Some thoughts on African independence

Dec 30, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
I cannot allow “The Year Of People of African Descent” to come to a close without making the following two points of historical significance to all Guyanese.
The first is to state that the freedoms that all Guyanese enjoy stem from the date of the emancipation of African slaves on the 1st August, 1834. On that date all African slaves in Guyana were set free from bondage.
It was written within the instrument of emancipation that no descendant of the freed African slaves should ever be enslaved again.
What is the effect of this written covenant that was signed by the White slave plantation owners and the representatives of the African slaves is that the leaders of the African population should at all times seek to retain some sort of governance over the growth and development of the African population in this country.
The second point of historical significance that I wish to make relates to the actions of the freed slaves after they came off the sugar estates.
These freed slaves used their freed status to set about working in the social and political services of this country with great enthusiasm to build it and develop it for their own benefit and for the benefit of their children.
We must remember that some of the physical structures of this country such as the seawall, canals, certain streets and even Brickdam were built from the raw strength of the African slaves using only pickaxes, shovels and spades. There were no draglines, bulldozers or grovecranes at their disposal.
In the light of these historical events I find the statements of Attorney At Law James Bond in his article, “ A Complex Truth” very troubling.
These statements represent the statement of the little child in the story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” when the child said that the Emperor was not wearing any clothes, that he was as naked as the day that he was born.
When Dr Roger Luncheon can say in a court case that the PPP/C Government cannot consider any African Guyanese to be qualified enough to represent Guyana abroad then we know without doubt that there are serious problems here.
Attorney-At-Law James Bond in his article in the Guyana Press stated that the leaders of the PNC in their representations to GECOM, in relation to specific matters relating to the November 28, 2011 elections, to Mr Steve Surujbally and Gocool Boodoo concluded that “…Understandably the PNCR called foul, understandably they said they smelt a rat a smelly one at that …”
In so far as I can see, an unprecedentedly high level of disrespect was shown to certain people who are supposed to be representing the interest and well-being of the African people in this country then I will have to state to whoever is ignorant of certain facts that this is not the way to go.
The year of The People of African descent should not close without me making this statement that I respect the positions of the young people who feel that this country no longer cares about their growth and development.
Take it from me, someone still “making it through the rain”, that you have good reason to be vigilant about your future development.
Juliet Holder-Allen
Attorney-At-Law

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Some thoughts on African independence

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