national security threat.

According to intelligence analysts, equipment made by HTL is designed with embedded hardware and software to allow remote access to data. Respected German security experts Felix Lindner and Gregor Kopf reported in 2012 that wireless equipment, particularly routers, made by HTL could not only be accessed by external parties, but could actually be controlled. In other words, HTL could give a government the ability to directly take over a HTL-manufactured device, perhaps remotely activating a computer’s webcam or a phone’s microphone, and sending data and images to [government] spy agencies.

In November 2012, then Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon, admitted that the PPP government engages in wiretapping to catch criminals. But how does one know that the system is not being used against journalists, politicians, trade unionists, writers, activists, and private citizens? How do we know that our communications are secure. And, most importantly, with so many alternatives available, why is the PPP regime so determined to use HTL’s equipment?

What People Are Saying About Venezuelan Migrants and Guyana's National Security

By Mark DaCosta

On October 6, Village Voice News (VVN) published an article captioned, “Gov’t must clarify its policy position on Venezuelan migrants.” Unsolicited and later, requested feedback on the contents of that article have been interesting.

Of particular interest to many Guyanese is a statement by National Security Adviser Gerry Gouveia. The national security adviser has expressed concern about Guyana’s national security situation in light of the huge number of Venezuelans currently living in Guyana within the context of Venezuela’s increasingly strident territorial claims on Guyana’s Essequibo region.

He said, “You could understand the security dilemma we face that in the [numbers of] migrants could be embedded Venezuelan agents and so this is not something that we don’t appreciate.”

According to some estimates, up to 60,000 Venezuelan nationals may currently be present in Guyana.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the majority of those migrants reside in Barima-Waini, Region # 1. The population of Guyanese in Region # 1 is some 27,000. One Guyanese wondered if Venezuelans now outnumber Guyanese in that region.

Yet another Guyanese, who has a military and political background, spoke of the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) apparent naïve and “simple-minded” attitude to the influx of Venezuelans. He said that he would be absolutely shocked if Venezuela had not already taken advantage of the PPP regime’s childish and innocent policy of open arms, and introduced intelligence gathering agents as well as sleeper units into Guyana.

Such units could be activated at Venezuela’s will. The gentleman said too, that considering the current geopolitical climate, Venezuela may feel emboldened by President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and try a similar move against Guyana. Particularly, he said, because the world is busy and totally focused on the escalating situation in Europe.

The probability of Vladimir Putin’s actions emboldening Venezuela was also raised by Paul J. Angelo, the fellow for Latin America studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Wazim Mowla, the assistant director for the Caribbean Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center. The matter was highlighted in an article entitled, “Another Conflict Is Brewing in the Caribbean — Russia’s war in Ukraine stirs Venezuela’s dreams of conquest in oil-rich Guyana.”

While some Guyanese have expressed the view that the PPP knows exactly what it is doing, and the admission of Venezuelan nationals may be related to electoral and voting plans by the PPP, citizens to whom this publican spoke appear to be more concerned about Guyana’s security. One man said to this publication, “As it is, with the amount of [Venezuelans] now in Guyana, [Venezuela’s president] Maduro could probably take Essequibo without one shot fired.”

https://villagevoicenews.com/2022/10/14/what-people-are-saying-about-venezuelan-migrants-and-guyanas-national-security/?fbclid=IwAR1eLfou7J8O2gCP7eK-ernInb1U9tUoycQHo3jKb0ujfyxMyuLT_YYwKyA

The Life of a Guyanese Homeless Alcoholic

By Mark DaCosta

Latchman is a thirty-one-year-old Guyanese man who says that he has lived on the streets for his entire adult life. Latchman, who says that he is an alcoholic, recently met with Village Voice News (VVN) during the morning hours on the pavement near the Bourda market. He agreed to tell VVN about his life.

Latchman, dressed in a clean green jersey and black jeans, appeared to be calm, comfortable, articulate, and intelligent. He said that he left his parents’ home, and his high school in Berbice when he was fifteen years old. He had started to drink alcohol excessively about a year before moving out. He said that he could not live with the strict rules of his devout Hindu parents. Latchman said, “I am smart; I knew that I am an alcoholic almost from the first time I started to drink. I knew that rum would be a problem for me.”

He said that life on the streets was difficult at first, but, he said, “on the streets I get to live by my own rules; I like to live how I want to live.” He said, “[Living on the street] I had to learn how to beg for money and how to do yard work for people who would sometimes give me food.” He told VVN that during that time he discovered that he likes to work with plants, and would jump at any gardening jobs he could find.

Latchman related that over the years, he lived at countless different places, “I can’t even remember some of the yards and garages that I slept at. Sometimes people would allow me to stay at a bottom house in exchange for me doing all kinds of work for them.” However, he said, it always ended with him being put out onto the streets again after he drank too much and “behaved bad.” He said, “when I am drunk, I sometimes say things that I don’t want to say, hurtful things, and people don’t want me around any more. So, now I try not to get drunk in the daytime; I drink all the time, but I wait until night to get drunk and go to sleep.”

Latchman now lives in Georgetown. He sleeps with about four other homeless men on the pavement near a particular store on Regent Street. He said, “The owner of the store lets us stay there because we provide security for the store in the night; [the owner] doesn’t have to pay a security guard.” Latchman explained that it is better for him to be in a group of other homeless men. He said, “In a group, we know one another and look out for one another. When I used to sleep alone on the seawall or in the cemetery, almost every morning I would wake up barefoot because somebody would steal my shoes while I sleep. Also, there is always the problem of somebody wanting to [sexually assault] you when you are sleeping alone in the open.” When asked if sexual attacks are common Latchman said, “every night homeless people are raped or forced to have sex because they want money for drugs or food. “It happens all the time,” he said.

Latchman said that for the last two years or so his life has been stable. He explained: “I do odd jobs around Bourda market; I clean and set up people’s stalls in the mornings, and help packing up the stocks in the afternoons. That is how I get money to buy rum. I get good food from a lady with a food stall, in exchange, I clean her stall and buy whatever she might need during the day. I stay at her stall or check on her every few hours; sometimes she needs things for her stall: plastic cups or bags or packs of spoons or forks, or she might need me to go and change money for her, she trusts me.”

He said, “I usually bathe at the sink inside the [washroom at the] market, or ask to use the hose when someone is washing the pavement in front of stores in the morning hours, I always manage to find a place to bathe and wash my clothes. “I ask nicely [to use a standpipe or a hose], and some people say yes, also most people around here know me by now. You see, I have to stay clean because I spend a lot of time at the lady’s food stall, and customers don’t want to be around no stink man.”

The man said that whenever the streets flood due to rain, the lady does not open her food stall, but, he said that he always gets food; “people with food stalls share out their leftover food in the afternoons.” He said that he can always count on one source. “The Muslim people come here every afternoon at six o’clock on the dot and share out a box of food and a drink.” He said that on days when the lady’s stall is closed, he would spend the day begging and working for money which he would use to buy alcohol.

VVN asked if he uses any other drugs. “I does sometimes smoke a piece of a joint if somebody gives me, but I don’t buy weed or any other drugs; I only like rum.” Asked if he would like to stop drinking, he said, “You know that alcoholism is a disease, right? Yes, I wish I could stop drinking, but I don’t think that I can. I tried everything, AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), counselling, I even started to go to church, but nothing worked.” He said, “I don’t want to drink; I want to be a normal man, but whenever I get money, I end up in a rumshop. Sometimes, when I am drinking by myself I end up crying because I don’t want to be doing that.”

Latchman told VVN, “I’ve always loved gardening, “Before I started working with the lady [at the food stall] I worked for almost a year at the [Promenade] Gardens; I looked after the plants. That was the happiest time of my life. But they fired me when I went to work drunk and behaved bad in front of a set of [foreign] people. I wish I could get a chance like that again, you know, to work with plants, and I would take care not to get drunk on the work again.”

When asked what were his plans for the rest of the day, Latchman reached into his pocket, took out and showed a small bottle. He said, “I am going to drink this and get a lil high,” and then I will go and see what work [the lady] got for me to do.”

https://villagevoicenews.com/2022/10/16/the-life-of-a-guyanese-homeless-alcoholic/?fbclid=IwAR1N5mcrw8PI73a6PWRDyldqwJiNi6cTCuNWV-lwKGZ1oKN9gO8Ii_zDr1o

PPP Government Disregards Key Attributes of Good Governance

By Mark DaCosta

The Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) has articulated five key attributes of good governance. They are: transparency, responsibility, accountability, participation, and responsiveness (to the needs of the people). The PPP regime continues to disregard and depart from each of those key markers.

First, transparency. As the PPP strengthens its stranglehold on political power, the ruling regime is becoming increasingly opaque and secretive. Decisions are being made behind closed doors outside the range of public scrutiny. For example, in Georgetown, a decision was made to build a “walkway” to the seawall along Vlissengen Road. One wonders, who made that decision; was any environmental impact assessment done; all things considered, is a walkway to the seawall a priority at this time?

Not far from a seawall walkway, a thing is being constructed parallel to Lamaha Street. Again — because there is zero transparency and information — one is left to wonder, what is that thing? Is it a road? Is it a car-park? Is it another walkway? What is that thing?

Second, Responsibility. Does the PPP take responsibility for its actions? Has the administration ever admitted that it could have done better? Guyanese may be hard pressed to find any such example.

Third, accountability. In terms of governance, this is equated with answerability, blameworthiness, liability, and the expectation of account-giving. As an aspect of governance, it is central to discussions related to problems, the acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions, decisions, and policies. It is known that the lack of accountability results in corruption. Guyanese will recall that recently, serious allegations of corruption were made by a reputable United States media outlet against a high ranking PPP official. The PPP regime — instead of launching an investigation — came to the defence of the alleged corrupt official and — as does a cornered snake — attacked anyone who called for accountability.

Notably, in August, Chairman of the Private Sector Commission Paul Cheong told the second installment of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance’s accountability and transparency workshop that graft undermines businesses and threatens investors’ confidence in the country. He said, “No country can afford to allow corruption to take root, not in the public or private sector. Once corruption invades or permeates a society it becomes insidious and undermines businesses, it threatens security, it threatens and drives away investors altogether. It ultimately criminalises every activity whether business, the public service, professionals [and] even in sport. Eventually, it will bring down any society or organization or persons involved.”

Incidentally, corruption can be measured. Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. A country or territory’s score indicates the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

Guyana’s scores in recent years are as follows:

2018 — 37 points

2019 — 40 points

2020 — 41 points (PPP took office)

2021 — 39 points

The 2022 score may indicate an interesting trend.

Fourth, participation. This refers to the participation of citizens in the decision making process. The key to such participation is public consultation. A study by the University of Maryland’s Programme for Public Consultation states that, “Public consultation responds to [people’s] demand for greater democratic responsiveness and can help restore [citizens’] confidence in government.” The PPP regime may wish to consider beginning to engage in this approach to decision making.

Fifth, responsiveness is the degree to which a government is sensitive to the needs of citizens and the effectiveness of the response to those needs. For example, does the PPP seem to care about the needs of our senior citizens; or the challenges faced by hinterland residents? Has the government done anything to effectively assist squatters, single parents, homeless people, substance abusers, or poor Guyanese?

https://villagevoicenews.com/2022/10/11/govt-continues-to-disregard-un-key-attributes-of-good-governance/?fbclid=IwAR1Lh_-DF0DJvMfO2PRAzGUeNdiGR4MFNsuxcapJyIDu1FQsqQ6GRHq8bg4

Mental Health and a Good Life

By Mark DaCosta

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines mental health as a “state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”

The Mental Health Foundation based in the United Kingdom states that, “For over 70 years, we have been working to make sure that mental health is treated on a par with physical health. Mental health problems exist in our lives, families, workplaces and communities, impacting everyone. We must do as much as possible to prevent mental ill-health – as individuals and as a society. We will continue to call on national and local governments to prioritise reducing the factors known to pose a risk to people’s mental health, enhancing those known to protect it and creating the conditions needed for people to thrive.”

The fact that a healthy mental state is a prerequisite for a good and productive life is now universally accepted. As such, in 1992, the World Federation for Mental Health and the WHO declared October 10th of each year to be World Mental Health Day. The goal of this observance is to increase awareness about mental health. The theme of the day in 2022 is, “Make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority.”

According to experts, over the course of a person’s life, if mental health problems develop, one’s thinking, mood, and behaviour could be adversely affected, thereby negatively impacting one’s quality of life. The experts say that many factors contribute to mental health problems, including: biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry, life experiences, such as trauma or abuse, and a family history of mental health problems.

Early warning signs of a problem include the following:

Eating or sleeping too much or too little

Pulling away from people and usual activities

Having low or no energy

Feeling numb or like nothing matters

Having unexplained aches and pains

Feeling helpless or hopeless

Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual

Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared

Yelling or fighting with family and friends

Experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships

Having persistent thoughts and memories you can’t get out of your head

Hearing voices or believing things that are not true

Thinking of harming yourself or others

Inability to perform daily tasks like taking care of your kids or getting to work or school

The WHO states that global stressful situations — including disease and political conflicts — have had a significant negative effect on the mental wellbeing of people throughout the world. One WHO says, “Many aspects of mental health have been challenged [by COVID-19]; and already before the pandemic in 2019 an estimated one in eight people globally were living with a mental disorder. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global crisis for mental health, fuelling short and long-term stresses and undermining the mental health of millions. Estimates put the rise in both anxiety and depressive disorders at more than 25 per cent during the first year of the pandemic. At the same time, mental health services have been severely disrupted and the treatment gap for mental health conditions has widened.”

The WHO states, “Growing social and economic inequalities, protracted conflicts, violence and public health emergencies affect whole populations, threatening progress towards improved well-being; a staggering 84 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced during 2021. We must deepen the value and commitment we give to mental health as individuals, communities and governments and match that value with more commitment, engagement and investment by all stakeholders, across all sectors. We must strengthen mental health care so that the full spectrum of mental health needs is met through a community-based network of accessible, affordable and quality services and supports.”

