There are other ‘architects’ of Guyana’s Independence

Jun 05, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
Albert Baldeo may be many things, but a historian he is not. He is, among other things, my school mate from QC, and my colleague from my undergraduate days at Cave Hill.
I was therefore surprised to see him essay to navigate the annals of Caribbean history, delving into such weighty topics as colonialism and independence. In focusing on Guyana, he listed a number of persons to whom he referred as ‘architects’ of independence.
Had Albert been a historian, he would have known that, even without studious review of scholastic works, a simple Google Images search of “Guyana Independence 1966”would reveal a treasure trove of imagesabout that historic period.
Includedamong them are photographs of my father, Neville Bissember Snr, who was Legal Adviser to the People’s National Congress delegation to the Independence talks with the British at Lancaster House, London, in the early 1960s.
My own visitation to that majestic edifice last April for the CHOGM was, understandably, charged with emotion.
Albert has in the past written waxing lyrical about his childhood memories, including one of me as a QC Cadet. I want to speculate therefore that he had a senior moment when writing recently on Guyana’s independence and could not recall the role played by the person who bears exactly the same name as I, his school mate and LL.B. colleague.
There are on Albert’s list persons to whom, respectfully, the title of ‘architect’ does not, in my estimation, sit well, or perhaps barely so. Relatedly, diligent research which would normally be required before writing such a piece would reveal that there are others who could more fittingly be referred to as ‘architects’ of independence. As the saying goes, picture don’t tell lie!
Neville J. Bissember Jr

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