Wake up before Guyana’s decline is too late — Hamilton Green — Opinion

Wake up before Guyana’s decline is too late

October 16, 2026·4 min read

Dear Editor,

I have just returned from the funeral service for the late Robert H O Corbin, CCH, a grand Guyanese who served with distinction from his early teens. It was a fitting farewell, in spite of a mild touch of hyperbole from some of the presenters. Upon reflection I felt compelled to deal with this important question of the state of our moral sense.

Over the years, efforts have been made to inject a moral sense into the veins of our political leaders, I quote from the Encyclopedia of Philosophy, where this question was raised; “if morality is not founded on God’s will, where is the foundation laid?… the most promising direction for a search appeared to be in human nature itself.” “The first Englishman to search for the foundation of morals in human nature, Thomas Hobbs, returned with a brilliantly stated but outrageous report. He found that “good” and “evil” are relative to the person who uses these words.” … “As for our motives for pursuing good and avoiding evil, they may be summed up as self-interest.” Is this our dilemma in Guyana?

Generations in every corner of the globe have always been influenced and conditioned by tall tantalising tales told by the master class, a group of persons in charge of our education, information, history and now technological apparatus. I avoid the tedium of examining history as told to us by our erstwhile European masters, safe to say that history may be repeating itself. One example is sufficient; as a youngster if you wanted to insult someone who may have committed some error of judgement or behaved as a delinquent or a buffoon, we would state that he or she “must have come from Timbuktu”. It is only as an adult studying the several continents that I discovered that Timbuktu, contrary to its earlier characterisation, was an advanced centre of learning and culture in West Africa, the envy of those in Europe and elsewhere.

This deception has led to the twisting of our history, by a master class. The deception of what is real and true continues in Guyana unabated. This situation is the foundation upon which corruption, immorality and evil thrives, and unless this condition is recognised, and curative actions taken, like the Barima, we will sink taking lives, property and our history.

Over the years, saints and prophets came on earth with messages, rules and laws to ensure that a certain moral code dictates our lives and conditions our beliefs, from Apostacy, to Bahai, to Buddhism, tonChristianity, to Hinduism, to Islam, to Judaism, and the Rastafarians belief, these among others have set up rules and a moral code to determine what is right or wrong, what is acceptable or unacceptable in a modern society. Here lies the massive problem in Guyana, those who have been charged as religious leaders oft times succumb to the attraction of material things doled out by an administration that is neither untainted, nor cling to the rules and precepts of the several beliefs they, the government, publicly claim to support.

A few hours ago, we learnt of a proposal for the closure of J.E. Burnham Primary School in Kitty, no discussion, no explanation, but most likely part of an ongoing process of ‘brain-washing’ and influencing the new generation, by distorting and destroying our history.

Today we have in office a party founded, on the foundation of justice, socialist principles and the pursuit of eradicating the evils and disparities of colonialism. Yet, we now allocate to ordinary citizens about eight house lots per one acre of land, but we have one superstar, from photographic evidence, being allocated at least one hundred and fifty acres of land.^[1]

Earlier this week, the Opposition leader, Azruddin Mohamed was, not for the first time, hauled into a police station, the police alleged that despite earlier searches, an unlicensed handgun was found under the acceleration pedal of the car.^[2] Few, very few, would believe this ‘nancy-story’. How could you operate a car with a gun underneath the acceleration pedal?

Of course, we are yet to obtain a report of a single bridge, road, dam, canal structure, or building that was satisfactorily completed within the tendered budget allocation and time frame. But the spending spree continues unabated. Now we are hearing that government may have to pay for the maintenance of the pipeline, that should have been put to use two years ago.^[3] We are also told that to ease the pressure causing ‘black-outs’ we should, in the fastest growing economy, use less fans and air-conditioningunits. That is progress according to this administration.

It is unnecessary to burden this letter with details and issues which the independent media have been bringing to light. The time has come for citizens everywhere to wake-up and do what is necessary to arrest this decline before it is too late. Years ago, based on Edwards Bulwer-Lytton play “the Conspiracy”, we were persuaded that the ‘pen is mightier than the sword’. In spite of the gloom in Guyana and elsewhere, let us remain optimistic.

