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One Guyana: Two different viewpoints

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1 year ago

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Ashni Singh Guyana's Senior Minister of Finance-- from his Facebook public political page-- public domain

BY MICHAEL THOMAS

When I think of Guyana, what comes to mind? Gold, Silver, Bauxite, beautiful and friendly people and a place that is rich in many natural resources including the latest discovery, Guyana’s oil.

Guyana is all that and more, and even though I did some research from a political point of view, nothing prepared me for what was revealed to me by Guyana’s Opposition Leader Mr. Aubrey Norton.

Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform’s (PNCR) and Opposition Leader Aubrey C. Norton pulled no punches with his words in describing the political antics of the ruling party known as the PPP –People’s Progressive Party/C led by President Dr Irfaan Ali.

“Today Guyana is an oil-producing country, but even with these resources, the people of Guyana are not benefiting. What in essence is happening is that the resources are being used to put wealth into the hands of the government elite, their friends, families, and favorites,” Norton told me.

“The government is focused on enriching itself, and its cronies. Our views are totally different,” he said. “We believe the resources from the oil should meet our people. We have been advocating for a people-centered development strategy, in which we put the people of Guyana first.”

Norton told me that his party aims to make sure that the Guyanese people’s quality of life improves, as a result of the resources Guyana has.

“It is a paradox for you to have the fastest growing economy worldwide, yet at the same time your poverty has increased to 42%. We would like to carry the income tax threshold to $150,000 monthly income. This would mean that a lot of people who are living in poverty would not be paying income tax.” 

Norton told me his party has plans to help low-income people who have a hard time qualifying for mortgages. “We have developed what we called a Rent to Own program, where they pay rent until covering the cost of the house, and thus becoming homeowners.”

According to Norton, healthcare and education in Guyana needs serious attention and his party has such a formula. Norton said many private hospitals are emerging in Guyana which he has no problem with, however, “The laws of Guyana state that citizens should be able to access free quality care, and it is our intention to do that,” he said.

After listening attentively to Mr. Norton, I had to ask him about his working relationship with the ruling Ali’s government, and here is what he had to say.

“I see Guyana as a plane where President Ali is the pilot, and you are the co-pilot. How is the flight going?”

Norton replied, “The PPP’s perception of the government in Guyana is a ‘one-seat plane’ in which one pilot is flying and they do not cater for a co-pilot.”

The PPP is focused on total domination and control and even the local government organs that should be independent are not allowed to do so. I would have liked a situation where we could engage the governing party, but there are a number of problems that we first have to address,” Norton informed me.

“We have a situation where Irfaan Ali is a puppet President, and the real President is Bharrat Jagdeo.

If you follow the news in Guyana, Ali will make an announcement, and Bharrat Jagdeo will come and say, Eehh ehh that is not it.” How do you talk with a President who does not have power in his own party?

I have chosen not to engage the President outside of constitutional matters, solely because they are a very divisive government. They are discriminating against Afro Guyanese, and even Indo and Indigenous Guyanese, who they perceive to be supporting the Opposition,” the Opposition Leader said.

“In my opinion, they are not a government for all the people of Guyana,” Norton said.

In my efforts to be fair as a reporter, I reached out to the Guyanese Consulate here in Canada and asked if they could facilitate an interview between Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali, and myself.

I was told it would not be easy to get President Ali, but they provided Dr. Ashni Singh Guyana’s Senior Minister of Finance, and our conversation began. I asked the senior Finance Minister, how have things progressed for his government since taking office in August 2020.

“We had an election in 2020,” Singh said, “And the then government, which is now the Opposition, despite having lost the election, refused to accept the results of the election.

After a five-month fight, the then-ruling party caved under international pressure and PPP assumed office in August of 2020,” Singh told me.

“Those five months that had elapsed, posed quite a severe test on the institutions of State in Guyana, democratic, judiciary and other institutions. When we assumed office, the first task laid before us was to restore Guyana’s credibility in the eyes of the international community,” Singh said.

“Since then, we have had a number of high-level visits including two visits by US Secretaries of State, and this demonstrates the renewed esteem in which Guyana is held in the global community.

Under the previous government Guyana had lost its rank as the Caribbean lead spokesperson on agriculture and food security, Caricom has now decided to reinstate Guyana’s position,” Singh told me.

