Emancipation Day Messages

Aug 01, 2016 News

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Message from the Coalition Govt. of the Cooperative Republic
of Guyana on the occasion of Emancipation Day 2016

On August 1, 1838, following two hundred years of abhorrent enslavement, the freedom of Africans was restored. Captured, brought to the Caribbean and the Americas and forced to work on European owned plantations, the restoration of their freedom represents the original independence in our nation’s history.
The emancipation of African slaves predates the abolition of indentureship, the struggle for universal adult suffrage and labour rights, independence from colonial rule and the attainment of Republican status.
On this occasion, 178 years later, we reflect on the struggles of the indomitable, original freedom fighters – Cuffy, Quamina and Damon and their comrades with whom they organized and mobilized to effect redress to the darkest of horrors of Caribbean history.
On August 1st each year, we celebrate freedom, liberation and emancipation from an inhumane and repugnant system of human enslavement even as we reflect on the pre-1838 conditions and tribulations of the foreparents of so many of our countrymen and women. While physical enslavement is a distant memory, as a nation, we must resolve to continue to emancipate ourselves from whatever vestiges of psychological bondage that may persist.
Boldly, is it declared in the preamble to our constitution that “[we], the Guyanese people, proud heirs of the indomitable will of our forebears, in a spirit of reconciliation and cooperation, proclaim this Constitution in order to: safeguard and build on the rich heritage, won through tireless struggle, bequeathed us by our forebears; affirm our sovereignty, our independence and our indissolubility.”
We must continue to organize, mobilize and collectively lift our nation to higher heights socially, economically and culturally. We must elevate our mindset, eschew mediocrity and believe in a culture of excellence.This year, 2016, the year of our Golden Jubilee is an ideal opportunity for us to renew our commitment to these noble ideals.
There are, as well, powerful lessons following the abolition of slavery from which we must draw equal inspiration. The movement by the freed slaves to purchase land and establish independent coastal villages against challenging odds, remain one of the potent lessons of social upliftment in our history.These villages endure to this day and were the precursors to the modern layout of our coastal plain where the vast majority of our population resides.
This initiative and the struggles and efforts of our African ancestors redound to the benefit of all Guyanese. As a diverse nation of six peoples we must collectively build on these triumphs, persevere and resolutely aspire to greater heights and a deepening of the spirit of social cohesion.
His Excellency, President Brig. David Granger, First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger, Prime Minister and First Vice President The Honourable Moses Nagamootoo, Mrs. Sita Nagamootoo and the Coalition Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana wish a happy, peaceful and safe celebration of this most significant occasion in our nation’s history and implore all Guyanese to inculcate in their own lives the lessons of perseverance, intolerance for unacceptable conditions and the struggle for a good life for all.

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The People’s Progressive Party (PPP)