Sincerely,
Elder Hamilton Green

References

In 1990, Michael Douglas bought a historic Mallorca estate for $3.5 million; 36 years later, after once asking $60 million, he still keeps the 190-acre property as his family retreat – Odisha Today News Network Pvt Ltd

odishatoday.com · 2026-10-16

October 16, 2026 Odisha Today Michael Douglas recently gave a sneak peek into the Spanish estate he shares with his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones. He also opened up about why the historic property remains a cherished part of their lives. Set on 190 acres on the island of Mallorca, the estate overlooks the breathtaking Mediterranean Sea. It is a private retreat surrounded by nature. ... In a recent House Call interview with The Wall Street Journal, Douglas, 82, discussed how he and Zeta-Jones, 57, divide their time between their homes in New York City and Mallorca.“Our Mallorca house dates to 1867 and sits on 190 acres. We love being surrounded by nature and our serene view and privacy,” Douglas said. ... The estate, known as S’Estaca, sits on the northwest coast of Mallorca, between the villages of Valldemossa and Deià. Douglas purchased the property in 1990 with his first wife, Diandra Luker, for $3.5 million. Luker had spent summers on the island since she was a child and was the one who introduced Douglas to it. Later, in an interview with Ultima Hora, the actor spoke about the ‘uncomfortable’ period of sharing the estate with his ex-wife, Luker, following their divorce. “It was very uncomfortable to share the house of S’Estaca with my ex-wife, Diandra. Six months each was not a pleasant thing for anyone,” he said. Years later, Catherine Zeta-Jones bought Luker’s share, making the couple the sole owners. ... The property comprises seven separate buildings spread across about 190 acres. The main residence has 10 bedrooms and can host up to 20 guests. It also has a library, a gym, a spa, a wine cellar and a private pier for boats. Over the years, Douglas has made updates to the property while ensuring that its old-world charm, stone architecture and views remain intact. In 2014, the couple put the estate on the market for nearly $60 million. However, the house did not sell. Five years later, Douglas narrated a promotional video for the property, and the asking price dropped to about $32.7 million.“My life has taken a new course. And now it’s time for me to let someone else enjoy the privilege and adventure of owning S’Estaca,” Douglas said in the video at the time, according to Architectural Digest. ... After the couple became the sole owners of the estate, they decided to hold on to it, watching their two children, son Dylan, 26, and daughter Carys, 23, grow up there. Douglas has since taken the estate off the market. Seven years after the promotional video, the house remains a family retreat. Douglas loves to read “in my fuchsia armchair next to an open window facing the sea”. He also has a ‘movie room’ that doubles as a workout studio. “My Trackman doubles as a home theatre… [I hit] golf balls on my Trackman video setup in the wine cellar,” he told the WSJ. In 2024, while speaking to Spanish news station IB3 at the Atlantida Mallorca Film Festival, Douglas said that Mallorca had become his ‘second home’. “Mallorca is my second home. I’ve been here for 35 years, and to receive this honour from the Queen is muy especial,” he told the station. The couple split their time between their four homes: one in Canada, one in Spain and two in New York. They love everything Mallorca has to offer. “I know it sounds very jet set, and I love to surround myself with beauty, but it’s not excessive. It’s very comfortable,” she said. Over the years, the couple has welcomed many famous visitors. Several well-known personalities who have stayed at the Mediterranean estate include Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer and Jack Nicholson, according to Architectural Digest. Source link ####

Source

Wake up before Guyana’s decline is too late in Kiskadee Watch, October 16, 2026

Opposition leader arrested after apparent gunshot outside police spy chief’s residence – Demerara Waves Online News- Guyana