I asked the Minister if he was satisfied with his government’s progress thus far. “I would say yes, we are. We are a government that is always trying to do better, and even though we are satisfied with what we have achieved, we are not sitting down celebrating.”

On the subject of the country’s oil, Singh told me that the discovery of oil has enabled his government to do two things.

“One, we can now address some of the most pressing problems like community streets, drains, education, and improvement in old-age pension. Two, we are better able now to secure Guyana’s long-term economic prospects.”

“How is the relationship between your party and the opposition,” I inquired?

“Let me say unequivocally that our party and our president, we are open to working with all Guyanese, through every available channel, be it parliamentary, we are open to working with the opposition in that regard, also outside of the parliament, and most importantly we remain committed to working with all Guyanese irrespective of where they live, work, or who they voted for.”

Singh said, “We consider ourselves a government for all Guyanese. Our President’s theme is “One Guyana.”

I brought you both viewpoints. That said, I wish Guyana well.

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In his new role as a reporter and Journalist, Michael can he be described in two words: brilliant, and relentless. Michael Thomas aka Redman was born in Grenada, and at an early age realized his love for music. He began his musical journey as a reggae performer with the street DJs and selectors. After he moved to Toronto in 1989, he started singing with the calypso tents, and in 2008, and 2009 he won the People’s Choice Award and the coveted title of Calypso Monarch. He has taken this same passion, and has begun to focus his attention on doing working within the community.

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Urban Alliance on Race Relations celebrates and highlights Racial Justice Award recipients

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2 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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BY PAUL JUNOR

It has been almost 40 years since the Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR) has been at the forefront of: promoting tolerance, social justice, racial equity and fairness. Since it was formed in 1975, they have celebrated and recognized changemakers in the fight for racial justice in diverse sectors such as: health, labour, government, education, arts, media, environment, and justice.

On Saturday, December 7th, 2024, there was a great turnout at the 2024 Racial Justice Awards Night held at The Estate Banquet & Event Centre in Scarborough. In attendance were many community supporters, civic officials, long-time racial justice warriors, and individuals from diverse ethnic groups.

UARR is grateful for all the sponsors of the Racial Justice Awards Night Celebration. It notes in its email to its supporters on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024, the importance of its sponsors including:

  • United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) of Canada, UFCW, Local 175
  • The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 353
  • Unite Here! Local 75
  • Toronto & York Region Labour Council
  • Canadian Labour Congress
  • The Coalitions of Black Trade Union (CBTUL)

“Your sponsorship plays a vital role in shining a light on individuals and organizations driving equity, justice, and change in our communities. This celebration is more than an event, it’s a movement. Thanks to your support, we’re: honoring changemakers, amplifying unheard voices, and funding initiatives that break down systemic barriers.”

The categories and names of the awards and recipients were:

Racial Justice in Arts: Hannia Cheng

She is an artist and cultural worker who co-founded Unit 270, a DIY gallery and multi-purpose grassroots community hub in Chinatown Centre.

Racial Justice in Labour: Vanessa Story

She is the founder of the Black Youth York Region and co-founder of the York Communities for Public Education coalition.

Racial Justice in Education: Shannon Simpson

She is Senior Director of Indigenous Initiatives at the University of Toronto.

Racial Justice in Environment: Dr. Ingrid Waldron

She is a Professor and HOPE Chair in Peace and Health in the Global and Peace and Social Justice Program in the Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University.

Urban Alliance of Race Relations Agent of Change Award: Kirk Mark

He is the Equity, Diversity and Inclusive Consultant at KIRK Mark & Associates.

Racial Justice in Media: Amanda Parris

She is an award-winning writer, tv host and producer, and former host of CBC Arts Exhibitionist.

Racial Justice in Health: Camille Orridge

She is former CEO of the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (TCLHIN).

Racial Justice in Government: Amira Elghawaby

She is a journalist and human rights advocate who was appointed in January 2023 as Canada’s Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia.

Racial Justice in Justice: South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALC0)

This legal clinic supports low-income South Asian people in Canada.

The funds raised from the Awards night will be going toward the work of the Diversity Youth Fellowship Program. This innovative and creative program is directly involved in enabling racialized youth to get paid experience working in municipal governments and at various public policy making organizations across Canada.

