A people without history are like zombies walking aimlessly

Oct 02, 2015 Letters

Dear Editor,
Please permit me space in your column to express my views on the subject “The R. H. Carr, the Steam Boat at Skull Point.”
During my school days, I did history on Christopher Columbus, the ‘great discoverer’ of the West Indies and Sir Walter Raleigh, and many other historical foreigners.
As I grew into adulthood, I became fascinated with practical history, which stimulated my interest, especially on local heritage sites. It was said some time ago, “he who forgets his past is doomed to repeat it.” My understanding of that statement is, “history must be taught to the babes and suckling.”
To date, I’ve made models or representations of the M. V. Independence, a cargo boat or ship, hull made of aluminum and it was constructed by Guyanese in Guyana. That boat plied between Georgetown and the town of Linden many years ago. The Christianburg Water Wheel, which was owned and operated by a Scottish engineer, whose name was Mr. John Dalgish Patterson in the year 1855. The Son Chapman Launch owned by Mr. Norman Chapman, a resident of Mackenzie, which was blown to pieces at Hurudala, Demerara River during the 1964 riot.
Extracts from speeches made by the late President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, the late President Dr Cheddi Bharrat Jagan, the late South African President Mr. Nelson Mandela, the late American freedom fighter Mr. Martin Luther King Jr., The President of United States of America Mr. Barack Obama and others can be seen posted publicly within Linden town to bring historic awareness to my fellow citizens and countrymen.
The subject in which I ask to share my views is the “S. S. R. H. Carr, Steam Boat at Skull Point.” She, as it was referred to, was named after Mr. Ralph Hamilton Carr, who was Chairman of Messrs Sprostons LTD. Its first name was S.S. Potaro, but it was renamed after Mr. Hamilton died in the year 1926. The S. S. R. H. Carr came to British Guiana in 1927 after it was launched at the Deeside Shipyard of Messrs James Crichton & Co. LTD at Saltney Liverpool. It was built mainly to operate between Georgetown and the river districts of Wismar, Christianburg and Mackenzie. During its operation between the years 1927 – 1969, it had its share of mechanical and other problems.
After the introduction of the Soesdyke/Linden Highway in 1969, the faithful mother, grandmother with a man’s name was removed from the river she travelled for 42 years and was seen no more by many Lindeners.
Quite recently, I was in conversation with friends, discussing the Berbice River issue and the introduction of the River Taxi, when someone made mention of the S. S. R. H. Carr. That name sounded foreign to many. Those of us who travelled frequently on that boat, started to recapture the good and bad, and the many hours we took to arrive at our destination. Then, the sad news was broken, the S. S. R. HCarr, the Steam Boat is at Skull Point on the Mazaruni River in ruins. It sounded like the plot for the Pirates of the Caribbean film, but it’s true.
I was shocked and very disturbed to learn, that this boat, The S. S. R. HCarr, the first boat I had travelled on at the age of six years is in ruins and no one in authority seems interested to make it a historical publication. A quote, “Jeremiah 31:7- See, I will bring them from the land of the Northland and gather them from the ends of the earth because I am Israel’s father.”
It’s not easy to put into people, things we are dumb about. But history is life, let’s teach it and learn it, because a people without history are like zombies walking aimlessly.
We leave our beautiful Guyana to visit other countries only to return to brag about the good times we had and historic sites we visited, but do we as a people really know what occurred on the 23rd of February, the date Guyanese celebrate Mashramani? Do we really know why Guyana was named the Co-operative Republic of Guyana? Do we know why some time ago the opposition party was called the minority party?
Let’s not forget, politics corrupts our mind and business people eat what is in pockets. History and culture is surely dying slowly. Citizens, brothers, sisters, people of Guyana, preservation is so important to all of us. “Let us try.”
B. Winslow Parris

Latest News

A people without history are like zombies walking aimlessly

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 14th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Fifties from Knight/Alleyne, bowlers help Barbados trounce Guyana

Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Haiti Dominate...

Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali to replace...

Jagdeo urges Associations to take a business...

The Battle for Barbados: One Guyana Racing Stable...

Tyrrell breaks 12-year-old school record to claim...

Features/Columnists

The PPP/C’s rotten return

Why the U.S. Should Strengthen Trade Ties with the Caribbean

Elections’ victory

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

A people without history are like zombies walking aimlessly

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| February, 14th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]