demerarawaves.com · 2026-10-13

Opposition leader arrested after apparent gunshot outside police spy chief’s residence – Demerara Waves Online News- Guyana # Opposition leader arrested after apparent gunshot outside police spy chief’s residence by Written By Denis Chabrol Tuesday, 13 October 2026, 8:08 Last Updated on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, 22:17 by Writer Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, his driver and another man look on as plainclothes police conduct another search Head of the Guyana Police Force’s Special Branch, Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, who is a witness in a United States extradition request hearing, opened fire on a vehicle late Monday night after he heard what appeared to be a gunshot while a car transporting Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and two other persons passed by his residence a second time, police said in a statement. “Investigations further revealed that as the vehicle approached his residence on the second occasion, Senior Superintendent Narine heard what appeared to be a gunshot. He took cover and discharged several rounds from his service firearm in the direction of the vehicle, which subsequently drove away,” police said in a statement. The Head of Special Branch said he was at his residence when he observed the car travelling slowly along Barr Street. The vehicle passed his residence before returning to the area a short while later. The incident occurred several hours before Mr Mohamed was due to appear at the Guyana Court of Appeal for a civil case challenging the constitutionality of several provisions of the Fugitive Offenders Act. Mr Narine, who has been on the witness stand in the extradition hearing before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman, has deemed Mr Mohamed a threat to national security and cited his alleged involvement in a number of homicides. He has never been charged with any of those alleged offences. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) said the vehicle — a black Toyota Allion motorcar bearing registration number PXX 5300 — was subsequently intercepted at Vlissengen Road and Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, with Mr Mohamed, 25-year-old Mario Mohamed of Timehri, East Bank Demerara and 35-year-old Eugene Thorne a driver of Timehri, East Bank Demerara. Police said a search conducted on the motorcar in the presence of the three occupants led to the discovery of a .32 Taurus pistol without a serial number, along with three live rounds of .32 ammunition. “The three men were subsequently arrested in connection with possession of a firearm and ammunition without a licence,” police said. One .32 spent shell was recovered on the southern side of Barr Street, obliquely opposite the residence, while four 9mm spent shells were also recovered, police added. Police said the firearm, ammunition and spent shells were lodged pending ballistic examination, while CCTV footage from the area will be reviewed as part of the investigation. Mr Mohamed and his lawyer Siand Dhurjon said the firearm that was located under the accelerator pedal was planted there by police.

An Idle Pipeline Costing Guyanese Billions Is Not Development—It Is Waste! – Village Voice News

villagevoicenews.com · 2026-10-12

Let me make this easy for every Guyanese to understand. The pipeline was built. The pipeline was laid. The pipeline has been sitting there, filled with nitrogen, waiting for the plant at Wales. The plant has been delayed. The costs have continued to rise and now, before the system has even delivered its first commercial benefit to the people of Guyana, ExxonMobil is telling us that another round of maintenance will have to be carried out from October into December because an anomaly was identified during inspection. Nobody should object to proper inspection or maintenance of critical infrastructure. That is not the issue. The issue is the quality of the planning behind the entire project. When you are spending billions of dollars of Guyanese money, you do not build one major component years ahead of another and then leave that infrastructure sitting idle, accumulating costs, while the rest of the project struggles to come together. ... Guyanese homes pay through higher electricity costs. Businesses pay through higher operating costs. The economy pays through lost productivity. Also, through the additional costs of maintaining, inspecting, repairing and managing infrastructure that should have been properly coordinated with the completion of the shore facility at Wales. So, I want the Government to tell Guyanese plainly, how much has it cost to keep this pipeline sitting idle? How much has been spent on inspection? How much has been spent on mobilisation? How much will this current offshore intervention cost? What excavation and reinstatement works have already been undertaken? How many times has work had to be done around this pipeline? And what additional costs have been generated because the pipeline was completed long before the Wales facility was ready? ... The Government chose Wales as the location for this project ... that decision, ... what Guyanese have witnessed is a project surrounded by delays, rising costs, technical challenges and an ever-moving completion date. ... This is where government planning matters. The Government cannot manage a country by announcing projects faster than it can plan them. The Government cannot build a pipeline and then wait years for the facility that is supposed to use it. The Government cannot allow billions of dollars to move through a project and then tell the public simply to be patient whenever the deadline moves and the cost goes up. Also, the government certainly cannot use Guyana’s newfound oil wealth as an excuse for weak financial discipline. Oil money should make the government more accountable, not less accountable. ... What was the original cost? What is the cost today? What caused the increases? What has been spent on the pipeline while it has remained out of operation? What will this latest maintenance programme cost? What additional expenditure has resulted from delays? What was the original completion date? Why was the pipeline completed so far ahead of the shore facility? Also, why was Wales considered the best location for this project? ... Instead, they are watching billions being spent while the project continues to encounter delays and additional costs. That is not what development is supposed to look like. Development cannot be the number of projects announced. Development is whether the project is properly planned, properly executed, delivered on time, delivered within a reasonable cost and whether the ordinary citizen actually feels the benefit. A pipeline sitting offshore for years before the plant it was built to serve is ready is not development, it is a warning sign and the Government needs to stop treating these warnings as inconveniences. ... We have the resources. We have the money. What we need is better planning, stronger accountability and greater respect for the public purse because when the government gets the planning wrong, it is not the government that pays. Guyanese pay and have been paying for this poor planning for far too long.