It is reassuring that decision makers and international organisations recognise that a healthy mental state is necessary for a good life. Additionally, the fact that stigma associated with mental illness appears to be slowly eroding is a positive development. The WHO may have captured and expressed the hopes of many persons affected by my mental illness and the efforts of those who support those patients. The WHO says that, “. . . the ability to reconnect through World Mental Health Day 2022 will provide us with an opportunity to re-kindle our efforts to protect and improve mental health.”

https://villagevoicenews.com/2022/10/10/mental-health-is-necessary-for-a-good-life/?fbclid=IwAR1l0-yuvH4fqP_9Wrpzze_omtdZk5UK1lDbt5XcHJcNaswKomtgF9Eqb2M

The Plight of Guyanese Pensioners

By Mark DaCosta

On Saturday October 1, the world observed International Day of Older Persons 2022. The day was introduced by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly with an aim of honouring the contribution of older persons and looking into the problems that they face. The theme of the 2022 observance is, “Resilience of Older Persons in a Changing World.” In Guyana, the day — which is set aside to honour our country’s senior citizens — passed quietly without any fanfare whatsoever. This publication is not aware of any acknowledgement of the special day by the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) regime.

On the following Monday, October 3, Guyana’s pensioners could be seen, as they are at the beginning of every month, lining up at various post offices to collect the $23,000 disbursement. Village Voice News (VVN) spoke with a number of persons who lined up at one post office to get their pensions.

VVN began by asking persons who agreed to share their stories if they knew about the observance of International Day of Older Persons; only one gentleman knew about it. He said that he recalled seeing former president Brigadier David Granger on TV giving a speech at an event related to the observance. The gentleman may have been referring to remarks made by the former Head of State in 2016. On that occasion, the former president had said, “…We have a plan and part of that plan is ensuring that you live in happy households, and we have to do more. We are not a rich country, but we want to give you what we could afford to ensure that you live in happy households.

“We want to ensure too that you have quality housing and the third thing we want to ensure you of, is your concern about your health. We know the older you get, the more you need medical attention. We must choose a lifestyle that will extend our lives and we must take responsibility for our health . . .

“This is the silver period of our lives, and it must be the time for a good life when we can celebrate our contributions to society and when young people and look us to us and respect us and learn from us because they too will become older persons. They must learn to respect the older persons because we are the repositories of experience and expertise.”

The former president had been addressing the audience at a special luncheon organised for elderly persons from the Upper Demerara- Berbice (Region Ten) area, held at the Umana Yana, in observance of International Day for Older Persons.

In 2022, though, the observance passed unnoticed and un-noted by the ruling PPP regime.

Ms. Seeta (not her real name) said that she goes to the Post Office at the start of every month to get her pension. The elderly woman noted that although the line is usually long, waiting her turn has been made easier because she can sit in the covered waiting area built by the previous administration.

Ms. Seeta said that she lives with her daughter within walking distance from the post office. She said that she does not have to pay rent and the small pension is used to buy food for herself. She said that her biggest concern is being robbed after she collects her pension. Ms. Seeta pointed out some young men who could be seen loitering on bicycles opposite the post office. The woman said, “Dem boys is bandits; they know we coming out the post office with money, that is why I does collect me pension and ketch a taxi to go home, even though is right around the corner.”

Ms. Seeta said that she would prefer a system where her pension could go to the bank. In that case, she would not have to go to the post office and risk being robbed.

Another senior lady shared a different story. Ms. Grace (not her real name) said that her grown children are overseas and are not in touch with her. She said that she lives in a house with three other women and a “landlady.” She said that she collects her pension and gives $25,000 to the landlady to stay at the house. She said that the other three women do the same thing.

Ms. Grace said that she makes spending-money by selling dog food at the roadside. She said that she teamed-up with one of the other women in the house; the other woman cooks the dog food while Ms. Grace sells it. “We does split the lil profit half and half.” She said that although she misses her life as a healthy woman who worked as a domestic helper, she accepts that this is her new reality. She said that her biggest problem is taking care of her diabetes. She related that she cannot afford the meals that the doctors recommend; she eats what she can afford.

Ms. Grace added that her living arrangement is worrisome because she has no privacy. Sometimes, she said, the other women in the house use her food; there is no place for her to secure her belongings. She ended the conversation with this publication by noting that she has a sick foot which she tries to protect from injury, because, she said, “If I hurt the foot more, it will not get better because of the sugar (diabetes), and I have to walk so I could go and sell me dog food.”

While one obviously cannot infer that all elderly Guyanese live in adverse circumstances, at the same time, one cannot conclude that the problems cited here are the worst challenges facing Guyana’s seniors. One may reasonably deduce, though, that too many older citizens face unnecessary difficulties which any caring government can mitigate if it has the will to do so. But since the PPP regime did not even acknowledge the observance of International Day of Older Persons 2022 persons are left to wonder if the ruling regime cares at all about our senior folk.

https://villagevoicenews.com/2022/10/09/the-plight-of-guyanas-pensioners/?fbclid=IwAR3bUesqRjUqgYbdqATKUoxTxQ4oVcymMa9NTWFOeUJWtL5g8YN90qNmkdM

Coping With Grief

By Mark DaCosta

In a previously published article, the mental illness known as depression was explored. This article focuses on grief, and how to cope with it. It must be emphasised that while depression is an illness, grief, on the other hand, is not an illness; grief is normal. Grief is a natural human response to loss. It is the suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. Most people associate grief with the death of a relative or close friend.

However, the grief response can be triggered by almost any loss. Including the loss of a pet, a relationship, a job, financial security, a valued place in society, as well as such events as selling the family home, retirement, a miscarriage, even the loss of a treasured dream or ambition can cause grief. Evidently, this is a complex subject. This article will now address some common topics associated with grief, and how to deal with the normal process of human grief.

The Grieving process.

Grieving is a highly individual experience; there’s no right or wrong way to grieve. How you grieve depends on many factors, including your personality and coping style, your life experience, your faith, and how significant the loss was to you.

The grieving process takes time. Healing happens gradually; it can’t be forced or hurried — and there is no “normal” timetable for grieving. Some people start to feel better in weeks or months. For others, the grieving process is measured in years.

Stages of grief.

In 1969, psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross introduced the idea of what became known as the “five stages of grief.” These stages of grief were based on her studies of the feelings of patients facing terminal illness, but many people have generalised them to other types of negative life changes and losses, such as the death of a loved one or a break-up. The psychiatrist noted the following stages:

Denial: “This can’t be happening to me.”

Anger: “Why is this happening? Who is to blame?”

Bargaining: “Make this not happen, and in return I will ____.”

Depression: “I’m too sad to do anything.”

Acceptance: “I’m at peace with what happened.”

However, experts are careful to point out that not everyone who grieves goes through all these stages — and that’s okay. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to go through each stage in order to heal. In fact, some people resolve their grief without going through any of these stages. And if you do go through these stages of grief, you probably won’t experience them in a neat, sequential order, so don’t worry about what you “should” be feeling or which stage you’re supposed to be in.

Notably, Kübler-Ross herself never intended for these stages to be a rigid framework that applies to everyone. In her last book before her death in 2004, she said of the five stages of grief: “They were never meant to help tuck messy emotions into neat packages. They are responses to loss that many people have, but there is not a typical response to loss, as there is no typical loss. Our grieving is as individual as our lives.”

Physical effects of grief.

While most persons know that grief causes mental effects such as sadness, guilt, fear, and anger, there may also be physical effects. The experts say that during the grieving process, fatigue, nausea, lowered immunity, weight loss or weight gain, aches and pains about the body, and sleeplessness can also occur. Again, it must be noted, that these are normal reactions to the loss of someone or something that we love; they are not a sign of illness.

Types of Grief.

Experts recognise three types of grief.

1. Anticipatory grief, as the name suggests, develops before a significant loss occurs rather than after. If a loved one is terminally ill, for example, you have an aging pet, or you know that your retirement or job loss is imminent you may start grieving your loss before it happens.

2. Disenfranchised grief can occur when your loss is devalued, stigmatised, or cannot be openly mourned. Some people may minimise the loss of a job, a pet, or a friendship, for example, as something that’s not worth grieving over. You may feel stigmatised if you suffered a miscarriage or lost a loved one to suicide.

Disenfranchised grief can also occur when your relationship to a deceased is not recognised. Some people may consider it inappropriate to grieve for a work colleague, classmate, or neighbour, for example. As a close friend or same-sex partner you may be denied the same sympathy and understanding as a blood relative. This can make it even more difficult to come to terms with your loss and navigate the grieving process.

3. Complicated grief occurs when the pain at a significant loss may never completely disappear, but it should ease up over time. When it doesn’t go away, and it keeps you from resuming your daily life and relationships, it may be a sign of complicated grief.

How to cope with grief.

The normal process of grief usually runs its course and comes to an end. At the end of the process, one is usually able to get on with life. The grieving process though, may be quite painful for the person experiencing it as well as those offering support.

Experts say that if you are experiencing grief you should do certain things to make the process less painful. You may wish to seek support from family and friends, draw comfort from your faith, and seek the help of a therapist. Meanwhile, it is important that you take care of your physical health, and try to maintain your hobbies or interests. Although the grieving process cannot be hurried — it must run its course — it is important to try to remain healthy so that you can resume a normal life.

Keeping in mind that the process of grief cannot be hurried, it is important that if you are comforting a person who is grieving, that you do not attempt to hurry that person. It is not helpful to tell a grieving person that “it is time to move on.” When the grieving person is ready to move on, he or she will move on.

Finally, while we know that grief is a normal reaction, a major loss may trigger depression — which is not a normal reaction. If a major loss causes suicidal tendencies, this may signal the onset of depression. In Guyana, persons who need help with depression or grief may call 600-7896 at any time of the day or night. The call is free of cost.

Rising Cost of Living Causing Persons to Sacrifice Critical Healthcare

By Mark DaCosta

One of the major issues currently facing Guyanese consumers is the cost of living. Prices of goods and services are spiralling out of the reach of many citizens. Persons have reported via social media and by other means that they have had to take drastic measures to make ends meet. Some Guyanese can now afford to eat only one, cheap meal per day. Others have stopped using fruits and vegetables because those foods are simply too expensive. Obviously, such practices would have a negative impact on health.

Perhaps, more frightening, is another austerity practice of which this publication is aware. It has come to the attention of Village Voice News that two specific Guyanese have reduced the amount of essential medication to less than what is prescribed by their respective doctors because those medications have to be bought by the patients, and they are expensive.

One Guyanese reported that she now uses her eye-drops for Glaucoma only once per day instead of three times as is prescribed. She said that she knows that she is risking her sight, but she has no choice. Another person has said that he cuts one of his expensive pills in half and uses one half in the morning and the other half in the evening; his prescription instructs that he use a whole pill twice daily. That man is fighting cancer. Both of those patients said that they are cutting back in almost every aspect of their lives. There can be no doubt that many other unknown Guyanese are also skimping on essential medications; some persons may not be able to obtain any medications owing to the expense.

A report in the Guyana, South America (GSA) News states, “Against the backdrop of a booming oil industry and a meagre 7% increase in the minimum wage, the cost of everyday items in Guyana, South America has increased an estimated 20 per cent over the last year – sparking fears that Guyana may be on the verge of suffering from the resource curse instead of reaping the benefits of much anticipated positive economic transformation. To illustrate the phenomenon, here are just a few examples.

Item

Previous Price

Current Price

Soap Powder

$2,800

$3,300

Cheese

$800

$1,100

Cooking Oil

$400

$680

Butter

$400

$600

“Joining the bandwagon is a sudden spike in the inflation of Guyana’s currency against the US dollar.” Additionally, according to a July report by the Bank of Guyana, the cost of living is likely to double by the end of the year.

So, what is the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government doing? One will recall what Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall said in March of this year regarding price regulation in the rice production sector. The minister said, “The government can’t regulate the price that the millers, for example, purchase the paddy at, unless the government is to impose price tariffs [and]…a pricing regime, and we don’t wish to do that as a government.” Other PPP officials have echoed the policy that government will not intervene. Although there has been some acknowledgement by the regime of the financial burden facing Guyanese, nothing tangible is being done to control prices.

While the PPP has argued against price controls, many economists have said that price controls are sometimes necessary and beneficial. The publication “ECONOMICS” states, [Fixing] maximum prices can reduce the price of food to make it more affordable.

The Publication makes the following points:

1. When inflation is increasing, the monetary authorities can set a legal price limit on the amount prices can rise. In theory, this will limit price increases and keep inflation under control without resorting to higher interest rates.

2. If prices are rising due to bigger profit margins (e.g. firms have monopoly power) then setting limits on price increases can ensure prices don’t rise, without causing a shortage of goods.

3. If prices are increasing and supply is inelastic, then price controls should not affect supply. E.g., if the supply of housing is fixed, rent controls can reduce prices without reducing supply.

4. In times of war and rationing, price controls aim to stop firms profiting from the shortage and keeping prices affordable for all consumers, otherwise, the price of limited goods, such as food will skyrocket with many consumers being unable to afford them.

5. Price controls don’t have to be for all goods, but can be focused on those which are considered essential, e.g., food, rent.

6. Price controls are best used for a specific time period, e.g., when there is pent-up demand and supply chain shortages. For example, at the end of a war or in 2022 at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the high officials of the PPP do not have to worry about rising prices while they luxuriate in their government mansions; while the regime’s elite don’t have to skimp on their food and medications; other ordinary Guyanese are left to suffer. Such is the state of Guyana under the rule of the PPP.

The Matter of Indigenous Lands

By Mark DaCosta

As continues to be the case with other ancestral lands, the problem of Indigenous lands has gone on for far too long. What may make the problem more noteworthy, though, is the special status accorded to Indigenous peoples by internationally recognised treaties, agreements, and conventions. Additionally, in the case of Guyana, archeologists have found incontrovertible evidence that our Indigenous peoples have lived on this land for no fewer that 12,000 years. Compare that length of time with when Jesus was said to have walked the earth some 2,000 years ago. As we observe Indigenous Heritage Month, it would be opportune to raise the issue of Indigenous lands.

