Articles

Chatting with Basil Williams – Guyana’s Attorney General and The Minister of Legal Affairs on Guyana’s promising future

Published

6 years ago

June 29, 2018

BY: LEANNE BENN

It’s not very often that you get a chance to sit down and chat with the Attorney General of Guyana and the Hon. Minister of Legal Affairs. Many Guyanese in Guyana and especially in the Canadian Guyanese diaspora and around the world will recognize the name Basil Williams; as one of Guyana’s most powerful lawyers, legal advisors and representative to the government of Guyana.

Within the last few years, there has been an undeniable amount of change happening in this South American nation. Almost anyone can now relate Guyana to the pending oil boom and economic overhaul that is taking place. Guyana is focused on developing a “green economy” on the cusp of the oil and gas transformation.

But let us rewind three years to May 2015 when the current administration, the APNU took office, Under President David Granger’s leadership, Basil Williams started one of his most challenging journeys yet. “The government took office 23 years after the last government, from the start, we’ve had challenges of correcting issues that arose over the years,” Williams stated.

However, challenges and issues of corruption aside, Williams mentioned the focus the government has on ensuring the proper management of oil and gas, he mentions the risk of “Dutch disease” essentially neglecting other sectors while only focusing on one area. For instance, Guyana’s agricultural stronghold should not be neglected; the agriculture base needs to be strengthened in order to improve the economic life.

This is only one step in many areas that Williams has paid attention to. Specifically, Williams does not shy away from a good challenge. In the past few years, Williams took on the almost seemingly unrealistic challenge of removing Guyana from a FATF (Financial Action Task Force) and CFATF (Caribbean Financial Action Task Force) blacklist, addressing issues such as money laundering, anti-corruption and terrorism funding. Guyana was publically blacklisted by the CFATF in May 2013. Generally according to Williams removing a country from a backlisting can take many years, even just to get new legislation approved for instance in Canada can take up to two years.

By 2015, Williams was on the case handling issues of money laundering and drafting laws in order to meet the standards of the organization. By 2016, in just one year, Williams and a specially appointed anti-corruption task force were able to get Guyana removed from the blacklist. Despite only taking a year, it was a challenge and as Williams stated previous AG’s did not deal with that matter. It is key now to maintain Guyana’s standard and standing. In fact, Williams was eventually elected as deputy chair of CFATF in the 2016-2017 period and is presently Chairman in Office for the 2017-2018 period, in essence showing how committed he is to this matter.

With all that Williams has going on, he remains committed to dealing with the law and has had many teams of lawyers under his guidance and even travels to different regions in Guyana to educate citizens and workers on issues of corruption and recently has undertaken a team dealing with cybercrime legislation.

In terms of relations with the diaspora, Williams would hope that experienced Guyanese familiar in the oil and gas sector would one day return and assist the developing industry. “We did promise the Guyanese people a good life and we are underway, by implementing certain systems and focusing on other sectors in the economy. A lot of our people (Guyanese) are in North America and in the Caribbean region itself, but we are on a very good trajectory.” Williams also highlighted the focus on educating Guyanese about environmental law and green energy law which is very minimal at the moment but it is a major focus by the government and has even attracted the attention of the World Bank who has invited President Granger to present Guyana’s Green State Strategy at the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC, later in 2018. The Green State Development Strategy is focused on the economic and socio-cultural development of the county in the long term.

With all these changes and developments happening in Guyana, Williams and many other ministers in the Guyana government make it a duty to interact with the diaspora. As this was Williams’ first trip to Canada since taking office in 2015, he had a list of scheduled events including speaking with the Canadian- Guyanese diaspora through the help of the Guyana Consul General, An Yin Choo, and others. Williams also mentioned the key support from the diaspora and many international NGO’s in Guyana. There have been several assessments and training by international groups to help lawyers, non-lawyers, judges, and magistrates. For instance, focusing on other areas of law such as mediation can help with the backlog of cases but presently there are not enough trained mediators after all these years.

Despite the daily changes, struggles and success Guyana faces in the next few years, Minister Williams and many citizens in Guyana hope to develop a clean economy for oil and gas, ensuring Guyana becomes an attractive place for tourists and many in the diaspora to return.