The performers at the event included: Katheen Zaragosa (a Filipino music performer), Rithika Jeristus & Maya Jeristus (Bharatanatyam dancers) and Yasmin Said (spoken word artist)

UARR is looking forward to its 50th anniversary celebrations in 2025 and shared five of its strategic priorities for the next 10 years including:

  • Employment and economic opportunity: The goal is to foster inclusive workspaces and economic opportunities.
  • Education: The goal is to promote racial equity in education and research.
  • Communication: The goal is to expand public awareness and reach to amplify our stories.
  • Community engagement and outreach: The goal is building community capacity and convening towards change.
  • Truth and reconciliation-relationship building and supporting calls to action. The goal is to strengthen our solidarity and action towards truth and reconciliation.

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Community News

What is it about those short videos that keep us captivated? Oh! Yes! Our short attention span

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2 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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BY KAHA GEDI

As our attention spans decrease, short form videos are becoming more popular. From TikTok, to YouTube Shorts, to Instagram Reels, these “snack sized” videos have positive qualities alongside the bad. Mainly we want to know what makes them so effective, and why are they becoming the go-to choice for both viewers and marketers? In this article, I will be discussing how these videos have received such popularity worldwide.

First, we need to understand what counts as and what is short-form content. According to blog.hubspot.com, “Short-form videos are videos that are less than 60 seconds long.” However, some marketers and content creators agree that short-form videos can be up to 3 minutes. “They are videos that deliver information in a ‘digestible’ format so that viewers can quickly watch and save content if they’re in a hurry or enjoy it.” Now, I’ll talk about the main reasons why these videos are so popular.

First, our attention spans have gone down exponentially. Dr Gloria Mark has written a book called “Attention Span,” and she says her research indicates people’s attention spans have been shrinking over the last 20 years. According to the same article Dr. Mark said that “Back in 2004, we found the average attention span on any screen to be two and a half minutes on average. Throughout the years, it became shorter. So, around 2012, we found it to be 75 seconds. Then in the last five, six years, we found it to average about 47 seconds.” So, it’s notable that our attention spans started out longer but then decreased over time.

Secondly, these videos have become cheaper and easier to make. Unlike long-form videos, which require extensive: planning, editing, and storytelling, short-form videos are simpler. To the point where they can even be shot on a smartphone. For example, DuoLingo, the app that helps learn new languages, went viral on TikTok a long time ago by posting funny, low-budget videos that resonate with millions. Like a video of a DuoLingo plus being: tossed down the stairs, sitting outside on a rainy day, or being soaked by the shower with the title “When you ignore my notifications.”

Lastly, they provide valuable information in a short amount of time, and they are easily accessible. According to a recent Adobe Survey, two in five Americans use TikTok as a search engine, and nearly one in 10 Gen Zeers are more likely to rely on TikTok than Google as a search engine. This isn’t always reliable for real news because anyone can claim to be an expert, and you wouldn’t know if they’re telling the truth. So, even though they give valuable information in a short time, they can also give misinformation or mislead you.

Short-form videos have changed how we watch and learn things. They fit our short attention spans, are easy to make, and share information quickly. Even though they’re fun and helpful, they can also spread false information or leave out important details. Even with these problems, short-form videos are here to stay, so we should use them in proportion, but also enjoy the benefits.

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Dr. Edward McInnis on the Importance of Preventive Care in Family Medicine

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2 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Preventive care is a cornerstone of modern healthcare, emphasizing the importance of addressing potential health concerns before they escalate into severe conditions. By focusing on proactive measures such as regular screenings, vaccinations, and lifestyle counseling, preventive care offers individuals and communities the opportunity to achieve long-term wellness.

Below, Edward McInnis highlights the transformative potential of prevention in reducing healthcare disparities, alleviating systemic challenges, and ensuring that every individual has the tools and access needed to lead a healthier life.

Understanding Preventive Care in Family Medicine

Preventive care in family medicine focuses on proactive measures to maintain health and prevent illness before it occurs. This approach emphasizes regular health evaluations, screenings, and interventions that identify potential issues early, reducing the likelihood of severe complications. Preventive care fosters long-term well-being by addressing risk factors and promoting healthier lifestyles while minimizing the burden of chronic diseases.

