Latest update January 18th, 2025 7:00 AM
The big jubilee celebration was necessary
Dear Editor,
I’m a regular reader of Mr. Freddie Kisson’s column, some of which I agree and some I disagree. In his 
column dated 2016-06-01 title “we never should have celebrated the 50th in such a big way” I recognised he, his wife and daughter never sought citizenship in another country. Mr. Kissoon, please be reminded if you are not aware, there are thousands of Guyanese including myself who never sought citizenship in another country. You also indicated that you worked twenty-six consecutive years at the U.G. I’m a Lindener, and my cousin, the late Mr. George (Sonny) Parris worked well over 50 years with the Demerara Bauxite Company Ltd. at Linden, Mr. Hugo Fields an ex-employee of the communication sector worker over 50 years with G.T.C and G.T.T and myself 46 years with the telephone sector also. While it is important to remain in a Government or private employ, it is our input that qualifies us as very good, good, etc, etc, etc.
In your writing, I recognised Mr. David Hinds and you need to resolve your differences. Some of us feel freedom of speech qualify us to say what, how, when, where and don’t care a damn to who. I also read into your writing, that the P.P.P and the A.P.N.U-A.F.C Government have caused you pain and it is your intention to speak out if you are provoked. We have all contributed towards the development of beautiful Guyana. The question of our elaborate Golden Jubilee Celebration, in my opinion, it was a necessity.
A 50 years celebration is a once in a lifetime for many of us. People all over the world travel yearly to Trinidad Carnival, Barbados Crop over and U.S.A Labour Day to enjoy themselves. We have seen thousands of Guyanese and foreigners who paid their passages without your help to be with us to enjoy everything we offered. Mr. Kissoon, it seems you apparently attended some functions to recognise faults, but remember, all of us check our dictionaries to conform spellings and meanings of words, because mistakes can be made. There’s good in all men, but, there’s no perfect man. The poorest of men celebrates a mile stone in his own elaborate way.
Guyanese of all races should be told of the history of the Queen Elizabeth Park now the Guyana National Park. It would have been wrong for us to celebrate our 50 years of Independence there knowing its history. The Providence Stadium must be preserve for its purpose. Durban Park was a horse racing field many decades ago. It became a jungle in the center of our Garden City. It is now transformed into a beautiful centre with the assistance of overseas and local contributors. What was wrong with that?
A quote from the Late President Mr. Cheddi Jagan 1993 Independence speech, “Lets move forward in unity and goodwill and confidence to make our Guyana more beautiful than we have found it”. A quote from the Late President Linden Forbes Burnham’s 1966 Independence speech. “After 150 odd years of British rule and in some cases misrule, we are now INDEPENDENT, but we harbour no bitterness”.
Many of us continue to criticise the economy of Guyana, but we witness larger and higher buildings being constructed only to ask ourselves, why? The white British Ambassador to Kenya, who made the remarks about vomit on his shoes was lucky it didn’t get into his face, because the British took suffering to Kenya and other places.
Mr. Kissoon, I do appreciate your observations, comments and criticisms, but, when the pomp’s and splendour of spectacular celebrations are on, please remove yourself from those activities which cause you to feel less of yourself.
Winslow Parris
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