The People’s Progres­sive Party (PPP) salu­tes our Afro-Guyanese­ brothers and sisters­ on the occasion of E­mancipation Day. This­ is indeed a fitting ­moment to reflect on ­the sacrifices made b­y our African ancesto­rs who were brought t­o the shores of Guyan­a in chains in order ­to provide free labou­r to the sugar plante­rs.
To say that our Afric­an ancestors suffered­ at the hands of the ­sugar planters would ­be an understatement.­ Indeed, they were st­ripped of their human­ity and dignity and m­ade to toil long hour­s to keep the wheels ­of the sugar mills tu­rning and in the proc­ess churning out prof­its for the expatriat­e sugar barons. Many ­were tortured and bru­tally killed for stan­ding up for their rig­hts but the spirit of­ resistance finally w­on the day and freedo­m was eventually won ­in August 1838. Sever­al epic battles and r­ebellion took place d­uring the long march ­to freedom, the most ­notable of which was ­the Berbice Slave reb­ellion led by Cuffy.
Despite the hardships­ and cruelty of plant­ation life, the freed­ slaves were successful in forging a socie­ty after emancipation­ and by dint of hard work and thrift purch­ased a number of vill­ages where they eked ­out an independent ex­istence despite attem­pts by the sugar plan­ters to sabotage thei­r newly won independe­nce. There can be no ­doubt that the founda­tions of a modern soc­iety and economy were­ firmly laid by our A­frican ancestors who ­peacefully co-existed­ with the indentured ­labourers after slav­ery was abolished and­ in several instances­ lent mutual support to each other when th­eir interests and liv­elihood came under th­reat by the planter c­lass.
The strong bonds of solidarity between Africans and indentured ­labourers, the vast majority of whom came ­from India is testimo­ny to the fact that r­ace was never a barri­er when it comes to t­he defense and protec­tion of fundamental h­uman rights including­ the right to work an­d to live in an envir­onment of peace, pros­perity and respect.
The PPP from its ver­y inception as a poli­tical party has consi­stently embraced the principle of racial e­quality and a governa­nce mechanism where e­ach and every Guyanes­e regardless of race,­ colour or creed be g­iven an equal opportu­nity to contribute to­ the good of society.­ The PPP wishes to re­iterate this commitme­nt to  free, democrat­ic and cohesive socie­ty, one in which thei­r is no privileged ra­ce but where all race­s work and live in un­ison to build a stron­g and prosperous Guya­na.
The PPP is proud of t­he fact that it remai­ns the largest multi-­ethnic political part­y and will continue t­o welcome all Guyanes­e into its ranks from­ all races and ethnicities who, like our f­oreparents share the­ vision of a society where the good life i­s enjoyed not by a pr­ivileged few but by t­he society as a whole.
The PPP is aware of a­ttempts by the curren­t Granger administrat­ion to sow the seeds­ of discord among the­ Guyanese people by r­e-invoking the bogey ­of race but like all ­previous attempts it ­will fail to sully th­e image of the PPP as­ the only genuine and­ true multi-racial pa­rty in Guyana.
Once again, Happy Ema­ncipation greetings t­o all Guyanese, in pa­rticular our Afro-Guy­anese brothers and si­sters.

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Guyana Trades Union Congress

The Guyana Trades Union Congress joins with all Guyana in celebrating freedom from the world’s most inhumane system and treatment of man towards man. As Guyanese mark  emancipation of Africans from chattel slavery, in a world where injustice to one poses a threat to justice for all, this day is not only a victory and progressive step in relations between the once enslaved and enslaver, but for all.
Freedom from bondage came with it some measures of expected uncertainties, such as what would life be post-slavery and relationship between groups, where there existed a history of domination and subjugation, built on unscientific notion of superiority and inferiority. In that Africans, having given of their labour for centuries, under brutal conditions that deprived them of fundamental rights and decency, were able to move off the plantations and set up progressive life independent of same, is no small feat.
Pooling the pennies acquired during the four years of amelioration (1834-1838) and being able from the get-go to use their meagre earnings to buy up plantations, converting them to villages, and establishing an indigenous system of government and economy are remarkable. These achievements speak of a people possessing of intellect, though ignored as a justification to enslave them, and the spirit of camaraderie and determination to establish a life and succeed independent of a system that would have told them they are incapable of.
Outside of laying the topography of coastland Guyana with their lives, blood, sweat and tears, Africans have laid the foundation of the indigenous system of government, which came to be known as Local Government, that laid the foundation for National and Regional governments, and a village economy built on the cooperative principles, which is a part of the nation’s tri-sector economy.
Africans have contributed to every facet of this nation’s growth and development, giving of the labour and talent in the various sectors, processes and areas of endeavour. These achievements and contributions must not only be recounted but must see redoubling of efforts to preserve and motivations to grow from strength to strength. For emancipation will mean nothing if Africans, who fought for and achieved this landmark moment in the world’s calendar, were to accept or participate in any action that would threaten or repeat the domination, marginalisation and oppression their forebears rightfully fought against.
Onward, upward, we must ever go!

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The Working People’s Alliance

The Working People’s Alliance hails the African Guyanese community as it observes another emancipation anniversary. African Guyanese, despite various challenges, have continued to inspire our country through their creativity and labour. In that regard they have kept alive the emancipation spirt of independence and nationhood.
Having said that, WPA wishes to remind African Guyanese and the wider Guyanese society that although 178 years have passed since August 1, 1838, there is still work to be done to make the promise of emancipation a reality. This year’s emancipation anniversary comes as we observe and celebrate 50 years of freedom from colonial rule. Because the WPA views our independence as an extension of emancipation, it strongly feels that confronting the institutional challenges arising out of slavery and colonialism should be very high on our national agenda.
There is no doubt that as we celebrate emancipation that the African Guyanese community is grappling with a new wave of alienation brought on by rising socio-economic depression. Structural Adjustment and its attendant marketization along with the politics of domination have taken a toll on the self-confidence of African Guyanese, particularly the poor. WPA feels that this situation cannot be left to fester; it has to be confronted head on.
In this regard we feel that the government in collaboration with the African Guyanese elites and the wider community should look towards widening the space for African Guyanese empowerment. This should be done within the context of closing the gap between the rich and powerful and the poor and powerless.
WPA, therefore, urges the African Guyanese community to lift their voices in their own advocacy and for their own empowerment. Self-Emancipation comes primarily from self-activity. We also call on the African Guyanese leadership to be more pro-active in mobilizing the community from the bottom and the neglected corners.The aim of emancipation must be social equality and security for all Guyanese regardless of ethnicity and social class.