There are currently nine distinct tribes of Indigenous peoples in Guyana: Lokono (Arawak), Akawaio (Kapon), Arecuna (Pemon), Macusi, Warrau, Wapisiana, Wai Wai, Patamona and Kalina (Carib). Those peoples comprise about 9.16 per cent of our total population. The issue of land ownership and control by Guyana’s first peoples is one that has dragged out for about 400 years. That is, since Guyana was colonised by the dutch in the 17th century. The issue has still not been settled to this day even though Guyana has been an independent, self-governing State for over half a century.

Cultural Survival — a network of Indigenous partners and international human rights advocates across the globe — released a statement critical of Guyana’s government. “Independent Guyana’s policy towards Indigenous peoples is essentially based upon colonial policy and law, maintaining strong elements of wardship, indirect rule and assimilation.

“Both the Dutch and the British, and the successor State of Guyana, asserted that all lands not held under grant from the State were crown lands effectively denying Indigenous title and sovereignty, “the statement said.

The statement highlighted specific aspects of the unjust state of affairs in Guyana. The statement said, “The primary law relating to Indigenous peoples is the Amerindian Act of 1951, amended in 1961 and 1976, and is essentially an expanded version of a 1902 law. This law, among others, authorises the Minister of Amerindian Affairs to arbitrarily take, modify or suspend Indigenous land titles in six different ways, including taking a land title if two or more members of a community have shown themselves to be `disloyal or disaffected to the State or have done any voluntary act which is incompatible with their loyalty to the State’ (Sec. 20A(4)(d)).

Government officials may also: take, sell or otherwise dispose of Indigenous property for `purposes of its care, management or protection’ (Sec. 12 (1)(a)); the Minister may take Indigenous children into custody for purposes of their education, welfare or to apprentice them in the service of others (Sec. 40(2) (c)(d)); may relocate Indigenous communities to any region of Guyana (Sec. 40(2)(a)); may prohibit cultural and religious activities that the Minister believes may be harmful (Sec. 40 (2)(f)); and, requires that any non-Amerindian wishing to visit Indigenous lands, even if invited by the community, receive the permission of the Minister of Amerindian Affairs under penalty of fine and imprisonment (Sec. 5).” The idea that a politician can wield such discretionary and coercive power over Guyana’s first peoples absolutely boggles the mind.

In 2017, former President, Brigadier David Granger of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government, established a Commission of Inquiry to settle the matter of Indigenous Lands. Also, during the tenure of the APNU+AFC administration, consultations were begun between the government and Indigenous leaders regarding amendments to the Amerindian Act, which would have included the matter of ancestral lands. However, after the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) regime came to power in August 2020, the consultation process was halted by the PPP regime.

Owing to the fact that the consultations were halted, the list of recommendations submitted to the PPP regime by Indigenous leaders, and which is currently in the possession of the PPP, is also incomplete. To date, the PPP regime has made no moves to reengage with Indigenous leaders.

While Guyana observes Indigenous Heritage Month, one notes the flamboyant rhetoric of the PPP regime in praise of Guyana’s first peoples. However, no amount of speeches and words will correct the historical wrong that our Indigenous peoples continue to endure. The issue of the status of lands that rightfully belong to our first peoples must be settled. Government has a responsibility to fix a problem that has continued to plague Guyanese for too long.

https://villagevoicenews.com/2022/09/26/the-matter-of-indigenous-ancestral-lands/?fbclid=IwAR0uFXEE90iWUaY1l4WCBXJ65nDkrQ1JAO9_ILtWZ8oreIUjj5ucT3-HgPg

Is The Carbon Credit Market Just Another Racket?

By Mark DaCosta

In 2009, under the Presidency of Bharrat Jagdeo, Guyana first launched the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). One key facet of the Jagdeo-conceived LCDS is the sale of carbon credits to foreign entities. In fact, it appears that the collection of revenue from the sale of those credits is the only aspect of the LCDS that is being vigorously pursued by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) regime. There has been no discernible actions by the PPP regime to reduce carbon emissions and place Guyana on a “green development trajectory.” In other words, it appears to be all about collecting money instead of actually mitigating climate change. There are many questions associated with this subject; one of the biggest is whether or not selling carbon credits have a mitigating effect on climate change.

Climate change on earth is caused by the the greenhouse effect which occurs when energy from the sun passes through our atmosphere and heats our planet's surface, but greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere prevent some of the heat from returning to space, resulting in a warmer planet. In turn, greenhouse gasses are produced by human activity such as the burning of fossil fuels to power machines or produce electricity.

Climate change was first alluded to in In 1896. A paper by Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius first predicted that changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels could substantially alter the earth’s surface temperature through the greenhouse effect. In 1938, Guy Callendar connected carbon dioxide increases in Earth's atmosphere to global warming. That warming has been observed and has accelerated since around 1981. Warming has resulted in drastic changes to ocean currents, extinction of some marine and land life, weather patterns and other harmful phenomena such as rising sea levels that threaten coastal communities.

It is known that trees lock away or sequester carbon thereby taking it out of the atmosphere. After many territories passed regulations to limit carbon emissions, and being perceived as “carbon neutral” became fashionable, the carbon market was born. Companies and territories could pay other people to plant or keep trees; Guyana got in on in the action with the LCDS. While keeping trees standing is good, there may be a problem. Many countries and companies are not reducing their carbon emissions, instead, they are buying carbon credits to offset those emissions. The question is, will this help to stop climate change? Many scientists say that the answer is no.

The fact is, countries, such as Guyana, that collect money to keep our forests, may have kept those forests anyway. So, nothing has changed. While big companies and rich countries continue to release carbon, the earth continues to heat up, but those rich countries get to claim that they are carbon neutral because they are paying territories such as Guyana millions of dollars to preserve forests. Is the carbon credit market just another global racket?

According to a report by the Forest Ecology Network (FEN), “In order to mitigate the impacts of global warming many experts believe that our greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. This reduction has no chance of being reached through a voluntary cap and [carbon credit] trade system utilising the free market system.” The FEN says, “The carbon trading system works by allowing carbon reducing industries [and territories] to accumulate credits which they can sell as carbon offsets to businesses which either voluntarily want to reduce emissions or whose regulator caps require emission reductions. The problem is that the polluting industries are NOT REDUCING THEIR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS!”

A report by Greenpeace states, “The big problem with offsets isn’t that what they offer is bad – tree planting or renewable energy and efficiency for poor communities are all good things – but rather that [offsets] don’t do what they say. They don’t actually cancel out – or, offset – the emissions to which they are linked. Offsetting projects simply don’t deliver what we need – a reduction in the carbon emissions entering the atmosphere. Instead, they’re a distraction from the real solutions to climate change. As a result, offsetting allows companies like BP and Shell as well as airlines to continue with their unsustainable behaviour while shifting their responsibility for the climate onto the consumer.”

The World Economic Forum (WEF) wrote that, “offsetting is ‘greenwash,’ allowing companies to avoid cutting their emissions while still being able to claim they are, or will be, carbon neutral.”

The Greenpeace report says, “If we’re serious about tackling climate change, there is only one answer to the problem: these companies and industries need to put people and planet over profit by completely overhauling their business models.”

The FEN report states, “What is needed is a global mandate with caps and targets – a market-driven voluntary system will not work. However, since the U.S and China (responsible for over 40% of the emissions) have not bought into mandatory caps and reduction targets, the potential for meaningful reductions is unrealistic. Why would other countries strongly enforce caps and targets on their emissions if it puts them at a competitive disadvantage in the market place? The fact is that if we are to save the planet from a devastating ecological meltdown, it is going to require an immediate, and we mean immediate, reduction in greenhouse gases.”

In conclusion, it appears that there is scientific consensus that offsets by trading in carbon credits — without reduction of carbon emissions — will not mitigate climate change. In fact, following this line of thought to its bitter end, it would seem likely that the existence of a carbon credit market would encourage rich countries and territories to emit more carbon. After all, they would just have to pay countries such as Guyana a few million dollars to get away with it. Meanwhile politicians get richer, businesses get bigger, and more carbon is released and our planet’s destruction continues.

https://villagevoicenews.com/2022/09/26/is-the-carbon-credit-market-just-another-racket/?fbclid=IwAR1ii2lwlFkxCL2kzVrwN-hvGeRX7qduWjCVzseXANS6n-kkVaqfHTzAL4E

Understanding Depression

By Mark DaCosta

Depression is a serious, possibly life-threatening mental illness that affects many persons worldwide. The condition is well understood by medical science, and effective treatments and interventions are available. Unfortunately, though, many ordinary persons know little about the issue. This lack of knowledge may result in persons failing to recognise the symptoms of depression in themselves and others and as a result, patients may not get the treatment they need even though it may be available. This article seeks to answer common questions about depression and other problems associated with it, and suggest ways to deal with the illness.

What is depression, and how does it feel?

Depression is a mental and behavioural disorder characterised mainly by fatigue, exhaustion, aversion to activity, low mood, and loss of interest or pleasure in activities that usually bring joy. Sometimes, depression involves a feeling of sadness, but, contrary to common belief, sadness is not the biggest part of the illness.

What are the behavioural symptoms?

Some common symptoms are:

Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness.

Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters.

Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports.

Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much.

Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort.

Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain.

Anxiety, agitation or restlessness.

Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements.

Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame.

Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things.

Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide.

Is depression the same as grief?

No; they are not the same. Depression is different from grief felt after losing a loved one, or sadness felt after a traumatic life event such as loss of a job. Depression, on the other hand, usually involves self-loathing or a loss of self-esteem, while grief typically does not.

How common is depression?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that the illness affects about 1 in 15 persons at any given time, and about 1 in 6 persons will experience it at some time during life. This works out to about 4 per cent of the global population. In Guyana, the statistics mirror the global numbers.

What causes depression?

Experts say that differences in certain chemicals in the brain may contribute to depression. Also, continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty may make some people more vulnerable to depression. The illness has a genetic component; in identical twins, if one is depressed, the other twin has a more than 70 per cent chance of being depressed as well.

How is depression treated?

Doctors may use a variety or combination of approaches to help the patient depending on the severity and duration of symptoms. Counselling and psychotherapy may be used as well as medications which can affect the chemicals in the brain of the patient. In severe cases a patient may require hospitalisation, however, fortunately, most patients respond well to outpatient treatments and other medical interventions.

Can drugs cause this illness?

Yes; some medications can produce symptoms. Such medicines include sleeping pills. Persons should speak with the doctor if such problems arise. Notably, alcohol use is known to cause depression both in the long term and short term. Many persons who are victims of suicide have been found to be intoxicated at the time of his or her death.

What should I do if I notice the symptoms in myself or others?

You should act quickly. Remember, depression may cause death by suicide or accident. The person experiencing symptoms should seek medical help without delay.

In Guyana, persons who experience symptoms or observe symptoms in another person may get help and advice by calling 600-7896 at any time of the day or night. The call is free of cost.

https://villagevoicenews.com/2022/09/25/understanding-depression-1-in-15-persons-is-affected-reach-for-help/

The Internet Has Fundamentally Altered The Media Landscape

By Mark DaCosta

Freedom of the press is recognised as an integral and indispensable pillar of democracy, so much so that the absence of that freedom is seen to disqualify a territory from claiming to be democratic.

While press freedom has, for many years, been considered a self-explanatory, easily defined term, the modern era has brought with it many challenges including far-reaching and fundamental questions. Now, even the definition of press freedom is being reexamined. Many of those modern challenges came about with the advent of social media platforms and other means of rapidly spreading ideas and information.

Freedom of the press, as a concrete legally defined concept, can be traced to December 2, 1766. On that day the Swedish parliament passed The Freedom of the Press Act. That legislation is now recognised as the world’s first law supporting the freedom of the press and freedom of information.

That Swedish law codified the principle—which has since become a cornerstone of democracy—that individual citizens of a State should be able to express and disseminate information without fear of reprisal. Since then, laws protecting press freedom have been passed in the vast majority of countries, and it is now one of the rights enumerated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on December 10, 1948.

In the modern era, though, the concept of press freedom is becoming increasingly complex. It is now possible — owing to the availability of the internet and other technologies — to disseminate ideas to billions of people almost instantaneously.

Simultaneous with this new technological reality are two psychological facts. 1. The tendency of most humans to believe, accept, and spread ideas without fact checking those ideas. And 2, the “confirmation bias,” which is the tendency to process information by looking for, or interpreting, information that is consistent with one’s existing beliefs. In other words, we seek out ideas and opinions that conform and reinforce what we already believe or want to believe.

The challenges posed by modern reality are obvious. For example, false, incendiary, inflammatory information can be easily generated and spread. Persons — perhaps, entire communities — may act on that false information resulting in unrest, violence, and even death.

The events of January 6, 2021 United States Capitol attack come to mind. That unprecedented, deadly event was the direct result of demonstrably false ideas and inflammatory rhetoric being spread. Evidently, under current conditions, experts are totally justified in reexamining the fundamentals of what exactly constitutes press freedom.

The question of how to solve the new challenges has not yet been settled by experts; the matter is still being debated by academics, journalists, politicians and social scientists. Presently, Cambridge University, among other academic institutions, is studying the matter. In a preliminary assessment of the problem, Cambridge outlined the huge challenge in a statement. The statement — focusing on the political aspect of the matter, says,

“As internet penetration rapidly expanded throughout the world, press freedom and government accountability improved in some countries but backslid in others. We propose a formal model that provides a mechanism that explains the observed divergent paths of countries. We argue that increased access to social media makes partial capture, where governments allow limited freedom of the press, an untenable strategy.

“By amplifying the influence of small traditional media outlets, higher internet access increases both the costs of capture and the risk that a critical mass of citizens will become informed and overturn the incumbent. Depending on the incentives to retain office, greater internet access thus either forces an incumbent to extend capture to small outlets, further undermining press freedom; or relieves pressure from others.”

Evidently, the advent of the internet has not only fundamentally altered the media landscape, it has also sparked widespread discussions about the most basic ideas of what exactly constitutes press freedom. Such discussions are to be encouraged, as they will lead to an improved understanding of the rapidly changing society in which we live, and guide decision makers as new legislation, new regulations, and administrative changes are contemplated and formulated to ensure that a free press retains its rightful place as a pillar of democracy. Notably, all things being considered, it is quite likely that a new definition will emerge for the term Freedom of the Press.

https://villagevoicenews.com/2022/09/23/the-internet-has-fundamentally-altered-the-media-landscape/

Observing International Day of Peace

By Mark DaCosta

The United Nations (UN) has designated September 21, International Day of Peace. Known also as World Peace Day, it is observed annually. Established in 1981 by unanimous UN resolution 36/37, the General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to “commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples.”

