Dear Editor,
The Co-operative Republic of Guyana is celebrating the 56th anniversary since she declared herself as a sovereign nation on the 23rd February, 1970. From the captive days of slavery-ship to the deceived days of indentureship, this country, while exposed and experimented with colonialism to imperialism, has metamorphosed from independence to republican status.
With a colorful history, this land of many waters has traversed a passageway for the mixed races to experience: dictatorship and democracy, socialism and capitalism, richness and poverty, cultural extravagance and moral decline, law and order and lawlessness and disorderliness, justice and injustice, transparency and corruption, free and fair election and election rigging, development and destruction.
The British Monarchy was replaced by a Guyanese President who became the head of state in 1970. As a free country, this meant that Guyana enjoyed the autonomy of making her own decisions to run the country without answering to any foreign power.
This move, unfortunately, generated the early downfall of a young nation that was about to sink into a dictatorial abyss for the next 28 years. Under the tyranny of a PNC Government led first by Forbes Burnham to be followed by Desmond Hoyt until 1992, Guyana saw the gains left by Dr. Cheddi Jagan from the PPP in 1964, watered down wastefully to a bankrupt nation.
This final step was taken after gaining independence from England on the 26th May, 1966 with Forbes Burnham from the PNC Party becoming the first Prime Minister. The Guyanese Sir David Rose in 1966 replaced the British Sir Richard Luyt as the Governor General and was the representative of Queen Elizabeth 11.
The dark forces of England coupled with the devious work of the USA, attributed to Cheddi Jagan being thrown out of power to be banned for 28 years. Burnham was on the parole of the CIA to ensure that the Communist PPP was denied rulership of British Guiana. But it was the help of the US Government who helped the PPP to regain power, both in 1992 and 2020.
After a tragic accident in 1969, Sir David Rose was killed and was replaced by Guyanese Sir Edward Victor Luckoo who served as acting Governor General until Arthur Chung, a Chinese from Windsor-Forest in Region 3 became Guyana’s first President. Region 3 was again blessed with Dr. Irfaan Ali as Guyana’s 10th President.
Known before as British Guiana, a British colony in the West Indies, Dr. Cheddi Jagan was the first Guyanese to challenge the British for rulership of this country. At the onset of the first election, he was elected as the first Chief Minister in 1953 but with restricted powers. He was elected as the first Premier and served from 5th September 1961 to 12th December 1964 as leader of the PPP. Dr. Jagan did not return to power again until 1992 when he was appointed as Guyana’s first democratically elected President. No wonder he is referred to as the “Father of the Nation.”
After being disgraced as the second poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere ahead of Haiti with the blessings of the PNC, it was thanks to the PPP government, more so former President Dr. Bharat Jagdeo, who rescued this nation until 2015 from the jaws of economic death to a prosperous nation once again, without any oil revenue.
This country has a bloody path of betrayal which manifested during the course of pre-independence and post republicanism. In 1953, Cheddi took Forbes to India and met with Prime Minister Nehru to gain support for the struggle of independence for then British Guiana. Nehru told Cheddi, “You have a snake among you.”
It was Jessie Burnham, Forbes’ elder sister who warned, “Beware my brother Forbes.” His Motto was, “the personal ends of power justify ANY means used to achieve them.” Burnham split from Jagan and gave birth to the PNC party in 1957. Fingers pointed to Burnham and the PNC as the intellectual architect for WPA founder/leader, Dr. Walter Rodney’s assassination on 13th June 1980.
A woman vendor at Bourda market once moaned and mourned, “Burnham mek Satan cry!” Father Bernard Darke, a British photographer, was brutally murdered on 14th July 1979 by members of the House of Israel which was led by Rabbi Washington, an organisation closely aligned to Burnham, being the dangerous and destructive arm of the PNC to carry out their dirty work. On 24th October 1979, then Education Minister Vincent Teekah was killed. The sudden death of one time Information Minister, Shirley Field-Ridley, remains a mystery. The hurried removal of Dr. Oswaldene Walker and GDF Sgt. Gregory Smith from Guyana, is an open secret with guilt labelled on the PNC.
As Guyana celebrates the 56th anniversary, we cannot forget: the 7 lives lost on 26th February 2006 at the Eccles-Agricola Massacre; 11 lives lost on 26th January 2008 at the Lusignan Massacre and the 12 lives lost on 17th February 2008 at the Bartica Massacre!
Guyanese are reminded of the Great Fire of Georgetown which took place on 23rd February, 1945, decimating 23 buildings and damaging several others. Of course, Burnham chose this date as a primary reminder of the Berbice Slave Rebellion which commenced on 23rd February 1763 at Magdalenenberg. Miss Guyana 1967, Shakira Baksh-Caine, a resident from Region 3 and 2nd runner up at the 1967 Miss World Contest, was born on 23rd February 1947.
After working hard to put the “People’s”First” party back in power for a 2nd term, all Guyanese deserve to celebrate Mashramani. Congratulations Guyana on this 56 Republic anniversary.