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Guyana Public Service Union

The Guyana Public Service Union wishes to extend its warmest wishes to Guyanese across our country and wherever else they may reside in the diaspora on the occasion of Emancipation Day 2016.
While, naturally, we set much store by the cultural rituals and ceremonies in which African Guyanese immerse themselves to commemorate Emancipation Day, we must remember, as well, what Emancipation Day means in terms of the contribution that African Guyanese as a free people and as patriots must continue to make in building a cohesive society out of many people, many cultures, many beliefs.
Differences, we must remind ourselves, must not be thought of as being synonymous with separateness.
If physical manifestations mean that we cannot change who we are on the outside, African Guyanese, as much as any other race, must be animated by hearts that are open to the virtue of accommodation.
We must gracefully and gratefully embrace the reality of our multi-ethnic, multi-cultural circumstance, as a nation. Simultaneously, we must, of course, celebrate the proud and wondrous heritage of African-ness.
In the process all Guyanese who share the same space must be encouraged to experience the generosity of spirit and the warmth that is second nature to African Guyanese.
We must continue with determination and focus in pursuing the goals of our virtues and values, fearlessly but fairly, we must not permit any form of compromise or disrespect being displayed to our contribution to our national cause nor our work and worth.
On the occasion of Emancipation Day, the Guyana Public Service Union wishes to extend its very best wishes for the creation of a strong and cohesive Guyana.

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The Cuffy250 Committee

The Cuffy250 Committee joins the rest of Guyana in saluting our African Guyanese brothers and sisters on this 178th anniversary of the abolition of chattel slavery in Guyana. These almost 18 decades have seen Guyana move from the demise of slavery to political independence. During that time our people had to endure 138 years of colonial rule which ensured that the promise of full emancipation from plantationhood was further delayed. Emancipation, therefore, has been an ongoing process for the sons and daughters of the formerly enslaved. Although the physical chains were removed in 1838, the scars of bondage continued to haunt the Africans in Guyana and the rest of the African Diaspora.
In 2016, the African Guyanese community still confronts structural barriers to full emancipation. These barriers are manifested in the challenges faced by African Guyanese particularly in the economic sphere. While the community has made strides in the face of these challenges, the inability to compete in the private economic sector has served to blunt those successes.
It is against this background that Cuffy250 calls on the African Guyanese community to use this emancipation anniversary to initiate a movement towards the revival of the spirit of self-realization that was so pivotal to the struggle against slavery and colonialism and for the survival and advancement of the community.
Cuffy250 intends to lead by example at its 4th annual “State of the African Guyanese Forum” on Sunday August 7 at Critchlow Labour College in Georgetown beginning at 9am. The theme of this year’s Forum is “African Guyanese Self-Realization: Challenges for the next 50 years.”
The Forum brings together activists, scholars and professionals along with the wider African Guyanese community for a day-long conversation on the challenges facing African Guyanese and crafting an agenda for overcoming those challenges.
Among the topics to be discussed are The Restoration of the Village Economy; Reparations; African Guyanese and Entrepreneurship; African Guyanese and Social Cohesion; Education and African Guyanese Empowerment; African Guyanese Self-Activity; and Centering African Guyanese in Guyana’s Socio-Economic Agenda.
President David Granger will deliver the keynote address .Other speakers are Dr. Grantley Walrond, Norwell Hinds, Estherene Adams Vincent Alexander, Floyd Haynes, Dr. Simpson DaSilva, Eric Phillips, Elsie Harry, Dr. Norman Ng A Qui, Judy Semple-Joseph and Dr. David Hinds.
Registration is $300. For early registration please call 231 7888.
Comica Johnson
Cuffy250 Chairman

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