The day is dedicated to world peace, and specifically the absence of war and violence. On that day, the UN encourages ceasefires in combat zones for humanitarian aid access as a concrete demonstration of a nation’s dedication to peaceful ideals.

The day was first celebrated in 1981 and is kept by many nations, political groups, military groups, and peoples around the world. Word Peace day 2022 is being observed under the theme: End racism. Build peace.

Unfortunately, World Peace Day 2022 falls amid significant international and local tensions, including a major war in Europe. Noteworthy, too, considering the theme of the 2022 observance, is the fact that many such tensions are rooted in considerations of race, and differences in culture that arise from ethnic differences.

A major component of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia are the perceptions of some State leaders that historical cultural factors justify military actions that have, so far, cost thousands of lives, and billions of dollars in infrastructural damage. As things stand, the conflict has resulted in global food and energy crises, financial instability, political realignments, and fears of nuclear catastrophes, among other immediate issues and concerns.

Differences in ethnic identity perceptions are the source of other conflicts and potential clashes throughout the world. While most of the world’s attention is focused on the Ukraine-Russia hostilities, The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which has simmered since 1988, is once again making headlines. This clash is an ethnic and territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The region is inhabited mostly by ethnic Armenians, while seven surrounding districts were, inhabited mostly by Azerbaijanis until their expulsion during the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. The dynamically complex situation is once again threatening to flare up.

Guyanese know too, of ethnic disputes within the borders of India and Pakistan, as well as conflicts between those nations. Citizens know of ethnically fuelled wars on the African continent, one of which divided the nation of Sudan into two separate countries. In that case, religious and cultural divisions also contributed to the outcome.

Locally, Guyana continues to face widening ethnic divisions. Those divisions appear to be getting worse rather than healing. One reason for this unfortunate reality may be that political forces are fuelling ethnic cleavages in order to consolidate their bases. In any case, regardless of the complicated nature and complex causes of such divisions, Guyanese, generally, may be well advised to take opportunities such as World Peace Day to reflect on the consequences of divisions.

Citizens may wish to think about the destruction that divisions may cause. And we may wish to consider taking the steps necessary to prevent further damage to our beautiful country.

The issue of African ancestral lands in Guyana

By Mark DaCosta

The matter of resolving the problems regarding ancestral lands is one that has been allowed to fester for decades. Those problems include, for the most part, Indigenous lands as well as African ancestral lands. This article focuses on the concerns surrounding African lands, and the need to settle the matter once and for all.

Ancestral lands, generally, refers to the lands, territories and related resources that are recognised to belong to a people as a result of ancestral or historical domain including spiritual and cultural aspects that may not be acknowledged in land titles and legal doctrine about ownership. The concept of ancestral lands is recognised by international treaties and convention; the term was first used in the 1920s by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), an arm of the United Nations (UN).

In Guyana, following Emancipation and the abolition of slavery in 1834, groups of former slaves bought plantations and established villages. Unfortunately, much of the lands which may have been bought by freed slaves — or lands to which they were entitled under ancestral domain conventions — were seized by European occupiers who were still very much in power in what was then British Guiana. To add insult to injury, after Guyana became an independent country in 1966, local authorities did nothing to return those ancestral lands to the descendants of freed slaves. Instead, those unlawfully taken lands were incorporated into State owned real estate or State controlled agencies such as the entity now known as the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). To date, those lands remain in the hands of the State.

In March 2017, during the tenure of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration, then president, Brigadier David Granger, announced the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry (CoI). The seven-member CoI was tasked with examining and make recommendations to resolve all the issues and uncertainties surrounding the individual, joint or communal ownership of land acquired by freed African slaves. The CoI was mandated, too, to examine the matter of Indigenous lands as a separate matter.

Hearings of the CoI began on August 21, 2017. During those hearings there were numerous submissions. Several descendants of African slaves came forward. For example, Dr Rishi Thakur, who represented villagers of Corentyne, Berbice told the CoI that he is pressing his case to repossess 25 acres of ancestral lands, which were acquired before the 1950s along the east bank of the Corentyne River. Thakur said that the Sea Defence Board took over the lands and it should be given back to its rightful owners.

Dr. Thakur said, too, that, in 2013, efforts were made by ministers of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to distribute the lands to persons who have no transport or title. He claimed that the lands belong to his family left behind by his ancestors.

During the hearings, it came to light that the African Cultural & Development Association (ACDA) had written to then President Bharrat Jagdeo way back in 2007 asking Jagdeo to address the matter. Executive Member of ACDA Ms. Violet Jean-Baptiste told the CoI that, “Our pleadings fell on deaf ears.”

According to a 2018 document by released by the Mocha/Arcadia Ancestral Lands Committee (MAALC), “The issue of ancestral lands has been approached at best, in a piecemeal manner. Record keeping has been fragmented and remains in a state of total disarray. This might have been a deliberate strategy of those who stole ancestral lands to conceal the injustice meted out to our ancestors and their descendants. We are indeed stymied by the bureaucratic deficiencies that have left evidentiary gaps in the chain of title of lands formerly owned and controlled by our ancestors.” The document noted that “We become complicit with the atrocities of the past when opportunity presents itself to bind up and heal old wounds and we do nothing.”

Regarding the lands at Mocha/Arcadia, the MAALC wrote, “The injustice occurred when governance of our territory was under the control and dominance of an external sovereign. We were mere inhabitants or subjects without the means to redress this injustice. However, more than half a century has elapsed since we became independent and possessed the means to offer redress. Therefore, it is worth noting that much of the ancestral lands that are the subject of this claim, are still possessed by the State or an entity under its control and patronage. Therefore, the State, now governed by formerly colonised subjects, has ability to redress the wrong if only it has the will.”

The MAALC asserts that the State controlled GuySuCo has possession of African Ancestral Lands in Diamond, also in the following townships:

• Ann Maria

• Prosperity

• Two Friends

• Watville

• Woerden

• Utricht

As well as Plots of land South of Mocha up to Lot 335 going towards Diamond/Craig, and Mathilda Crowther 500 acres in rear or Arcadia village.

The MAALC stated that, “The issue of ancestral land is one for which title should not be quieted through continuous open and notorious use and occupancy of the lands by State agencies. It should be resolved by the return of the coveted lands to the descendants of the former slaves who acquired them with hard earned savings.”

https://villagevoicenews.com/2022/09/14/african-ancestral-lands-state-has-ability-to-redress-wrong-if-only-it-has-the-will/#

Observing World Coconut Day

By Mark DaCosta

The Office of the Leader of the Opposition (OLO) has released a statement informing that the Leader of the People’s National Congress Aubrey Norton visited the Indigenous community of Campbelltown in Region 8. During the three-day visit Norton met with residents of the village and surrounding areas including those of the municipality of Mahdia. Other reliable sources, though, have reported that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) appeared to have actively tried to interfere with the opposition leader’s initiative.

According to reports by credible sources, The Leader of the Opposition arrived at Mahdia on the morning of Wednesday August 24. Prior to his arrival, the OLO had publicised the intended outreach. Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai and a team of persons showed up at the Mahdia Aerodrome ten minutes after the opposition leader’s arrival.

It is reported that the minister commandeered the ambulance attached to the Mahdia Hospital and used the vehicle, which is equipped with sirens and flashing lights, as part of her entourage for the entirety of her stay. During the minister’s trip from the aerodrome, her entourage encountered Norton’s vehicle along a stretch of unfinished roadway. The road, which was part of a billion-dollar project, was an A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) initiative. However, the PPP, upon assuming office in 2020 neglected to complete the project. As such, a long stretch of the road has only one lane and can accommodate only one line of traffic.

A witness reports that Norton’s vehicle was forced by police to reverse some distance uphill to allow the minister’s motorcade to pass along the narrow strip of road. The witness reports that at that point, there was total confusion and a massive traffic pileup owing to there being a narrow, one-lane stretch of road, heavy traffic, and Minister Sukhai’s entourage including the ambulance with its blaring siren and flashing lights.

The OLO’s statement says that the Leader of the Opposition noted several issues during his outreach. According to the statement, one of the major issues is the fact that a school bus, which was commissioned by the APNU+AFC administration, was reassigned by the Regional Administration for the purpose of transporting material and persons not connected to the school system. Consequently, students are forced to walk for an hour to and from school each day.

The statement also said, “Three years ago the APNU+AFC administration provided that Village with potable water supply to homes, however, residents of Campbelltown are [presently] without potable water for more than two weeks because of neglect [of the supply system].”

Meanwhile, sources have informed this publication that even as the Leader of the Opposition proceeded with his community outreach, Minister Sukhai carried out interactions and other activities that appeared to compete with Norton’s pre-scheduled meetings and interactions with residents.

This publication reached out to the OLO for comment. An official at the OLO confirmed that Minister Sukhai indeed showed up in the area at the time of Norton’s planned outreach. The official said, too, that the opposition is concerned about several issues related to the matter. First, the official said, Minister Sukhai was in the region doing PPP work; not government work, and her use of government resources for PPP political work was inappropriate.

Second, her use of the ambulance was of great concern because it left the people of the area without access to an ambulance. Further, Sukhai, even in her capacity as Minister of Amerindian Affairs, has no control over the ambulance which falls within the remit of the Ministry of Health. When asked about the incomplete road, the OLO official said that the opposition is of the view that the PPP deliberately abandoned the project because the people of the Mahdia Municipality did not support that party at the last General and Regional Elections.

Sources said that Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill and a team of persons arrived in the area on the following Friday, August 26. Minister Edghill and his team were observed examining, taking measurements, and surveying the stretch of unfinished roadway. One resident noted that the incident on the stretch of incomplete road may have been fortuitous because after two years of PPP abandonment, the road may possibly be completed bringing much needed relief to residents.

https://villagevoicenews.com/2022/09/02/observing-world-coconut-day/

Gov't Attempted to Interfere With Opposition Region 8 Outreach

By Mark DaCosta

The Office of the Leader of the Opposition (OLO) has released a statement informing that the Leader of the People’s National Congress Aubrey Norton visited the Indigenous community of Campbelltown in Region 8. During the three-day visit Norton met with residents of the village and surrounding areas including those of the municipality of Mahdia. Other reliable sources, though, have reported that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) appeared to have actively tried to interfere with the opposition leader’s initiative.

According to reports by credible sources, The Leader of the Opposition arrived at Mahdia on the morning of Wednesday August 24. Prior to his arrival, the OLO had publicised the intended outreach. Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai and a team of persons showed up at the Mahdia Aerodrome ten minutes after the opposition leader’s arrival.

It is reported that the minister commandeered the ambulance attached to the Mahdia Hospital and used the vehicle, which is equipped with sirens and flashing lights, as part of her entourage for the entirety of her stay. During the minister’s trip from the aerodrome, her entourage encountered Norton’s vehicle along a stretch of unfinished roadway. The road, which was part of a billion-dollar project, was an A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) initiative. However, the PPP, upon assuming office in 2020 neglected to complete the project. As such, a long stretch of the road has only one lane and can accommodate only one line of traffic.

A witness reports that Norton’s vehicle was forced by police to reverse some distance uphill to allow the minister’s motorcade to pass along the narrow strip of road. The witness reports that at that point, there was total confusion and a massive traffic pileup owing to there being a narrow, one-lane stretch of road, heavy traffic, and Minister Sukhai’s entourage including the ambulance with its blaring siren and flashing lights.

The OLO’s statement says that the Leader of the Opposition noted several issues during his outreach. According to the statement, one of the major issues is the fact that a school bus, which was commissioned by the APNU+AFC administration, was reassigned by the Regional Administration for the purpose of transporting material and persons not connected to the school system. Consequently, students are forced to walk for an hour to and from school each day.

The statement also said, “Three years ago the APNU+AFC administration provided that Village with potable water supply to homes, however, residents of Campbelltown are [presently] without potable water for more than two weeks because of neglect [of the supply system].”

Meanwhile, sources have informed this publication that even as the Leader of the Opposition proceeded with his community outreach, Minister Sukhai carried out interactions and other activities that appeared to compete with Norton’s pre-scheduled meetings and interactions with residents.

This publication reached out to the OLO for comment. An official at the OLO confirmed that Minister Sukhai indeed showed up in the area at the time of Norton’s planned outreach. The official said, too, that the opposition is concerned about several issues related to the matter. First, the official said, Minister Sukhai was in the region doing PPP work; not government work, and her use of government resources for PPP political work was inappropriate.

Second, her use of the ambulance was of great concern because it left the people of the area without access to an ambulance. Further, Sukhai, even in her capacity as Minister of Amerindian Affairs, has no control over the ambulance which falls within the remit of the Ministry of Health. When asked about the incomplete road, the OLO official said that the opposition is of the view that the PPP deliberately abandoned the project because the people of the Mahdia Municipality did not support that party at the last General and Regional Elections.

Sources said that Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill and a team of persons arrived in the area on the following Friday, August 26. Minister Edghill and his team were observed examining, taking measurements, and surveying the stretch of unfinished roadway. One resident noted that the incident on the stretch of incomplete road may have been fortuitous because after two years of PPP abandonment, the road may possibly be completed bringing much needed relief to residents.

https://villagevoicenews.com/2022/09/04/govt-attempted-to-interfere-with-opposition-region-8-outreach-say-sources/

Government Legitimacy and Electoral Credibility

An editorial captioned ‘Gov’t attempts to dismiss missing statutory documents in 49 ballot boxes ignore salient points,’ was published on August 12 in the https://villagevoicenews.com. The editorial described the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP’s) response to an article highlighting electoral irregularities which was published on the previous day. Attorney General Anil Nandlall dismissed the concerns raised by the article. The unreasonable position taken by the PPP — that electoral irregularities in the National and Regional Elections of 2020 — were of no consequence is evidently ridiculous. After all, no fewer than 12,000 ballots were affected by those unlawful irregularities. The PPP regime, having taken office as a result of those questionable elections, considers itself to be a legitimate government. However, it defies logic and common sense that any legitimate government could emerge from an election that lacks any semblance of credibility.