The philosophy behind preventive care aligns with the idea that staying healthy is more effective and less costly than treating illnesses after they arise. Early detection of conditions such as hypertension or high cholesterol allows patients and physicians to manage these issues effectively, preventing them from escalating into more severe health problems. Beyond individual benefits, this care model contributes to healthier communities by reducing the overall demand for healthcare systems.

Benefits of Preventive Care for Individuals and Communities

Preventive care profoundly impacts individuals and the broader community by addressing potential health concerns before they evolve into severe conditions. Early detection through routine screenings can significantly lower the risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. This improves individual health outcomes and reduces the emotional and financial toll of managing advanced diseases.

Communities prioritizing preventive care experience a ripple effect of healthier populations and reduced strain on healthcare resources. When more people engage in regular check-ups and adopt healthier habits, the prevalence of preventable conditions drops, creating a collective benefit. Individuals who invest in their health through preventive measures often enjoy longer, more active lives, positively influencing families, workplaces, and society.

The economic advantages of preventive care are undeniable, as early intervention typically costs far less than treating advanced illnesses. Vaccination programs, such as those targeting seasonal flu or childhood diseases, can drastically curb outbreaks, saving lives and reducing medical expenses. These benefits demonstrate how preventive care is a cornerstone of sustainable and effective healthcare systems.

Core Preventive Services in Family Medicine

Family medicine emphasizes various preventive services designed to address health needs across all stages of life. Regular health screenings, such as blood pressure and cholesterol checks, are critical in identifying silent health risks. These assessments provide actionable insights that allow individuals to make timely adjustments to their lifestyles or begin treatment when necessary.

Vaccinations are another cornerstone of preventive care, protecting individuals and communities from infectious diseases. From childhood immunizations to seasonal flu shots, these interventions safeguard personal health and prevent the spread of illnesses within larger populations. Counseling services, including guidance on nutrition, exercise, and stress management, empower patients to take an active role in their long-term well-being.

The Role of Family Physicians in Prevention

Family physicians play a pivotal role in fostering preventive care through their ability to build lasting, trust-based relationships with patients. These relationships enable them to understand not just medical histories but also lifestyle factors, family dynamics, and social determinants of health. This comprehensive knowledge allows physicians to craft personalized preventive strategies that resonate with each patient’s unique circumstances, ensuring a more practical approach to maintaining health.

Beyond individual care, family physicians act as educators, equipping patients with the knowledge to make informed health decisions. Whether discussing the significance of regular screenings or addressing misconceptions about vaccines, their guidance helps patients take ownership of their health.

The continuity of care provided by family physicians also ensures that preventive measures are consistently monitored and adjusted as needed, fostering long-term well-being. Their ability to provide holistic and deeply personalized care sets the foundation for healthier patients and communities.

Challenges in Accessing Preventive Care

Despite its proven benefits, accessing preventive care remains challenging for many individuals and communities. Financial barriers, such as lack of insurance coverage or high out-of-pocket costs, often deter people from seeking preventive services. Additionally, limited awareness about the importance of early detection and health promotion means that some individuals may only prioritize preventive care once a health issue becomes severe.

Geographical disparities also play a significant role in limiting access. Rural and underserved areas frequently face shortages of healthcare providers, making it difficult for residents to receive consistent preventive services. In such regions, innovative approaches like mobile health clinics and telemedicine have emerged as solutions to bridge the gap. Expanding these efforts could help overcome logistical obstacles and ensure that preventive care reaches those most in need.

Cultural factors and mistrust of the healthcare system can further complicate access to preventive services. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach that includes community engagement, culturally sensitive care, and efforts to build trust between healthcare providers and patients. Strengthening health literacy and facilitating dialogue between healthcare institutions and the communities they serve are also critical steps in overcoming these barriers.

Promoting and Advancing Preventive Care

Advancing preventive care depends on raising awareness and fostering a culture that values proactive health management. Educational campaigns, workplace wellness programs, and school-based health initiatives encourage people to adopt preventive practices. These efforts create an environment where individuals feel empowered to prioritize their well-being, leading to healthier lifestyles and earlier intervention.

The integration of technology is revolutionizing how preventive care is delivered. Wearable devices that track physical activity, heart rate, and sleep patterns provide individuals with real-time data about their health, prompting timely action when irregularities arise. Similarly, data analytics and predictive tools enable healthcare providers to identify at-risk populations and deliver targeted interventions, improving outcomes on a broader scale.

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