EDITORIAL

By GODFREY WRAY

CARIFESTA’s windows of opportunity

The countdown for CARIFESTA has begun in earnest. In a week’s time, the Caribbean Festival of Arts, the region's mega-arts festival which has always attracted a wide range of creative artists from various Caribbean and Latin American Countries, will blast off. After more than three decades the event returns to Guyana, where it originated in 1972, with the purpose of preserving the Caribbean’s material and intangible heritage with the participation of artists from as far as Africa, Asia, and Europe. The 10th festival runs from August 22 to 31 and will include all forms of artistic expressions – from dance and art to literature and culinary traditions – with the diversity that characterizes the peoples of the Caribbean.

CREATING AN IMPACT

By CARLYLE HARRY

SEX DESTROYS ANOTHER

I keep saying and writing that it was quite EASY for me to get into writing articles about the destruction that SEX keeps causing to individuals, organizations and countries. But it is proving rather difficult for me to PULL-OUT of writing that nature of articles because things just keep happening . . . Earlier last week, a popular Roman Catholic Priest from Harlem was suspended from performing official religious functions, because he allegedly troubled two youths, several years ago; then towards the end of the week, there was that bombshell admission from former Presidential candidate, John Edwards, that he had had an extra-marital affair with a (female) associate of his recent Presidential campaign; and up to the time of writing, this topic is still dominating the airwaves. Again, why should something so sweet as SEX, cause so much hurt, pain, jail-time and human devastation — remember AIDS; Syphilis; Gonorrhea — and it drives men to commit rape. Edwards’ admission reminded me about some old-time sayings:— (a) that we should not rush to judgment and comment; (b) those in glass houses should not throw stones; (c) when your neighbor’s house is on fire, you better wet your own; and (d) let those without sin cast the first stone.

THINGS THAT BOTHER ME

THE UNITED STATES OF AMNESIA

Gore Vidal’s teasingly apt title forms a good basis for my discussion of America’s notorious military incursions within the framework of its purported respect for democratically elected governments. On Wednesday, President Bush said that he is skeptical that Moscow is honoring a cease-fire in neighboring Georgia, and demanded that Russia end all military activities in the former Soviet republic and withdraw all its forces. And, with a straight face, added, "The United States stands with the democratically elected government of Georgia and insists that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia be respected." Mr. Bush, who is not a student of history, doesn’t remember or know the many instances when America has trampled on democratically elected governments.

THE BASIL SPRINGER COLUMN

GROWTH 　DESPITE ADVERSITY

"The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death"　- Proverbs 13:14

I have stated in this column before that the purpose of life, in my ‘book,’ is to create happiness and avoid pain for oneself and all those within one’s sphere of influence. This is the ideal. In my experience, one will never make a perfect score — of all happiness and no pain – because of the complexity of the human being manifested by one’s physical, intellectual, spiritual and emotional needs, on the one hand, and the unpredictability of the external environment over which we have no control, on the other.

Georgetown Diary

The Ronald Austin Column

L. F. S. Burnham

This month the People’s National Congress Reform observed the 23rd death anniversary of Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. To a lesser extent, the rest of the nation did too. It was a welcome development that a resolution was passed in Parliament recognizing the contribution of Mr. Burnham to the development of Guyana. It was sponsored by its leader and supported by the two main parties. Equally encouraging was the fact that Mr. Burnham’s career, however inadequately, was covered by the state-run television. This does not mean that peace has broken out over Mr. Burnham’s long reign of power in Guyana. What has happened rather, is that the PPP has discovered that its vicious attempt to malign and demonize Burnham has backfired. As the PPP’s rule has become more corrupt, dictatorial and chaotic, Burnham’s political stock has risen. Moreover, he has been voted the Caribbean Man of the Century.

Treachery, Endorsements And Idiocy — Political Gamesmanship, Arrogance And Alienation Breed The Most Foolish Of Decisions

I’m tempted to say that most politicians are bumbling simpletons and their fawning hangers on just an opportunistic cabal of greedy and supine oafs who have elevated the art of "yesmanism and brown-nosing" to greater heights. But then I pause. Politicians in Brooklyn, and indeed all across the world, are supposed to be educated, smart and politically savvy individuals who have, because of some innate calling, became "servants of the people." Alas, if things were so Black and White; so cut and dried. No, the reality is that even the most well-meaning politician becomes, because of the trappings of power, influence and prestige, an arrogant, opportunistic and scheming individual with only one thought – political survival. So that the once bright stars of peoples’ empowerment and darlings of progressive thought and action rapidly descend into shrewish nabobs polluted by acts of treachery, arrogance, and an accompanying disdain for the people who elected them to office.