Related Topics:challenges corruption government Guyana issues

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Junior Contributors

How are current trends shaping our world? Foreshadowing 2025

Published

2 days ago

December 19, 2024

TOCaribNews

Credits: raw.pixel

BY AMARI SUKHDEO

As we look toward 2025, it’s natural to wonder how current trends will shape our world. Drawing from technological advances, societal shifts, and environmental challenges observed in 2024, we can outline some plausible developments. By connecting these to existing evidence, we can better understand why these changes are likely.

Smarter AI, beyond assistants

In 2024, AI systems became more personalized and efficient, with companies investing in AI models that function locally to reduce delays and energy use. By 2025, we could see AI systems embedded in everyday tools. For instance, AI in healthcare already assists with diagnostics; next, it may empower wearable devices to provide personalized treatment suggestions based on real-time data. This isn’t just speculation; investments by tech giants like Google and Microsoft into smaller, faster AI models in 2024 lay the groundwork for this leap forward.

Climate action driving everyday innovations

Extreme weather events and rising global temperatures made headlines in 2024, pushing governments and industries to accelerate renewable energy efforts. Solar panels and wind farms became more efficient, and electric vehicles (EVs) gained broader adoption as costs fell. In 2025, we could reasonably expect community-level energy storage solutions, like localized solar grids in neighbourhoods, offering resilience against power outages caused by climate disruptions. The sharp drop in renewable energy costs in 2024 suggests this trend will only accelerate.

Job markets evolve with AI

The growing use of AI in hiring processes was evident in 2024, with more companies testing conversational bots for initial candidate screenings. By 2025, these bots could standardize equitable hiring practices, focusing on skills rather than credentials. If trends from 2024 hold, candidates might submit work samples directly analyzed by AI, bypassing biases inherent in traditional resumes.

Space exploration as the next frontier

Private companies made significant progress in space technology in 2024, with initiatives like reusable rockets and plans for lunar missions advancing rapidly. In 2025, commercial space tourism could become a niche industry, offering suborbital flights for high-net-worth individuals. More importantly, the ongoing development of satellite networks for global internet coverage—spearheaded by firms like SpaceX—may revolutionize connectivity in rural and underserved areas, fulfilling the promises set in motion during 2024.

Social media’s evolution

The spread of misinformation and rising concerns about mental health dominated conversations about social media in 2024. By 2025, we might see stricter regulations and innovations in platform design aimed at promoting responsible usage. For instance, algorithms may prioritize verified information or feature built-in mental health support, echoing growing public demand for ethical practices observed last year.

The predictions for 2025 are rooted in developments already in motion. Rapid strides in AI and renewable energy, coupled with societal responses to climate challenges, social media, and space suggest a future where technology is more integrated into daily life and becomes a norm. However, navigating these changes will require continued investment and ethical oversight.

https://www.eckerson.com/articles/predictions-2025-everything-is-about-to-change

Junior Contributors

AI can be a helpful tool, but it can’t replace the special qualities that make human storytelling unique

Published

2 days ago

December 19, 2024

TOCaribNews

Photo Credits: Diana Grytsku

BY YAHYA KARIM

It has recently been found that people take a strong dislike to any stories that are labeled AI generated, even if they were truly written by a human. This might come as a surprise, but it shows how we feel about AI in creative work, such as writing stories.

The study, led by Haoran Chu, a professor of public relations, tested out how people would feel after reading two similar stories, one written by a human and one written by an AI. The participant in the study would find a label indicating which writing was AI generated, and which was written by a human. Through the experiment they switched the labels, so the readers thought they were reading an AI version of the story, when in fact they were reading the human version.

When people saw that it was an AI generated story, they seemed less interested. Even though what was written was almost identical, people did not feel that connection with the AI writing. They felt less connected if it was written by a machine.

The study found that stories written by AI can convince people just as much as those written by humans, especially when it comes to topics like health. However, AI doesn’t make readers feel as connected or immersed in the story. This is something that human writers are better at doing.

The study shows that people still really value the “human touch” in storytelling. Even though AI can write text that is clear and logical, it doesn’t have the same: emotional touch, creativity, or personal feel that humans bring to their writing. When we read a story, we trust human writers to make it feel relatable, which is something AI struggles to do.

In the future, AI might be great for writing simple facts, or basic information, but when it comes to creating deep, emotional stories humans still have the advantage. AI can be a helpful tool, but it can’t replace the special qualities that make human storytelling unique.