Political experts tell us that under a democratic political system, a government is considered legitimate if it reached power via democratic popular election, as prescribed by the law. Moral philosophers teach that, the term legitimacy is usually positively interpreted as the status conferred by a governed people upon their governors' institutions, offices, and actions, based upon the belief that their government's actions are appropriate uses of power by a legally constituted government. In other words, a legitimate government must (1) come to power legally, and (2) use power in an appropriate manner. The PPP regime fails to meet both of those critical criteria, as such, the regime cannot be considered to be legitimate.

First, the PPP did not come to power legally. The editorial of August 12 states, “Section 83 (10) (a) ‘Procedure on closing of the poll,’ in the Representation of the People Act (ROPA) mandates the presiding officer to “place the sealed envelope containing the counted and rejected ballots papers in the ballot box, and secure and seal, with his seal and with the seals of such of the duly appointed candidates and polling agents as desire to affix their seals, to the ballot box in such manner that it cannot be opened and that nothing can be inserted therein or taken therefrom without breaking the seals.” The Act mandates, too, that among the documents that must be placed inside the ballot box before it is sealed are the all-important statements of poll. Since more than 12,000 votes which were tallied and counted, and were in ballot boxes that did not meet the legal requirements, it follows that those votes were illegally included in the count. Further, it must be emphasised that those questionable votes were from polling places that are PPP strongholds. It also follows that since blatant illegalities occurred, the government that resulted from that electoral process cannot be legitimate.

Second, Since taking over the office of government, the PPP regime is known to use power in a manner that is discriminatory, undemocratic, unfair, and high-handed. Simply put, the PPP exercises political power in an inappropriate manner. It is undeniable that the PPP regime openly discriminates against its opponents and critics, while using the resources of the State to reward its supporters and promote its partisan agenda. The regime blatantly ignores the needs and desires of Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples. Worse still, the PPP regime uses the coercive arm of the State — law enforcement — to intimidate, harass, and even physically harm its detractors.

The indisputable fact that the PPP regime lacks the credentials that confer legitimacy is not at all surprising. A legitimate authority can be the result only of a credible process, and the process by which the PPP took power has no credibility whatsoever.

The Importance and Origin of our Local Government System

By Mark DaCosta

I will refrain — today — from emphasising the fact that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) appears to be in full campaign mode in preparation for local government elections; giving away money and so on. I will also postpone sermonising on my observation that the political opposition appears to be so preoccupied with trivial internal nonsense that officials of the APNU+AFC seem to be oblivious to that fact. I will deal with that matter in another article. Instead, I will focus on the questions that many Guyanese ask: on what premises or logic is our system of local government based; what is the thinking underlying our system of municipalities and neighbourhood democratic councils (NDCs) and how important is local government?

Our system of local governance is based on a great deal of enlightened thought and deliberation. The system is vital to democratic governance, and all Guyanese have a patriotic duty to participate in the processes of local governance, for their own benefit.

Guyana’s constitution, enacted in 1980, mandates the existence of local democratic organs – municipalities and neighbourhood democratic councils (NDCs) – and defines their role within the scheme of national governance. Article 12 reveals the importance of the system; it declares, “Local government by freely elected representatives of the people is an integral part of the democratic organisation of the State.”

Articles 13 and 71 state the purpose of the local tier of government. Article 13 states that, “The principal objective of the political system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens, and their organisations in the management and decision-making processes of the State, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision-making that directly affect their well-being.” Article 71 underscores the idea, “Local government is a vital aspect of democracy and shall be organised to involve as many people as possible in the task of managing and developing the communities in which they live.”

The constitution, evidently, places much power in the hands of the local tier of government. Articles 74 and 75 stipulate that local democratic organs shall be autonomous, and have clearly defined, specific responsibilities intended to raise the standard of living of all Guyanese.

The ideas underlying those vital constitutional provisions were conceived prior to enactment of the constitution, and articulated in a document entitled, STATE PAPER ON THE RE-ORGANISATION OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN GUYANA. The paper was tabled in the National Assembly on August 5, 1980, by then Minister of Economic Development and Cooperatives Mr. Desmond Hoyte.

The State Paper was the product of deliberate consultations. The document explains, “By Resolution NO. CXXIII of 21st July, 1978, the National Assembly established a Constituent Assembly for the purpose of devising a new Constitution for Guyana. This Constitution, the first to be fashioned by the Guyanese people for themselves, was intended to be consistent with and reflect the prevailing ethos, the social objectives and the aspirations of the Guyanese people.” Further, it explains, “Such a far reaching enterprise as the elaboration of a new Constitution of necessity had implications for and impinged upon every aspect of national life, not the least important being the local government system.” Local government, and its importance to national development, was obviously at the forefront of the minds of the framers of Guyana’s constitution.

The document repeatedly emphasises the importance of local government, it says, “The Constitution identifies and enshrines the local government system as one of the most important . . . democratic institutions. Indeed, the pivotal and pervasive role assigned to local government and its integral importance in the political framework constitute an essential characteristic of the democratic organisation of the State.”

Referring to the old system, the State Paper observes that, “In the colonial context, local government was peripheral to the political and economic life of the country.” The document notes that, “local government is an ideal institution for mobilising the rural population and resources and liberating the productive forces for development.”

Clearly, Guyana’s system of government at the community level is based of careful consideration of our country’s post-colonial realities, and deliberate attention to Guyana’s post-independence developmental aspirations. The essential and important role of government at the local level, therefore, cannot be overemphasised; the origin of the system proves that fact. As such, I urge Guyanese to participate maximally in the system because it is the level of government which has the greatest and most direct impact on our lives.

Finally, as the PPP (apparently) prepares for local government elections — probably using public funds for the campaign — I trust that the political opposition finally wakes up to the reality of the situation, and acts accordingly.

https://villagevoicenews.com/2022/07/17/the-importance-and-origin-of-our-local-government-system/

Being Unvaccinated Is Act Of Selfishness

By Mark DaCosta

First published in April 2021, I stand by the following as COVID-19 cases surge again.

Government has recently announced that some 100,000 Guyanese have received at least 1 shot of the two-shot COVID-19 vaccines available in Guyana. That is good news. I commend those persons for taking the time from daily duties to get their vaccines, thereby protecting themselves and others from the deadly disease. I am concerned though, by the attitude of those who either do not care enough about themselves and others to take time to be vaccinated, or, ignorantly believe that being vaccinated will somehow hurt their wellbeing. Frankly, I am of the view that neglecting or refusing to be vaccinated represents both an attitude of reckless irresponsibility, as well as an act of selfishness.

The vaccines being offered in Guyana have been repeatedly proven to be effective. While it is a fact that scientists are currently investigating a possible link between blood clots and COVID-19 vaccines, such a link has yet to be established. Further, it is my considered opinion that even if such a link were to be definitively demonstrated, I would still choose to be vaccinated. I say that because millions of persons have been vaccinated to date, yet, the number of persons reporting clots is so tiny as to be considered statistically negligible.

All things considered, the risk of not taking the vaccine outweigh any (unproven) drawback. It must be iterated that not being vaccinated leaves one completely exposed — from an immunological point of view — to the COVID-19 virus. Becoming ill or dying from the disease would not only be painful for the victim, but would also leave behind loved ones who would worry, grieve, lose a relative or friend, and have to find money for medical care or, God forbid, funeral expenses.

I therefore implore my fellow Guyanese to get your vaccines, and continue to take other precautions such as handwashing, distancing, and masking. I remind you that persons in many countries want to be vaccinated but cannot do so because vaccines are just not available. In Guyana, vaccines are free. Not being vaccinated is an act of selfishness; surely, we are not of that mindset? At least, I hope not.

https://www.stabroeknews.com/2021/04/23/opinion/letters/not-being-vaccinated-is-an-act-of-selfishness/

Discriminatory Handouts Alone Will Not Lead To Development

By Mark DaCosta

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) regime appears to have embarked on a visionless, ad hoc policy of cash handouts that is doomed to fail. The PPP’s approach will fail for three reasons: the handouts are discriminatory, unsustainable, and cannot result in personal self-sufficiency nor community development.

The PPP launched its cash handout programme with the COVID-19 and flood relief schemes. From day one every Guyanese could discern the obvious pattern: supporters of the PPP benefited while non-supporters got next to nothing. Additionally, because the PPP is supported mainly by Indo-Guyanese while Afro-Guyanese support the Coalition, Indo-citizens got money as Afro-citizens were left holding pink slips. Trade unionist and political analyst Lincoln Lewis wrote, “Look at the cash grants distribution. The [predominantly Afro-Guyanese] public servants, who carry the nation’s tax burden, have not only been denied wage and salary increase for 2020 and 2021 but are being excluded from the other cash grant, whereas farmers, i.e., which is part of the business community [comprised of mostly Indo-Guyanese], are benefitting twice. Once, as recipients of the $25,000 COVID-19 grant. Now twice, as businesses that suffered losses from the floods. They are earmarked to receive payment in the tens and hundreds of thousands. Regions Two, Five, Six, Seven and Ten were classified at a Level Three Disaster by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. Regions One, Three, Four, Eight and Nine were classified at Level Two. We need no bird to whisper in our ear how the affected in Regions Four, Seven and Ten are being denied because they are considered supporters of the main opposition.”

Next came the PPP’s $250,000 handout to severed sugar workers. The total bill amounted to some $2 billion. Both economists, former finance minister Winston Jordan and Dr. Clive Thomas labelled the plan discriminatory. Jordan said, “It is well known that the sugar workers [who will get the money] not only received their severance in full but they were also paid every benefit that was owed to them.” Dr. Thomas said, “the plan by the PPP Government is very discriminatory and it undermines the effectiveness of cash transfers.” Of course, no need to mention the ethnic makeup of Guyana’s sugar workers and where their political loyalty lies.

As the cash handout mania to its supporters continues in the corridors of PPP power — rice farmers and fisherfolk have now been added to the lot — one may examine the effects. First, the biased, unbalanced, blatantly discriminatory nature of the disbursements can only serve to further divide an already polarised populace. Perhaps, some may speculate, that the PPP deliberately intends to deepen that division; Maybe, ruling by division is the PPP’s objective. Some observers speculate, too, the the PPP is in the process of buying votes; local government elections are overdue.

What of the economic effect of the handouts? To answer that question we may examine what has happened in other territories. A cash handout programme was implemented targeting youths in Uganda. The Economic Policy Research Centre — a respected think tank — reported that, “Key among the challenges is political influence which interfered with the operations of the scheme; corruption; inadequate implementation-preparation, poor selection of enterprises to be funded; inadequate operational funds etc; moreover, the timing of these youth interventions has been ad hoc largely coinciding with the buildup of elections. As such most youth groups have viewed these schemes as political gifts.

Rosa Pavanelli is General Secretary of Public Services International (PSI) and chair of the Council of Global Unions. Ms. Pavanelli wrote, “Studies do demonstrate is that giving cash payments to the poorest helps improve their lives, [however], government spending is inevitably about choices – and compared to funding better universal quality public services, [handouts don’t] stack up. Providing a single mother with a cash payment to fend for herself in an inflated housing market is not as effective as providing quality public housing. Giving people more money to fill up their cars is not as progressive as offering free public transport.”

As the PPP regime stumbles from one failed policy to another, the ruling administration may need to be reminded of at least two facts. First: division stymies national development. As such, if the PPP has any interest in Guyana’s development and the welfare of its citizens, the regime needs to stop promoting or implementing any policy that would foster or encourage further division. Second, one-off cash handouts are bandaids; they do not result in long term solutions. Further, even continuous, regular handouts may not be the answer because such handouts may tend to encourage a syndrome of dependency while fuelling inflation. Instead of bandaids alone, the PPP regime should also be thinking of comprehensive and holistic ways to make Guyanese productive and self-sufficient in the long term. The PPP needs to re-examine its short-sighted policies, and make the necessary sensible changes.

PPP's "One Guyana" policy is seriously flawed

By Mark DaCosta

In early February, President Irfaan Ali announced his government’s ‘One Guyana’ initiative. President Ali claimed that the ‘One Guyana’ vision is about creating a more equal society, guaranteeing that everyone is afforded the opportunity to lead productive and happy lives as well as reducing inequality in access to education, health, employment, income and justice. The Head of State said, the “‘One Guyana’ vision aims to ensure that every citizen is accorded a dignified existence and with due respect for their rights and with equality before the law.” Well, it has been more than six months since the president made that announcement, and during that time he repeatedly makes reference to the “vision” whenever he has the opportunity. However, this observer has seen absolutely no change in the way the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) behaves, nor has there been any discernible movement towards President Ali’s stated goal. In fact, the opposite seems to be the case; Guyana today, appears to be more divided than ever, and the PPP appears to be fuelling that division.

Yours truly has quite a few questions and concerns about the PPP regime’s One Guyana policy. First, there is simply too little information about it. President Ali made an announcement, and that is all. At no time during or after the announcement was made did any PPP official explain how the one Guyana goal is to be realised. There has been no release of any document giving details of the plan. In the absence of any details, one wonders if the One Guyana policy is just more empty rhetoric from a regime that appears to be full of ideological hot air.

The second major concern is this: is the theoretical One Guyana Vision of the regime just another band-aid? Guyanese are well aware of the huge depth and enormous width of the numerous gaps that divide us. The racial divide is the big one. Other cleavages include our apparently insurmountable political differences; the class division; the inequity of access to economic, healthcare, and other opportunities between hinterland and coastal residents; and, of course, the widening gap between the haves and have nots. Those divisions continue to worsen; does the PPP believe that a few encouraging words — without any details — could solve such huge, deeply ingrained problems?

The third big concern is as follows: if the One Guyana policy is only rhetoric or a band-aid then, it appears to run counter to everything that the experts recommend. There is general consensus that attempts to gloss over social and other divisions do not work. Instead, such attempts make the problems worse because the wounds of division are covered by a superficial dressing while the disease festers and gets worse and the rot continues. Social scientists teach that the solution is not glossing over the problems but instead, bringing them into the open and confronting the issues. Regarding the race problem, the Overseas Development Institute — a London-based think tank — advised that, “If we really want to make progress as leaders on development and a host of other global challenges we face as a common humanity, we must grapple with the question of race. Silence on the issue merely serves to entrench the problem.” In other words, covering up our deep-seated divisions will not make our problems go away.

