Latest update April 4th, 2025 6:13 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Republic Day

Feb 23, 2011 Editorial

Today should be one of the proudest days in the life of our nation – Republic Day. While some may confer that honour on Independence Day, May 26th, we do believe that because our umbilical cord to the colonial power, Britain, was retained through the Governor-General, we were not quite “free”.  On February 23rd, 1970, when we chose to declare ourselves a “Republic”, we severed all those ties and assumed all responsibilities for our present and our future. We were finally free to chart our own course to make our dreams and aspirations become reality.
It ought to be of interest to the present generation that while there was vehement disagreement between the two leaders regarded as the fathers of our nation, Dr Cheddi Jagan and Mr L.F.S. Burnham, as to the date chosen for Independence, there was complete unanimity on February 23rd as the beginning of our Republican status. On this Republic Day, forty-one years after that fateful beginning let us reflect on the reason for that confluence of views.
February 23rd was chosen because it is accepted that on this day in 1763, Cuffy launched one of the earliest and greatest attacks on the institution of slavery; the epitome of oppression. Cuffy and his fellow slaves at Magdalenenburg, up the Berbice River, were making the most emphatic statement possible against that state of affairs. They placed their lives on the line – and eventually lost those lives – to declare that oppression is not an acceptable condition for any human being. Our early modern leaders acknowledged that lesson from their own experiences and those of so many other colonials who had to struggle for their freedom, two hundred years after Cuffy.
Today our Republic is besieged by forces other than slavery and imperialism, but no less powerful, that would keep up in thraldom.
It is rather ironic that the two countries that staged the most potent attacks on slavery in the Western Hemisphere, Guyana and Haiti, are wallowing at the bottom of the development indices. Some of those early forces have morphed into more sophisticated and subtle neo-imperialistic forms represented by the omnibus term “globalisation” and these must be discerned and overcome if we are to reap the benefits of Republicanism.
But we would also have to acknowledge that the forces that hold us back and down are not all from without. And in this we have apparently also forgotten the lessons of Cuffy’s rebellion, which our founding leaders signalled, in selecting this day as Republic Day.
We not only have to remember why Cuffy and his fellow slaves rose up to fight oppression but also why they were defeated. Maybe it is now a cliché to observe that those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them – first as tragedy and then as farce. But, as with all clichés, there is a more than a kernel of truth in its explication.
One of the primary reasons for the failure of the 1763 Rebellion was the inability of the slaves to remain united against a resolute enemy and their refusal to maintain discipline to sustain their initial victory.
They dissolved into warring factions and revelling bands. For Cuffy and his brave warriors, their ignominious end was indeed unfortunate.
But when our modern leaders, claiming to be inspired by Cuffy, repeated the earlier mistakes; fractured the united nationalist movement and plunged the country into bloody internecine skirmishes, this was tragedy of the highest order.
After a scare, precipitated literally by the inundations earlier in the week, we will once again be celebrating our attainment of Republican status in our festival of Mashramani. For one day at least we hope that our modern leaders will put aside their partisan mindset. We hope therefore that all the Mash celebrants will end up in one location so that we may rekindle our togetherness and give some meaning to our national Motto: One Nation, One People One Destiny.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 31st, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

 

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Saints and GTI dominate as YBG Georgetown Regional Conference continues

Saints and GTI dominate as YBG Georgetown Regional Conference...

Apr 04, 2025

Kaieteur Sports- The Georgetown Regional Conference continued in thrilling fashion on Wednesday at the National Gymnasium hardcourt, with dominant performances from Saints Stanislaus and Government...
Read More
Carty misses ton, Hamilton (80) sets up tense battle as Harpy Eagles speed ace Alimohamed bags 5

Carty misses ton, Hamilton (80) sets up tense...

Apr 04, 2025

Annandale Sec’ dominates latest fixtures in Region #4 leg of the Jagan Memorial Windball Competition

Annandale Sec’ dominates latest fixtures in...

Apr 04, 2025

GPF FC to tackle Slingerz tomorrow as GFF Elite League Season VII continues

GPF FC to tackle Slingerz tomorrow as GFF Elite...

Apr 04, 2025

Permaul’s Trading & Distribution joins forces for the 2025 O40s T20 tournament

Permaul’s Trading & Distribution joins...

Apr 04, 2025

All set for Rotary Club of NA Childhood Obesity Prevention Inter Secondary School Tapeball Cricket competition final and semifinal today

All set for Rotary Club of NA Childhood Obesity...

Apr 04, 2025

Features/Columnists

  • The reciprocal tariffs

    Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has once again proven his talent for making the indefensible... more

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]