Commemorative coins launched for Slavery, Indentureship

Oct 05, 2013 News

Two commemorative coins were launched yesterday by the Bank of Guyana (BOG) in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youths and Sports. The coins were in honour of the 250th Anniversary of the Berbice Slave Rebellion and the 175th anniversary of Indian Immigration to Guyana respectively.

Minister of Culture Youths and Sports Frank Anthony receiving his coins from BOG Deputy Governor Dr. Gobind Ganga

At the proceedings were the Deputy Governor of BOG, Dr. Gobind Ganga, Prime Minister (PM) Samuel Hinds, Minister of Culture Youths and Sports Dr. Frank Anthony and Minister of Finance Ashni Singh. There was also a cultural segment featuring African and Indian drums by the musicians from the Buxton Fusion School of Dance and the Teacher Ragu Tassa Group.
Deputy Governor Ganga, speaking at the launching of the coins, said that the Bank took the decision to have the coins made upon the request of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. He said that the designs on the reverse side of the coins were provided by the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports through a competition that was held for that specific purpose.
The winners of the competition, Adrian Juman (1763 Coin Designer) and Courtney Douglas (1838 Coin Designer) were present at the launching. They were recipients of the Commemorative coins that they helped to fashion.
Ganga said that the coins are limited editions and can be used as legal tender with the value on the coins worth $2,000; these commemorative coins he mentioned will be on sale at the BOG from Monday.
Minister Anthony spoke to the history associated with Slavery and Indentureship. He described both of them as being horrendous acts that Africans and Indians faced

Courtney Douglas design used for the Indentureship commemorative coin.

and surmounted by way of rebellion.
Finance Minister Singh said that from Slavery and Indentureship to now “we have become a Guyanese people with shared values, objectives and a common cause”. Singh posited that our ancestors made the ultimate sacrifice for Guyanese freedom and we owe them an immeasurable and eternal debt. He then said it is in remembrance of them these commemorative coins were fashioned.
Persons who were present were treated individually to the rhythmic beating of drums by the musicians mentioned above, each group made their respective presentations, which reverberated melodic sounds across the room, afterwards both groups came together and played their drums in unison topping off the already melodic sounds.
The coins were handed over to Honorary President, Dr. Yesu Persaud of the Indian Commemoration Trust (ICT) and The African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) Executive Director Eric Phillips.
The other officials present also received coins.