The fourth big concern is the fact that while the PPP regime says one thing, it appears to be doing the opposite. Not only has the regime done nothing to heal Guyana’s wounds, the regime appears to be actively making the problem worse. Could this be intentional? Could it be that the PPP, at its centre, has a divide and rule agenda? An honest answer to those questions would be interesting. One wonders how the PPP regime could talk about “one Guyana” while, at the same time openly discriminating against half of Guyana’s peoples? How can the regime be serious about wanting unity while it distributes cash handouts only to its supporters? How can it talk about equity while blatantly neglecting the interests of Guyana’s First Peoples? The PPP regime has a lot of questions to answer.

Race -- The Artificial Construct that Prevents Equitable Development

By Mark DaCosta

Most people would agree that Guyana is disproportionally underdeveloped given our vast and diverse resources. Many may also agree that a major factor in the failure to optimally use our assets is – in large part – the result of our society’s divisions based on “race;” divisions which coincide with, and are reinforced by political fault-lines. The socio-political result of this is the elevation of persons with flawed characters and motivations to positions of power, because leaders are often chosen by citizens based on their race instead of on merit.

If that postulate is correct, then, it is not logical to assume that utilisation of oil revenues would translate to equitable development if the pre-existing fractures are not adequately addressed in a timely manner.

I have deliberately used quotation marks in reference to “race” to emphasise that the construct is an artificial one; the concept of race has absolutely no basis in scientific fact, and no objective existence outside of the minds of persons imprisoned by racism.

The prison of racism imposes an artificial, self-created limitation on one’s ability to make informed decisions.

Racism or racial prejudice is defined as, ‘the [irrational] belief that each race possesses specific characteristics, abilities, or qualities that distinguish it as inferior or superior to another one (Encyclopaedia Britannica).’ And antagonism or action based on that belief is racial discrimination.

The concept of race (in the English Language) was first concretised in the mid-nineteenth century with the objective of dehumanising Africans, Indians, and other persons, in order to rationalise and legitimise the practices of slavery, indentureship, colonisation, and exploitation by European masters.

As relates to Guyana – both historically and perhaps currently – Guyana’s Indigenous peoples, East Indians, Africans, Chinese and other populations were all considered inferior to Europeans during that hellish, dark era. We were all victims of racism. Is it not interesting, ironic, and hypocritically illogical, for us now to commit the same sin by discriminating against each other, thereby depriving ourselves of the unity necessary for our own progress and development? And make no mistake, without national unity we the people will be too weak and fragmented to hold our elected representatives accountable.

Fortunately, the truth was revealed. By the early twentieth century, intellectuals and scientists such as anthropologist Franz Boas concluded – based on studies of human blood types among others – that such a thing as race has no objective reality; it has no basis in biology. Instead, it is a fictional form of identity, a fabrication, a made-up thing that some in the political and intellectual classes pulled out of thin air in an evil attempt to justify their own selfish, greedy, self-serving, barbaric interests. Simply put: race is not objectively real; it does not exist. We now know this to be true, based on recent studies of the human genome.

We must never forget that the evil fiction of different races was invented as a cover for the exploitation of man by man. And we must never forget that that evil lie has resulted in wars, unimaginable suffering, and genocide. The Holocaust comes to mind, among other uncountable crimes against humanity.

In summary, those who make decisions – including choosing leaders – based on the false idea of race, are practising racial discrimination. Those decisions are necessarily flawed because they are based on a lie. In other words, persons who are self-imprisoned by racial prejudice are incapable of choosing leaders who will work in the interest of the people, the communities, the regions, and the country, because racial-prisoners cannot see beyond the colour of a candidate’s skin or the texture of an office-seeker’s hair. Racial-prisoners cannot hear the message because of the irrational dislike of fear of the messenger. Prisoners of prejudice will ignore evidence of a candidate’s corrupt dealings, history of domestic abuse, tendency to commit violent acts, lack of basic communication skills, record of greed, or propensity to lie and steal, just because the candidate has a certain type of hair. It would be funny if it were not so terribly and horribly true.

If we accept that development is dependent on citizens making decisions based on facts, logic, and rational thought; if we believe that unity is a prerequisite to progress, then, we must conclude that unless citizens choose to abandon the practice of racially-influenced decision-making, and free themselves from the prison of prejudice, no amount of pristine forests, beautiful flora and fauna, majestic waterfalls, bauxite, gold, silver, manganese, rice, sugar, or oil can save us from impoverishment, underdevelopment, and international contempt. And no amount of money will be sufficient to save us from our own foolishness.

Stop Littering

By Mark DaCosta

The problem of littering is one that has plagued Guyana — particularly the country’s urban areas — since time immemorial. Despite countless anti-littering campaigns; public service announcements in the media; direct appeals from local government councils, central government officials, environmental activists, media personnel, and other prominent persons and entities, the practice continues unabated. Even in the face of by-laws applicable to the Georgetown municipality that impose fines on violators, as well as regulations enforceable by the Environmental Protection Agency, Guyanese continue to engage in the unacceptable habit. Obviously, the penchant for littering is ingrained in the minds of too many Guyanese to such a great extent, that it will take more than laws, campaigns, and appeals to remove it.

Littering is defined as the act of disposing of garbage in places that it does not belong. As time passes, the garbage may accumulate creating a dump. Littering includes leaving rubbish on the ground from overflowing bins, failing to pick up refuse that has spilled from receptacles while they were being emptied; tossing waste from moving vehicles; and abandoning unwanted items in parks or other places after a picnic, for example.

Littering is against the law for several reasons: it imposes unnecessary costs on the authorities that have to clean it up; it is unsightly, and degrades the aesthetics of communities; and litter can cause diseases of many kinds as well as injuries to people and animals.

Litter may consist of a variety of refuse, the most common stuff include food packaging, cigarette butts, bottles, chewing gum wrappers, broken equipment parts, unwanted toys, broken glass, food scraps or food waste.

Research conducted by experts has proven a correlation between the presence of litter in an area, and the subsequent intentional disposal of litter at that same spot. Such research concludes that when people see garbage already accumulated at a spot, it is more likely for other persons to dispose their refuse in the same location. This is a phenomenon with which Guyanese are all too familiar; when one person dumps garbage somewhere, it appears that the whole neighbourhood sees that as a licence to dump refuse there. Evidently, the solution to this particular aspect of the issue is prevent or avoid the first act of dumping or, failing that, arresting the accumulation of garbage in any particular spot.

Scientific research into the problem has identified some key factors and causes of littering involving small items. First, laziness and carelessness head the list. In other words, people become habituated to the lazy practice of carelessly dropping their refuse wherever they happen to be, instead of keeping it until they reach a bin. Second, too many people are simply unaware that their actions have environmental and health implications. And third, many people think that there are no major consequences.

But, of course, there are severe consequences. Litter can contain objects such as needles, blades or broken glass any of which can cause injury. Throwing cigarette butts into dry vegetation can spark destructive or fatal fires. Additionally, cigarette butts contain arsenic and other poisons that may contaminate streams or other supplies of water. Improperly discarded containers can collect rainwater and become a breeding-spot for mosquitoes. Marine animals can be killed by plastic bags dumped in waterways. Another significant consequence is the high cleanup cost; the money spent on cleanup is money that may be better spent on community development projects. The list is endless. Clearly, littering and dumping has major ramifications.

So, what can we do about it? Obviously, in Guyana, laws at the local and national levels, agressive campaigns, ubiquitous signs, numerous appeals and other measures have not worked; a new approach may be indicated. Evidently, the issue’s origin lies in the mindset and culture of Guyanese, and it at that level that a solution should be identified and implemented. In addition to the updating of outdated laws, and increased enforcement, systematic education at the primary school level may be considered, as well as other measures that experts may devise. In any case, Guyanese, particularly adults, should know better. Throwing garbage onto the streets, into trenches, on the sidewalks and parapets, is simply unacceptable.

Medical Checkups are Part of a Healthy Lifestyle

By Mark DaCosta

Every year, worldwide, more than 50 million people die. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about half of those deaths are entirely preventable, and, the WHO says that the fraction of deaths that is preventable is increasing every year. In addition to healthy lifestyle choices, a regular medical checkup is one of the most powerful tools available to prevent unnecessary illness, detect disease in its early stages when treatment would be most effective, and reduce the probability that a person may die when, if fact, they don't even need to become ill in the first place.

Unhealthy behaviours that may cause preventable illness include smoking, substance abuse, having a sedentary lifestyle with no exercise, poor dietary habits, and failure to take preventative measures such as getting regular and appropriate medical checkups.

Doctors say that including medical checkups in one’s fitness routine is an integral and indispensable part of a healthy lifestyle. It follows that neglecting to have medical checkups is simply asking for unnecessary trouble.

In Guyana, the checkup is not popular; few Guyanese — even health-conscious ones — do it. The result is that many Guyanese become ill, and may even die, even though they may otherwise be trying to live healthy lives.

The checkup — what doctors call a general medical examination — is an important weapon in the arsenal of preventative medicine. In healthy young people, it is recommended that a checkup be done at least once a year. Such a checkup usually involves a doctor talking to the person about their medical history and asking questions about how the person is feeling, and so on. The doctor will conduct a physical examination to check for problems such as high blood pressure, skin ailments including cancers, heart disorders, and symptoms of improper nutrition. The doctor will then order routine laboratory tests to check for issues such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and blood problems. If any issues of concern are discovered during any part of the examination, the doctor may order further investigations.

As a person ages, and health problems become increasingly likely, the doctor may pay greater attention to such matters as prostate examinations in men, or, cervical and breast issues in women. Additionally, the doctor may recommend that the person have more frequent checkups although the persons remains healthy.

The experts agree that preventative medical checkups are important for many reasons. Of course, the major one is, that any problems or potential problems may be discovered early, when treatment is most likely to be effective. Other reasons include the fact that checkups can find signs of stress-related illnesses, problems caused by insufficient sleep, and mental health concerns, all of which may not be obvious to the seemingly-healthy person. Such problems may escape the attention of the average individual just because persons are increasingly busy in today’s fast-paced world. Coincidentally, it is primarily for that reason that stress-related health problems arise.

Another significant reason to have checkups is financial cost; a preventative medical examination saves money in the long-run. This is the case because regular health checkups — which cost little money at a private doctor, or can even be free at a public hospital — reduces the risk of potential health ailments that can turn out to be costly to treat, and life threatening. Also, if a disease develops because of lack of a checkup, in addition to the cost of treatment of the disease, the individual may be unable to work and earn money, thereby placing a financial burden on spouses and other family members. And the emotional costs, of course, cannot be quantified.

Clearly, medical checkups make sense any way you look at it. There is therefore, every reason for Guyanese to adopt the practise of seeing a doctor regularly and asking for a medical checkup, even if they are healthy, because, that habit will help to keep us healthy. It must be noted too, that unlike the situation in other countries such as the United States where every visit to a doctor necessarily costs money, Guyanese are fortunate to have universally free healthcare. A person can walk into a public hospital or one of the many community health centres throughout all of Guyana’s regions, ask for a checkup, and be examined by a doctor at no cost to the person. Is there is reason then, not to do so?

Government Must Address Mental Health Issues Amid Pandemic

By Mark DaCosta

Mental disorders have been a scourge on Guyana’s people for a long time. The COVID-19 pandemic could only have made the situation worse. Adding to the problem is the apparent careless neglect and/or wilful indifference to, and disinterest in the issue by the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration. The current enormity of the crisis is undeniable; it is difficult to find one, single day when there is no report of a suicide attempt, homicide, or road-accident involving substance abuse. The fact is, people who are mentally healthy do not try to kill themselves or other people; persons who are well-adjusted do not feel the need to abuse alcohol or other drugs in order to cope with adversity. The PPP regime needs to start working to fix this health crisis.

Before the pandemic, Guyana already had a major mental health problem; many Guyanese were already suffering from some sort of disorder. Mental health — a healthy mental state — refers to cognitive, behavioural, and emotional well-being. People sometimes use the term “mental health” to mean the absence of a mental disorder. On the other hand, according to the Mayo Clinic, a mental disorder refers to a wide range of mental health conditions that affect mood, thinking and behaviour. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviours. Persons with mental disorders may be unable to cope with the pressures of living and may resort to suicide. Guyana’s pre-pandemic mental health problem was obvious; a 2012 World Health Organization report indicated that Guyana had a suicide rate of 44.2 per 100,000 people. That gave Guyana the unenviable distinction of having the highest suicide rate per capita, worldwide.

The COVID-19 pandemic began in late 2019. Since then, experts have been loudly and repeatedly emphasising the need to address the impact of the disease on mental health. The World Health Organization (WHO), has underscored that fear, isolation, loss of income, stress of caring for COVID-19 affected family members among other major changes to routine-living, continue to contribute to more mental disorders. The clarion calls by medical professionals appear to have fallen on deaf ears in Guyana’s corridors of power. In November 2020, a year after the start of the pandemic, Director of the Mental Health Unit in Guyana, Dr. Util Richmond-Thomas said that an estimated 20 per cent of the Guyana’s population suffers from some form of mental illness. The doctor said, “Due to stigma, discrimination and severe human rights violation of those afflicted, as well as their family members, a large number of persons prefer not to acknowledge their vulnerability or seek help. But whether we want to admit it or not, the prevalence of mental health issues is approximately 15 to 20 per cent of the population…”

Dr. Richmond-Thomas’ reference to stigma, discrimination, and human rights violations of afflicted Guyanese is worthy of careful examination. Dr. Util Richmond-Thomas is a Guyanese mental health expert; she knows what is happening in Guyana, and she is qualified to express a valid opinion. The doctor is obviously aware that persons seeking medical attention usually become victims of public ridicule. Worse still, persons in authority — including law enforcement personnel — routinely violate the rights of persons who many refer to as “mad people.”

