Attributes often used to characterise a Failed State

Aug 06, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
There is extensive academic literature on Failed States and their characteristics, including writings by scholars such as Noam Chomsky and Max Weber.
Wikipedia states that the attributes often used to characterise a Failed State are loss of physical control of its territory, erosion of legitimate authority to make collective decisions, an inability to provide reasonable public services and an inability to interact with other states as a full member of the international community.
In addition to Failed States there is literature also on Failing States whose characteristics include a central government which cannot exercise practical control over much of its territory, non-provision of public services, sharp economic decline, refugees and involuntary movement of populations and widespread corruption and criminality.

A Failed States Index is compiled annually by the think-tank Fund for Peace and Foreign Policy Magazine. According to the 2009 list, 177 states are included of which 38 are classified as “Alert”, 93 as “Warning” and 33 as “Moderate”. Guyana is in the “Warning’’ category. Other CARICOM and neighbouring countries in that category are Brazil, Suriname, Venezuela, Belize, Jamaica, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda and The Bahamas. Global players such as China, Russia, Israel and South Africa are in the same group.
In the Kaieteur News issue of July 27th, Freddie Kissoon postulates a theory (his word) that Guyana is a failed state.

He explains in detail how backed up faeces from Georgetown toilets help lead him to this realisation. He adds, “My research into the politics of authoritarian power reveals that in Guyana there is the degeneracy where decision makers are cocooned in a labyrinthine, Sicilian and Byzantine network with dubious income-earners in which narco-trafficking is an open secret. These are the characteristics of a failed state”.
We are all incensed at the ever-lower depths to which this nation is sinking. Kissoon, our country’s foremost academician/columnist, should instruct Foreign Policy Magazine and Fund for Peace about his new and revolutionary definition of a failed state.
His knowledge and experience of Guyana’s authoritarian power and Georgetown’s plumbing defects would allow them to situate Guyana in its proper place in the Failed States Index.
Peter Van Sluytman

Latest News

Attributes often used to characterise a Failed State

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 4th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

GCA, East Coast surge to huge wins

GFF/Concacaf kick off two-day Match Commissioners...

Chase’s Academic outclass Bartica to move...

Three Miles Secondary make clean sweep of Jagan...

National Chess champions off to Trinidad and...

‘One Guyana’ 3×3 Quest tips off today

Features/Columnists

This must not be our hour of humiliation

The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation

Security – Guyana needs it, pays for it

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Attributes often used to characterise a Failed State

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 4th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]