Guyana Observer News

By David Hinds
And finally they did it. They feel comfortable enough to do it. The decision by the University Council of the University of Guyana to fire Freddie Kissoon is the most recent brazen act presided over by the Donald Ramotar-led PPP administration. It is the latest reminder of how far away from the democratic norm the PPP has taken Guyana. To those in the media and the so-called Civil Society who have been hollering at the APNU youth to get off the streets and allow the country to get back to normal, this is what a normal Guyana governed by the PPP looks like. To the political majority, this is what we get in exchange for cooperating with and legitimizing a minority one-party executive. The majority of the Guyanese voters said no to one-party rule. Their leaders' read it differently. They settle for opposition status.  They permit the PPP to proceed as if it is the majority. Prior to the election the PPP’s 55% behaved like 100%. Now 48% is behaving like 100%. Freddie is the latest victim of this normalcy PPP style. Others will follow.
(Dr. Hinds will be co-hosting"Straight Up" this evening with Mark Benschop, on Benschop Radio from 9pm (Guyana time)

Press Statement
January 27, 2012
 GTUC writes Chancellor Bourne in an effort to secure resolution to termination of Frederick Kissoon’s contract.
 The GTUC dispatched a letter to Professor Compton Bourne, Chancellor, University of Guyana, seeking his intervention to bring a resolution to conflict surrounding the termination of the employment contract of Federick Kissoon. This form of intervention arose out of a decision taken by the GTUC’s Central Executive Council on Wednesday January 25.

Investigators should today be sending the file on the child molestation scandal involving a Muslim scholar to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice on charges, according to Crime Chief Seelall Persaud.

The man, who is attached to the Turkeyen Masjid, remained in police custody last night but Persaud said bail might be granted since the expiration of the 72-hour maximum period the police could hold him without charge was approaching. The man was rearrested on Tuesday afternoon, after new evidence suggested that he had molested as many as nine boys.

Dear Editor,

Two months after the general elections which gave the PPP its first minority government in 19 years, the party has relegated it self to a new low by firing Freddie Kissoon from UG. The dismissal of UG senior lecturer Freddie Kissoon is an abuse of power and a violation of his academic freedom, which Prem Misir is aware of. If nothing else, the firing of Kissoon is more than enough evidence that the PPP minority government under Donald Ramotar is just as vindictive as the one led by the vicious and deprave Jagdeo. The actions of the PPP members on the UG Council, which includes Prem Misir, Gail Teixeira, Bibi Shadick, Indira Chandarpal and Nirmal Rekha are sadistic and immature.

The Alliance For Change has noted the unwarranted and ongoing attacks against newly elected Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman by members of the PPP/C and is urging those involved to desist from such behavior.
The PPP/C will do well to recognise that a larger percentage of the Guyanese electorate voted to not have a PPP/C government. It was this action of the Guyanese people that gave the opposition a majority in the House thus allowing Trotman to be elected as Speaker of the Tenth Parliament.
No amount of ‘howling in the wind’ can alter the fact that Guyanese, through the power of the ballot have said that they need change. The onus is now on their elected representatives to honour the call of the people.

GEORGETOWN – The U.S. Embassy hosted a viewing party for the live television broadcast of the 2012 State of the Union Address on January 24.  Fifteen University of Guyana International Relations students were invited to watch President Barack Obama’s annual public address to Congress and the nation.  The live broadcast was followed by a lively discussion on the issues and proposals raised in the address..

The State of the Union address is a constitutional obligation and a long-standing tradition for American presidents.  The U.S. Constitution requires that the president report to Congress “from time to time” on the “State of the Union.”  The speech reports on the condition of the United States, recommends a legislative agenda for the coming year, and gives the president an opportunity to convey his vision for the nation.

Dear Editor,

Now that the criminal charges against the three former managers of NBS have been dismissed, as a former director of the NBS Board, I think that justice and decency require that I state publically that at no time did the NBS Board contemplate that Maurice Arjoon, Kent Vincent, or Kissoon Baldeo were criminally or otherwise involved in the fraudulent withdrawal of funds from a member’s account.