For Guyanese who are brave enough to seek help for themselves or afflicted relatives, mental health services are woefully inadequate. A visit to the psychiatric clinic at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation reveals the extent of the problem. The clinic is always crowded, and, sadly, always understaffed. The staffing-problem should be a priority of the PPP regime. The health of Guyanese should be high on Government’s agenda.

As Guyanese struggle to live from day to day surrounded by the threat of a deadly disease, the government needs to start doing its job. As the stress of surviving in Guyana’s harsh environment takes its mental toll on citizens, the PPP regime must step up and take action. The PPP regime must acknowledge the new hightened-stress reality created by a pandemic. Services to mentally ill Guyanese must be upgraded and be made widely available. The ruling administration should begin to work towards a public education drive aimed at removing the stigma associated with such illnesses. Policies and initiatives undertaken by government should be based on scientific data and the recommendations of experts. Because, if the administration continues along the current path of neglect for the welfare of mentally ill Guyanese the already bad situation will become worse.

How the PPP Destroyed Guyana’s Sugar Industry

By Mark DaCosta

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has consistently, over the years, misrepresented itself as the champion of the sugar industry. The truth, though, is quite the opposite. The fact is, the PPP is directly and totally responsible for placing Guyana’s sugar industry onto a path of terminal decline. It is not believed that the PPP intended to wilfully destroy the industry, instead, analysts hold the view that the collapse of sugar came about as a result of the PPP’s ambitions to autocratically rule Guyana as its own private plantation. In other words, the PPP — as it always has done — put its own political interests ahead of those of any other Guyanese industry, community, group, or individual. The PPP used the sugar industry — which is staffed by a huge number of Indo-Guyanese — as a political pawn. In the warped mind of the PPP elite, the party owns Guyana’s sugar workers. The PPP has, over the years, enacted policies intended to benefit the PPP without regard to any other considerations. Those policies had many negative side-effects; one of those counter-developmental effects is the decimation of Guyana’s sugar industry. Of course, the PPP, ever protective of its own survival — no matter the cost — continues to place blame for the industry’s collapse on the political opposition. Guyanese, though, deserve to know the truth of what happened; how did the PPP get control of the industry, and how did the PPP bring sugar to its knees?

Four key historical realities converged to enable the PPP to take ownership of the industry and eventually, bring it to the terminal condition in which it now lies. First, the arrival on our shores of African slaves and later, Indian indentured labourers. Second, The split of Guyana’s first mass political party along ethnic lines. Third, the fact that the political split happened at the time when the industry was staffed, overwhelmingly, by ethnic Indians. And fourth, The PPP’s selfish and shortsighted policy of placing the interests of the party above all other considerations.

Our country, now named Guyana, was first colonised by the Dutch in the 1600s. Sugarcane quickly became an important crop for the country after it was first cultivated around 1658. Large-scale production of sugarcane began in the late 1700s. Since Guyana began to cultivate sugar some 100 years after many other countries, Guyana was able to import relatively advanced equipment for milling sugarcane. This gave the industry a firm foundation and made sugar one of Guyana’s top revenue earners. Originally, plantation owners brought slaves from West Africa to work their sugarcane fields. Slavery fell out of favour in the 1830s. The abolition of slavery in 1838 resulted in a massive labour shortage on sugar plantations. In some cases, former slaves were able to buy plantations and establish villages. However, some plantations survived the shortage of labour. On those plantations, owners turned to indentured servants (workers granted food and housing along with a one-way passage to the country in exchange for a few years of work) coming from the eastern part of India. This era of our history stretching from the late 1600s to the mid 1800s has defined Guyana’s ethnic makeup. Presently, the two ethnic groups that make up the vast majority of Guyana’s population — Afro-Guyanese and Indo-Guyanese — are the descendants of African slaves and Indian indentured labourers.

Fast forward in time some 200 years. In June 1958, the struggle for our country’s independence began. By that time, the country, being under British colonial rule, was called British Guiana. On January 1, 1950 the British Guiana Labour Party led by Forbes Burnham and the Political Affairs Committee led by Cheddi Jagan merged to form the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). The PPP was the first mass-party in the country. In those days — unlike the current situation — the PPP was a multi-ethnic party supported by workers and intellectuals. In 1957 The PPP split into two factions; one faction was headed by the African Forbes Burnham. Burnham’s faction later became the People’s National Congress (PNC). The PPP remained under the leadership of Cheddi Jagan.

The political split that occurred in the 1950s has defined Guyana’s political landscape ever since it happened. The descendants of African slaves gravitated towards Burnham’s PNC, while those of Indian origin supported Jagan’s PPP. At this juncture, most workers on the sugar plantations were Indian; there were some 20,000 sugar workers. And so, our country’s sugar workers — the entire sugar industry — fell under the control of the PPP.

Fast forward to more recent times. Guyana’s [national] sugar company GuySuCo was established in 1976 under the PNC administration led by Forbes Burnham. Many Guyanese will recall that during the Burnham years there was continuous and widespread sabotage of the industry. Fires were lit in cane fields throughout the country. Young cane plants were deliberately destroyed. The politically motivated sabotage ended in 1992 when the PPP took office. The political force behind the sabotage is therefore obvious.

A columnist wrote in the Guyana Chronicle, “Sugar was profitable up to the early 1980s when its gradual decline began. However, it was under the PPP government that the destruction began. The long and short of the matter is this: The PPP destroyed the sugar industry through a combination of reckless and ill-advised economic initiatives and partisan political considerations. The party did nothing to improve productivity, to close the gap between production cost and market prices and ultimately to put the industry on an economically sustainable footing.” The analyst wrote, “From the years 2008 unto 2014, annual sugar production continued to be under 230,000 metric tonnes with its revenue base declining from G$32.l billion (bn) in 2008 to G$23.2 bn in 2014. Not surprisingly, for the said period there were losses each year and this loss position worsened from G$5.2 bn in 2008 to that of G$17.4 bn in 2014. That unacceptable level of performance required Government’s intervention by way of subsidies in the years 2011 to 2014.

“This huge subsidy to GuySuCo under the PPP was grounded more in politics than economics—the PPP was more concerned with retaining the political loyalty of the sugar workers than about the economic health of the industry, and well-being of the workers. While the industry was sliding down the road of destruction. Between 2010 and 2014, employment costs rose by 43 per cent or G$6.3 bn even as the industry was posting huge losses. Since GuySuCo could not afford this bill, it had to depend on government subsidies. In other words, the PPP was undermining the profitability of the industry and ultimately destroying it for political reasons.”

Dr. David Hinds, one of Guyana’s noted intellectuals wrote in 2017, “We in Guyana are left behind only because sugar became trapped in our ethnic and political quarrels. Fifty years after independence we are now faced with the stern challenge about what to do about sugar. Production has declined from 300,000 tons in the 1960s to 207,000 tons in 2015 and a contribution of 3.5 percent to Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The global cost of sugar production averages 16 US cents per pound (ccp) while Guyana [produces sugar] at between 35 to 45 US (ccp) and sells it at 25 US (ccp). Guyana is not only recording a loss, but has been also subsidising sugar: G$12 bn in 2015; G$9 bn in 2016 and a projected G$18 bn in 2017. From a purely business perspective, the Guyana Sugar Corporation is unsustainable, but on the other hand there are 16,000 workers and 300 service providers to the industry and sugar is still the third largest foreign exchange earner at 3.5 percent of GDP.”

We recall that the APNU+AFC Coalition was elected to office in 2015. Dr. Hinds was evidently pointing out that the Coalition had no choice but to subsidise the dying industry which the Coalition inherited. Guyana’s sugar industry was in terminal decline but many families were dependent on it. The Coalition launched a diversification programme with the goal of ending the heavy burden on the treasury imposed by a dying industry. That programme, though, was cut short when the PPP took political control in August 2015 under questionable and less-than-credible circumstances.

Presently, in 2022, the industry is crawling ever closer to total demise. Yet, the PPP regime continues to pour billions of taxpayers’ dollars into into the dry, bottomless well of a moribund sector. The regime has enacted a visionless programme of cash handouts to former sugar workers who have necessarily had to be laid off by GuySuCo because the company simply cannot pay them. Of course, given the ethnic composition of GuySuCo’s staff, the beneficiaries of the substantial cash handouts are almost all Indo-Guyanese. While all thinking Guyanese know that the sugar industry is doomed, the PPP — for its own political survival continues on the dead-end road to the industry’s total destruction.

Tackling Alcoholism

By Mark DaCosta

Alcohol abuse is one of the biggest social and health problems among humans. Alcohol abuse disorder is defined as “problem drinking that affects a person’s social, economic, or physical wellbeing.” And, having been identified as a disease by medical experts, it must and can be addressed as such by medical professionals.

According to a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), 15.2% of male drinkers in Guyana consume more than 60 grams of alcohol at least once per month. This, according to the WHO, constitutes heavy drinking. According to their statistics, 15.9% of heavy drinkers have alcohol abuse disorder, while 3.9% may be considered alcoholics. Among Guyanese youth, males on average, take their first drink at 11.9 years old and females at 12.5 years. Those statistics are the worst in the Caribbean.

Persons are all too familiar with the negative health effects of alcohol abuse. While vehicular accidents and related fatalities may be the most obvious results, falls, death by fire, homicide, drowning, and suicide are also effects caused by acute (immediate) intoxication. Long term (chronic) effects include liver disease, pancreatitis, suicide, stroke, bowel dysfunction, brain disease, psychiatric disorders, cancers, and sexually transmitted diseases, among others. Considering all of those factors, the WHO concludes that problem-drinking cuts 15 years from one’s life expectancy, compared with 8 years for cigarette smoking.

The destructive effects on families, relationships, and social consequences are well known. Children are often most severely affected, as they may go hungry or be subject to abuse or neglect due to having alcoholic parents. Families can be torn apart, they may become homeless, and children may become orphans.

While the causes of problem-drinking are complex and not well understood, medical experts agree that heredity plays a major part; having a parent who has an alcohol problem increases one’s likelihood of developing the disease. Studies of twins support this view. Scientists believe that peer influence, alcohol availability, and cultural factors also contribute to the fact that at least 25% of the global population are considered to be chronically dependent on alcohol, while a minimum of 10% of men and 5% of women may be considered alcoholics.

Another major consequence involves effects on the foetus when alcohol is consumed by a pregnant woman. Such a baby, if it survives, may be born with foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). This disorder is characterised by low birth weight, deformities of the face, head, and limbs, mental retardation, malformation of the heart, lungs and other organs, and stunted growth. No amount of alcohol is considered safe during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

While there is medical evidence that concludes that moderate drinking has some health effects such as prevention of heart attacks and ischemic strokes, such benefits are lost when alcohol is used in excessive quantities.

Clearly, alcohol abuse is a problem that can destroy individuals, families, communities, and by extension, affect entire countries because the cost of addressing alcohol-related issues takes a major toll on national economies. Absenteeism from work alone is estimated to cost billions of dollars worldwide. Recognising the problem, what can we do about it?

While the government has a responsibility to provide healthcare services to those affected by this disease, it is up to individuals to take advantage of the available opportunities offered.

First, affected persons and families must recognise the disorder and make a decision to seek help. Second, afflicted persons should be assessed by medical professionals who will then recommend a course of treatment. Third, the problem-drinker needs to stick with the programme.

Loud Mini-Bus Music

By Mark DaCosta

In many mini-buses operating in Georgetown the operator(s) play “music” at extremely high volume. I think of it as noise. The noise most frequently contain obscene and offensive lyrics. The overall effect is exceedingly annoying and uncomfortable. On many occasions I have had to exit such vehicles before reaching my destination because the noise is unbearable. The noise is often so loud that it is distressing to me while I am inside my home and one of those vehicles pass-by on the nearby road. Additionally, in many cases, I have observed that drivers appear to be more concerned with producing the noise instead of focusing on operating the vehicle. For those drivers, changing the selection and adjusting (raising) the volume of the noise is the priority; driving the vehicle appears to be of secondary concern. Obviously, in addition to being annoying, such a situation produces inherently unsafe conditions in a moving vehicle that is, more often than not, speeding recklessly along traffic congested streets.

It is an established medical fact that exposure to loud sounds is unhealthy; stress, hypertension, mental distress, and, most notably, hearing impairment are the likely outcomes. As such, I view the situation as not only a major annoyance but as a threat to the health of the travelling public.

I often wonder how the operators of such vehicles endure that noise. Perhaps, they are already deaf.

Considering the prevalence of the problem, it is impossible that law enforcement is unaware of the issue. I am therefore puzzled as to why nothing is being done. In my opinion, the failure of authorities to put an end to this nonsense is almost unbelievable. I hope that those responsible for this aspect of assuring the welfare of Guyanese take swift and continuing action to eradicate this madness and prevent it from ever occurring.

Homelessness (In Guyana)

By Mark DaCosta

The fact that homelessness is a major problem becomes clear from the moment one steps onto the streets of Georgetown. While the Capital City may be most affected by the issue, the matter is one of national concern, as such, it is one which must be addressed by government, not only because homeless persons may be an eyesore to tourists, or a nuisance to business-operators, but because helping the less fortunate is a national responsibility. And because it is the right thing to do.

Contrary to popular belief, not all homeless persons are drug addicts. According to the findings of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community organisations, faith-based organisations (FBOs), and even individuals who assist those unfortunate persons, there are a variety of reasons that persons end up living on the streets.

Indeed, some are drug or alcohol addicts who have been put out of homes by family members who have had enough. Many, too, have lost their homes because their families have learned that they are homosexual, HIV-positive, or victims of some other stagmatised physical or mental condition. Persons have ended up living on the streets because they have lost their homes to fire, or they may have been evicted because they became ill and could not work, and were unable to pay their rents. The reasons are numerous and wide-ranging. Add to this the fact that the homeless population comprises persons ranging from infants to the elderly, and the magnitude of implementing a solution becomes evident.

Given that the reasons for homelessness are diverse, the medium and long-term solutions must necessarily be tailored to meet their individual needs. This must begin by identifying those reasons, followed by actions designed to meet those needs.

Obviously, such an undertaking will not be easy; it will require political will, commitment, determination, and co-operative consultation and coordination among multiple agencies.

Victims of drug and alcohol addiction must be directed towards the medical establishments which are equipped to handle addiction. Help is also available in our public health system to those who may be physically or mentally ill. Similarly, assistance is available for persons who just need a place to stay until they can find a job and get back on their feet.