CAN WE TALK

The Other Odyssey

Buried within the Indian Immigration in the USA, is another group of disaporic Indians — those from Guyana, Trinidad/Tobago, Kenya, Fiji, Mexico, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, Canada and Kenya. In 2006, 4 percent of this group (60,267) was born in Guyana and 30,134, two percent, were born in Trinidad/Tobago; these represent the two largest diasporic ancestral Indian populations in the USA. Foreign-born immigrants from Guyana, as do their counterparts in Trini-dad/Tobago and other Caribbean nations, follow a process of what is described as "chain migration," namely migration where there are already other immigrant settlers from their sending societies. For Guyanese as a whole, the five states, in descending order, with the largest migrant cohorts are -New York, New Jersey, Florida, Maryland and California. Indo-Guyanese are found more frequently in New York, New Jersey and Florida.

PLUG INTO ENERGY

$2.8 Billion Brazilian Oil Field Delayed

Faced with falling oil output, Chevron Corporation and its partners have to delay the start of their $2.8 billion oil project in Brazil because a platform and rig will be delivered three months behind schedule. Chevron is the second largest U.S. oil company. It has had to postpone eight major developments in the last two years due to equipment failures and escalating development costs. This latest delay will hurt the company’s goal of fulfilling CEO David O'Reilly’s pledge to boost production by 3% each year right through 2010, since Chevron may miss the 2008 output target. The Frade offshore field production may not begin until March and it won’t reach a peak for about two years, said officials at one of the project’s partners; its peak is approximated at 100,000 barrels a day. Chevron Brazil communications manager, Luis Felipe Reis said "If there are any more delays, March sounds right." Demand for deep-sea rigs and platforms now means an increase in order backlogs at Asian shipyards; deliveries are now stretching into 2012. Crude oil's 64% gain in a year and depleting reserves in shallower waters are prompting oil companies to step up exploration and production.

IN DEPTH

THE CYCLE OF INTOLERANCE: FREE SPEECH FALLING BETWEEN THE CRACKS

Guyana made a significant drift in the wrong direction over the past few years. The telltale signs of a nation on the wrong course became evident years ago with gains made in advancing press freedom being eroded. When veteran journalist Adam Harris was slapped with contempt of court charges in 2007, it became clear that freedom of the press was in for a tough ride. The Harris case requires a closer look at the concept of prejudicial publication. A troublesome allegation against Harris, at least the way it was quoted in the press, was that he "commented on the proceedings in a pending civil action and purported to put forward a defence which was then not on the court’s record." The way this allegation was framed poses, a real threat to press freedom, since it suggests that a legal commentator cannot comment on a pending case. In truly democratic societies with entrenched judicial accountability, the restriction on comment about a pending case only pertains to matters of fact. The whole notion of judicial accountability collapses if the press cannot comment on matters of law.

Celebrating The 46th Anniversary Of Jamaica’s Independence

Moving ‘And Groovin’ — Despite Systemic Challenges There’s A Lot To Be Proud Of

An Analysis

By Michael D. Roberts

By any measurement, economic development and social progress do not take place along a smooth, uninterrupted line in society. And for emerging nations the challenges of socio-economic development that are at the very basis of their independence are sometimes overwhelming. Since their independence, many nations have descended into something akin to orderly chaos in their attempts at nation building. ‘Fits and starts’ adequately describes their difficult march towards domestic development, social justice and economic equality. For the countries of the so-called Third World these challenges can be exceedingly acute. As Jamaica celebrates 46 years of independence, the social, political and economic challenges that bedevil this Caribbean nation’s development still loom large. However, Jamaica has, perhaps out of experience, learned to manage the inevitable crises and chaos of internal development that oftentimes are caused by dynamics far removed from the island’s capital, Kingston. It is testimony to the admirable resilience, pride, and sense of purpose of the Jamaican people that they have never deviated from the task of nation-building.

Jamaica And Independence

Op-Ed By Yvonne J. Graham Former Deputy Borough President of Brooklyn, Candidate for Brooklyn Borough President

First let me congratulate my fellow Jamaicans both here and back home after celebrating another milestone in our country’s history. Indeed, there is much to be thankful and proud of, as we look back at how far we’ve come as a nation and people these 46 years since gaining our independence from Britain on August 6, 1962. We have faced and weathered many storms together on the road to genuine, meaningful independence. Our approach to nation-building closely resembles an undaunted boxer facing a menacing opponent, who uses all his cunning and guile to survive beyond the first round. That Jamaica has survived many rounds and is still standing in the ring of social, political and economic development after 46 years is a remarkable testimony to the resilience and pride of its people.