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No amount of propaganda can wish away Burnham’s contributions – Corbin
The People’s National Congress Reform will have a presence in Barbados as the legacy of the late Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham among other prominent Caribbean leaders namely, Vere Cornwall Bird and Errol Walton Barrow, this Thursday. This is according to leader of the party, Robert Corbin, who reiterated that a party Executive Member, Aubrey Armstrong, is based in Barbados.
Corbin also took the opportunity to commend the organisers of the event saying that no amount of propaganda could wish away the contributions of late Forbes Burnham. He added that a recently conducted poll had named him as the Caribbean man of the century.
He said that the recognition that the trio will afforded gives credence to their contribution, adding that Burnham was critical as it relates to what he did for the region in terms of integration and on the local front teaching Guyanese the need for freedoms.
The celebrations in honour of the trio will be held at Bath Beach, St John, and will feature entertainment from Antigua, Barbados and Guyana.
There will also be addresses from Prime Minister David Thompson and Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, former Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Sir James Mitchell, Ascott Michael from Antigua and Grenada’s Foreign Minister Peter David.
It was Barrow, Forbes Burnham of Guyana and Vere Bird of Antigua who were instrumental in the formation of the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) in the 1960s, the precursor of Caricom.
Speaking at a press briefing recently, Barbados Minister of Community Development and Culture, Steve Blackett, said the contribution of all the national heroes was necessary for connecting Barbadians to the past.
“We have on our calendar two bank holidays that we need to utilise more to accentuate the noble and sterling contributions of these nation builders. We intend to seek out creative ways of beaming our messages into households in Barbados and abroad.”
The event will feature entertainment from the likes of Krosfyah, Li’l Rick, Peter Coppin and Monsta Piece, Colin Spencer and a number of local DJs. Antigua’s Red Hot Flames and Guyana’s Mingles Sound Machine will be flying to Barbados for the event.
Burnham was born in Kitty, British Guiana on February 20, 1923. He was the son of Methodist parents, James Ethelbert Burnham and Rachel Abigail Sampson. Burnham had two marriages in his life, which produced five daughters.
The first was to Sheila Bernice Lataste, in 1951. Roxane, Annabelle, and Francesca were the fruits of that union.
The second, in 1967, was to Viola Victorine Harper who bore him Melanie and Ulele.
Burnham attended Kitty Methodist School for his primary education and Central High School for his secondary.
His higher education consisted of Queen’s College in Guyana and the University of London in England. In 1947, he received his law degree from the University of London. He had many distinguishing honours in his life including the Order of Excellence of Guyana.
Burnham played a major role in establishing both major political parties in Guyana. In 1950, he and Dr. Cheddi Jagan co-founded the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). Five years later, he split from the PPP to form the People’s National Congress (PNC). He was the Prime Minister of Guyana from 1964 until he became President in 1980.
He held the office of the presidency until his death in 1985. He died on August 6, 1985, at the age of 62. He was undergoing a throat operation in a hospital in Georgetown.
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