As was said, the process of solving the problem of homelessness begins with mustering the political will to address the challenge. Once this is done, government may consider forming a task force which should include representatives from all relevant ministries, regional and local government organs, NGOs, FBOs, community groups, legal experts, human rights specialists, and others.

Such a task force can then make recommendations, with the objective of establishing centres to which homeless persons may go, first, to take care of their immediate needs for food, shelter, clothing, and perhaps, showers, toiletries, mental and physical evaluation, and counselling. From there, having identified their unique needs, the less fortunate may then be directed or conveyed to places which provide the care that they need, with the objective of returning their lives to normalcy. Consideration must also be given to actively reaching out to homeless persons, in addition to having them go to established centres.

Indeed, solving the problem of homelessness would result in more beautiful, attractive and cleaner surroundings. Tourists would have fewer complaints about “vagrants bothering them,” and residents would have one less thing to complain about. But, perhaps more importantly, we, as a people, through our elected representatives and others, would have done the right thing by helping our fellow Guyanese in their time of need.

PPP Must Be Stopped From Creating a Tyrannical Dictatorship in Guyana

By Mark DaCosta

Political experts say that a democracy can become a tyrannical dictatorship if citizens allow that to happen. Experts also agree that a democracy is the best system yet devised by humans. A real democracy is fair, and is characterised by distinctive cornerstones including freedoms of assembly, speech, and association; inclusiveness; equality; the right to choose leaders through voting; and the supremacy of the rule of law. Further, when a democratic government leads in a manner where each person enjoys the greatest amount of freedom, compatible with the common good, then, that society is said to enjoy a liberal democracy. Clearly, such a system of government is the most desirable one. As such, Guyanese, in our own interest, should strive to achieve and maintain that ideal.

The political analysts agree, too, that the extreme opposite of a liberal democracy is a tyrannical dictatorship. Under that system, every aspect of the lives of the majority of people is controlled by the heavy hand of a supreme political power that rules with an iron fist; a fist that would have stripped citizens of all rights, freedoms, and even their basic dignity, Instead, the majority of people would exist under the unbearable burden of oppression. Of course, one recognises that between those two extremes — liberal democracy and tyrannical dictatorship — there is a spectrum of possible systems of government under which citizens may have varying degrees of freedom. The important questions are: how does a democracy degenerate into a dictatorship, and how do we prevent that from happening in Guyana?

Political Scientist Arch Puddington, former U.S. Labor Secretary Professor Robert Reich, and Dr. Kuehnelt-Leddihn of the Foundation for Economic Education, are among recognised scholars who have studied the issue of how a democracy may become a dictatorship. Those respected experts have written extensively on that subject, and they agree on some key points.

First, there are only three paths from a democracy to a dictatorship: there could be a coup, where the democratic government is overthrown; or, citizens could elect a known tyrant, such as the election of Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany in 1932; or, finally, most importantly for Guyanese, citizens could elect a political party such as the PPP, that pretends to be democratic, but, secretly intends to set up a dictatorship once it is elected.

Second, the experts agree that in modern times, the third path to tyranny — where a “democratic party” is elected, and, once it is in power, sheds its false-skin of democracy and reveals its dictatorial colours — is the most likely path to dictatorship. As such, it is with this idea that Guyanese should be most concerned, and people should be extremely vigilant and look for the signs that the PPP government is, in fact, setting up a departure from democracy while moving to create a tyrannical dictatorship.

Professor Puddington wrote, “Central to the modern authoritarian strategy is the capture of institutions that undergird political pluralism. The [dictatorial government] goal is to dominate not only the executive and legislative branches, but also the media, the judiciary, civil society, the commanding heights of the economy, and the security forces. With these institutions under the effective if not absolute control of a dictatorial leader, changes in government through fair and honest elections become all but impossible.” In other words, the government would seek to spread its cancerous tentacles into every sector of society, so as to exert control over every aspect of life, and set up conditions to prevent the dictator’s removal. Does it not seem as though Dr. Puddington is describing the PPP?

Professor Reich explained how the government would create a dictatorship step by step. He said that the dictator would, “destroy labour unions, so people have no way to bargain for higher wages and less capacity for political organisation.” The professor said that the government would, “cut deals with rich business executives and billionaires,” while “filling the airwaves with big lies.” The expert said that once the government had control of everything, political opposition would become almost impossible. The experts pointed out that this process is well advanced in Russia, China and our neighbour to the west, Venezuela, in addition to other territories. Again, does this not remind us of the behaviour of the PPP?

Many Guyanese are aware of what happens when a tyrannical dictatorship is established: political imprisonment and assassinations become common, censorship of information is established, and citizens’ rights to assemble, associate, speak, travel, and live a happy life are all taken away. Food may become scarce, and society could collapse or people may become prisoners in their own borders. Considering what is at stake, Guyanese must — for our own survival — examine what the PPP is doing. Do we not see the signs that the experts describe? Is it not obvious that the PPP is moving to set up a dictatorship, and establish conditions to ensure that it cannot be removed from power? Just look at how the PPP has taken over GECOM. Clearly, if we are to remain free, safe, and content in a democratic Guyana, the PPP must be stopped.

Managing Power Effectively

By Mark DaCosta

Most people have heard the saying, “Power corrupts absolutely.” Those memorable words were spoken by the 19th century British politician, Lord Acton. Most would agree with the sentiment. Certainly, Guyanese are all too familiar with the negative effects of having power – people who have power often display objectionable behaviours.

Power is defined as, ‘The ability or capacity to direct or influence the behaviour of others, or the course of events, while themselves remaining uninfluenced.’ Leaders such as those in business, politics, and even the breadwinner of a home have such power. That said, politicians in positions of power are of particular interest because of the immense scope of the influence that they wield, and the many types of power that they possess: positional power – because they may occupy a high office, referent power – because they have other powerful colleagues, coercive power – because they can threaten or punish people, and reward power.

Political leaders necessarily need to have power to enable leadership and allow them to do their work effectively; the truth of this fact is self-evident. However, experts agree that the possession of power often brings out the worst in people; many powerful people feel superior to others, they feel different or unique; they may develop a sense of entitlement (the arrogant belief that they deserve special privileges). Those sentiments may result in undesirable behaviours, to put it mildly.

Scholars tell us that such people may begin to believe that social rules and laws do not apply to them, they may lose the ability to feel empathy, and they may become heartless. According to a study conducted by Professor Dr. Gerben van Kleef of the University of Amsterdam, powerful people usually hold the irrational belief that they are better role models than others. This is but one example of the accepted fact that the possession of power almost always distorts the powerful person’s perception of reality. The fact that people who interact with powerful people are usually afraid to contradict or correct them only intensifies the problems.

Worse still, as the pathology progresses, powerful people may actively seek to get rid of subordinates who are objective, and they may choose instead to surround themselves with meek and docile sycophantic underlings. Accompanying this, powerful people may treat their staff and other supporters with scant regard, and make unreasonable demands; they may behave socially inappropriately; and they may become bullies. And as time progresses, such behaviours – left unchecked – may become worse.

Those undeniable facts have long been recognised. Abraham Lincoln said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”

Fortunately, all is not lost; the experts say that a powerful person can impede the development of such negative traits by actively working to disrupt the degenerative process. This necessarily requires that the powerful person recognise, acknowledge, and accept the truth of the matter, engage in wilful introspection and take positive action.

Such action, say the experts, include developing a team approach to problem-solving; abandoning the “I” mentality in favour of a “we” attitude. They must foster a personal philosophy of interdependence and co-operation. And importantly, they must consciously, constantly strive to remain humble, and rooted in reality.

I take this opportunity to point out that I, personally, became outspoken in politics because I saw for myself how power can negatively affect otherwise ‘normal’ people, much to the detriment of those over whom they exert influence. I point out too, that it is as a result of that outspokenness and other actions of persons such as yours truly that change has, and can continue to be realised. In other words, we the people have power as well; we have the power to elevate the owner of a business, or to install a person into political office. And, it follows, that we have the power to demote or remove such persons if we, for our own reasons, choose to so do. With this in mind, persons in positions of power may wish to think very carefully about their attitudes, approaches, and mental states, and they may be well advised to conduct themselves accordingly.

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Forbes Burnham's Vision and Guyana's Independence

By Mark DaCosta

Guyanese know that we celebrate our country’s independence from colonial rule every year on May 26. Guyanese have recently celebrated 56 years of independence. We know, too, that Forbes Burnham — Guyana’s prime minister and later, president from December 14, 1964 to the day of his death on August 6, 1985 — played a pivotal role in attaining independent status. What may be less known is the fact that Burnham’s view of an independent Guyana was far wider and much deeper than freedom from colonial governance. Burnham imagined a self-sufficient State; one that would prosper regardless of the whims of international geopolitics. Burnham envisioned a truly independent Guyana.

The struggle for Guyana’s freedom from colonial rule officially began in June 1958, the same year that the People’s National Congress (PNC) was established by Forbes Burnham. On that date, the British Legislative Council — which included Forbes Burnham — passed Guyana’s history-changing resolution. That resolution called on the British government to convene a constitutional conference to discuss the granting of full self-government to the country. The British responded to the resolution with a variety of delay-tactics. But, the colonial masters eventually had to give in to the pressure being applied by Burnham, leader of the PNC and his colleagues in the Council including W.O. Rudy Kendall also of the PNC, Dr. Cheddi Jagan of the People’s Progressive Party, Jai Narine Singh of the Guiana Independence Movement, and R.E. Davis. The conference was eventually organised in London on March 7-8, 1960. The result of that conference was regarded as unsatisfactory; none of the parties involved was pleased with the lack of progress. During that time, Burnham organised numerous public engagements with the people of what was then British Guiana. Historians agree that galvanising public support for independence was pivotal to the eventual success of the struggle. Meanwhile, the name ‘Guyana’ and the design of the National Flag were both approved by a select committee of the the legislature in 1962.

Between 1962 and 1966, there was a frenetic struggle for freedom from colonial domination. Numerous conferences were convened with the British. There were backroom meetings and public confrontations. There was civil unrest at the local level. Fortunately, that unrest, though intense, was short-lived. Forbes Burnham continued his efforts at all levels throughout that tumultuous period of history.

1966 arrived, and during the early part of that year, preparations for our country’s independence were in full swing. Another special committee designed the Coat of Arms and chose the Canje Pheasant as the National Bird. Following a nationwide competition sponsored by the National History and Arts Council the words of our National Anthem were selected from numerous entries. The winning entry had been submitted by Reverend Archibald Luker. Those words were put to music by prominent Guyanese educator and musician, Cyril G. Potter. We recall that the design of the National Flag, ‘The Golden Arrowhead’ had already been adopted in 1962. The overall design was intended to symbolise a nation moving forward, and the five colours were symbolic of the country’s various assets. That was an exciting time in our history; everyone knew that it was the dawn of a new era.

Under the leadership of Forbes Burnham, Guyana gained its freedom from 300 years of colonial domination on Thursday, May 26, 1966. The nationwide celebrations, though, began four days before and continued until May 29. Public buildings were decorated with the colours of the flag. Buntings and streamers were everywhere. On the great day, a grand cultural event was held at the National Park; foreign dignitaries attended including British officials and members of the British Royal Family. At midnight, the Union Jack — the British Flag — was lowered, and the Golden Arrowhead was hoisted. At that moment, 163 years of British colonial rule came to an end, and Guyana was born as fireworks burst across the sky throughout the country. Following a military parade, parliament convened for the first time in the mid-morning hours. The portrait of the former British governor was removed from the wall of the parliamentary chamber and replaced with the portrait of Prime Minister Forbes Burnham. The Duke of Kent made a speech on behalf of the Queen after which he handed over the constitutional instruments of independence to Prime Minister Burnham. Prime Minister Burnham delivered his own speech to the new country of Guyana. Burnham said, “The days ahead are going to be difficult. Tomorrow, no doubt, we Guyanese will indulge in the usual political conflicts and differences in ideology. But today, to my mind, is above such petty matters. For today, Guyana is free. Dr. Cheddi Jagan, Leader of the Opposition also spoke.

On achieving independence, Guyana became the twenty-third member of the British Commonwealth. The new country was instantly recognised by the international community. That recognition, though, was somewhat marred by a note from Venezuela’s foreign minister Iribarren Borges that implied a claim to our Essequibo region. Prime Minister Burnham immediately responded rejecting Venezuela’s assertion in no uncertain terms. The patriotism and strength of character exemplified by Burnham’s swift, decisive, and forceful response became a couple of the man’s defining characteristics.

On 23 February, 1970, Prime Minister Burnham declared Guyana a “Co-operative Republic.” Burnham became Guyana’s Executive President in 1980 with the adoption of a new Constitution.

Forbes Burnham, born on February 20, 1923 in Kitty, Georgetown was a family-man; he was father to seven children including one adopted child. He was also a visionary leader. His government’s policies and initiatives demonstrated his commitment to an independent, self-sufficient, self-sustaining Guyana. Burnham gave free education to all through the establishment of community high schools, technical institutes, multilateral institutions and even Guyana’s university. This, according to him, was all in an attempt to provide the best education to the post-independence generation and to foster self-reliance, to stimulate economic independence and to generate employment. In August 2018, former president Brigadier David Granger spoke of Forbes Burnham; Granger said, “[Burnham’s] policy of economic independence, resulted in the expansion and renovation of aerodromes, bridges, highways and stellings to ensure greater access to markets and to boost riverine rural and hinterland agro production.”

Unfortunately, presently, Guyana is a divided society. There are currently ethnic, economic, social, class, political, and power polarisations. Burnham would have certainly not condoned the current reality. Additionally, far from being the self-reliant country that Burnham had envisaged, Guyana, presently under the rule of a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) regime, remains a poor country; heavily reliant on foreign aid and international handouts. Many Guyanese are almost totally dependent on remittances from overseas-based family and friends just to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. While historians and analysts may have various views of Burnham’s legacy; historical facts cannot be altered. Foremost among those facts is the unequivocal commitment of Forbes Burnham to Guyana’s total independence, including economic independence. Perhaps, some day in the future, we may yet achieve that goal.