Dear Editor,
Due to the challenging and even perilous times in the world presently, we need to feel inspired and inspire the world by displaying our national heroes and their accomplishments. Having a comprehensive cultural identity can only help us and not hurt. Let us reflect on the cultural aspects that we readily showcase such as an eclectic array of food emanating from our various ethnic groups and our religious customs. What other cultural aspects could we promote and share with people around the world for them to learn about and enjoy?
Guyana has produced outstanding people in many fields. The list is lengthy and besides Cuffy, Damion and Quamina who led slave revolts, I will name some and not in order of importance: Lance Gibbs, Basil Butcher, Colin Croft, Rohan Kanhai, Dave Martins, Sir Shridath Ramphal, Sir Ronald Sanders, Eddie Grant, Ron Robinson, Nicolette Fernandes, Stephen Campbell, E.R Braithwaite, Valerie Amos, Lynette Dolphin, Walter Rodney, Edgar Mittleholzer, Norman Beaton, Andaiye, Martin Carter, Wilson Harris, David Dabydeen, A.J Seymour, Ian McDonald et al.
Their names should be on posters or names of streets throughout our country and their contributions to Guyana and the world, compiled and lodged in our museum(s). A museum should be erected in each region. The airport at Timehri was renamed the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and the recently completed bridge over the Demerara River was named the Bharrat Jagdeo bridge. It seems like we make everything political and about political Parties. The accomplishments of the two major Parties (now three), have not been given equal recognition.
Our roadways and public sector buildings display our current President, Vice-President and Prime Minister and these are ubiquitous from the airports to destination. We know who our governmental leaders are and our visitors cannot benefit from being constantly reminded of this. In Jamaica and Barbados, to name a couple of member states within Caricom, photographs of their governmental leaders are not widely displayed. However, their museums, statues and buildings pay tribute to some of their various heroes.
Infrastructure is not just about roads, bridges, drainage and irrigation and recreational facilities, to name some of its features. Besides schools, places for public edification that honour those who have contributed to our growth, should be established to show genuine appreciation. As the late Dave Martins penned and sang so beautifully and woefully, “Where are our heroes Caribbean?”