Guyana’s Diamond Jubilee faces a ‘Sad State of Affairs’

Apr 19, 2026 News

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By Khadidja Ba

(Kaieteur News) – As Guyana stands on the precipice of its 60th Independence Anniversary, the nation finds itself at a surreal crossroads of historic wealth and cultural neglect. In just a few days, the Golden Arrowhead will fly over a country that has officially leveled up its economic stature, raking in a record-breaking US$761 million in oil revenue during the first quarter of 2026 alone, a new milestone since production began in 2019.

Yet, the celebratory mood is dampened by the cold mathematics of the $1.558 trillion National Budget. While the treasury swells with offshore billions, the MCYS has been handed a relatively meager $10.9 billion. More jarring is the specific carve-out for culture: a mere $3.7 billion.

Creatives are calling it “a sad state of affairs.”   Many are aghast at the government’s current management of Guyana’s cultural preservation and deeply disappointed in the 60th-anniversary celebration program designed by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS), the Ministry of Tourism, and private promoters Hits and Jams.

At a time when the nation should be investing heavily in the identity and heritage that defined its six-decade journey, culture has been relegated to a microscopic 0.2375% of national spending. As oil rigs pump unprecedented prosperity, the figures suggest that on the eve of this Diamond Jubilee, Guyana’s rich cultural soul is being asked to survive on the crumbs of its own explosion of wealth.

The “Secret Circle”

The 60th “Homecoming” programme has become a flashpoint for veteran creative who see a shift from national heritage to a commercial “party-party” culture.

An anonymous playwright, a fixture in the Guyanese drama scene for decades, describes a “Secret Circle” of gatekeepers who have hijacked the national narrative.

“There is no consultation. We hear about events after the decisions have been made behind closed doors by a select few,” the playwright explains. “They’ve outsourced our national identity to private promoters like Hits and Jams. What we’re getting isn’t a celebration of 60 years of struggle; it’s a high-priced party with no Guyanese substance. They are choosing ‘vibe’ over vision, and it’s killing the intellectual stimulation that used to define our theater.”

Another creative offers a structural indictment, noting that the state’s approach is fundamentally reactive. He emphasizes the urgent need for the ratification of UNESCO conventions to protect intangible heritage, work that remains sidelined while the budget favors one-off spectacles.

For many in the sector, the MCYS has transitioned into a “Ministry of Fete,” functioning primarily as a welcoming committee for VIPs rather than an engine for nation-building and social cohesion.

Begging Culture

This lack of consultation hits hardest for the icons who built the industry. Ezzie Rockliffe, leader of the Yoruba Singers, is celebrating 55 years of performance this May. Despite a career that includes playing Madison Square Garden twice, he speaks of a “disrespectful” pay disparity that borders on the predatory.

“They bring in a foreign artist like Warrior King and pay US$10,000,” Rockliffe reveals. “Then they offer a legendary Guyanese band G$300,000 to divide among twelve people. They promised us a grant in December 2024 for 2025; we haven’t seen a cent. They want us to be sycophants, not legends.”

Kwasi Ace adds that this transactional environment has led to a “tremendous dip” in the quality of theater and public interest. He notes that the creative sphere now prioritizes political connections over raw talent. “We’ve created a system where the loudest or best-connected get the stage. It’s created a visible apathy in the audience; they know when they are being fed propaganda instead of art.”

Ace, an award-winning actor and singer, observed that while the industry once felt more equitable, the current landscape is defined by “political witch-hunting.” This shift is most visible at the National Cultural Centre, where Ace describes a significant drop in attendance, attributing it to a lack of robust management and a focus on immediate financial gains over holistic development.

The exclusion extends to the very roots of the soil. Andrea Bryan-Garner, a media professional and advocate for the Masquerade, warns that the tradition is being “sterilized.”

“The Masquerade is the ultimate symbol of our resistance and rhythm, but it’s treated like a seasonal curiosity for tourists,” Garner argues. “If you don’t know your rhythm, you’ll dance to anyone’s drum.” She describes the 60th-anniversary calendar as a “rushed afterthought” that lacks literary festivals or events showcasing Guyanese folklore.

Lokono

Sabantha Onyi, a language activist for the Lokono (Arawak) people, echoes this sentiment, characterizing the state’s approach to Indigenous inclusion as a “stage show” designed to “make up the numbers.” Onyi also noted the absence of Indigenous themed activities in the Ministry’s Independence celebrations.

As one of the few Arawak language teachers in the country, Onyi has documented over 10,000 words for a new dictionary. Yet, she describes this work as a lonely struggle. Her attempts to formalize language preservation have been met with bureaucratic confusion at the Walter Roth Museum and the MCYS.

Onyi also detailed a personal experience involving a $5 million revitalization project proposal. Despite being told the funds were ready, she was later blocked from collecting them, alleging that officials intended to divert the money. “I never saw even $20 for language revitalization,” she revealed.

Mimic Nation

Creative professional Dillon Mohamed provides a haunting analysis of the current “cultural vacuum.” He observes that by failing to promote local art, the state has allowed a foreign identity to take root.

“We are becoming a nation of mimics, trading our history for a borrowed vibe that has no shelf life,” Mohamed notes. He points to the systematic dismantling of formal musical institutions, noting the disappearance of a true National Choir and the “capitalist” conflict at the National School of Music, where he alleges private teachers lobbied against free government programs.

Mohamed identified a deep ethnic disparity in the official programming, observing an absence of Indigenous and African representation in musical competitions. He lamented that cultural staples like Masquerade are treated as “hype” rather than historical narratives.

Glitter vs. Soul

Gem Madhoo-Nascimento, a stalwart of Guyanese theater, expressed deep sadness over what she views as a missed opportunity to unify the nation. For her, the tragedy is the stalling of vital historical work due to blatant underfunding. Her From Whence We Came series remains incomplete because the African chapter cannot secure state funding.

“Sixty is a major milestone,” Madhoo-Nascimento said. “I feel we really needed to have done something more culturally… more education, involving history.” She notes that while concerts are staples of every year, a Diamond Jubilee requires a production that reflects the history of all six peoples of Guyana.

She recalled the 40th and 50th anniversaries, which featured massive musical productions like All in One, involving hundreds of performers telling the story of independence. “Here we are in 2026 and we have nothing of the sort,” she remarked. “The whole thing is focused on the concerts.”

Furthermore, Madhoo-Nascimento highlighted the elitism creeping into the celebration. “There is a food sampling somewhere… but when you’re putting it in big restaurants and big hotels, it means you’re ruling out certain people because not everybody will be able to afford to go to those places.” She suggested that a central pavilion showcasing nightly displays of ethnicity, drumming, and indigenous languages would have been more inclusive. “Something is wrong somewhere that if we are all in this industry, and we are not even recognized to be consulted.”

Cultural Orphans

The rot, according to veteran educator Tristana Roberts, starts in the classroom. She warns that Guyana is raising a generation of “cultural orphans” because the state has decoupled education from identity. “If you ask a primary school student today to sing a national song, many can’t get past the first line,” Roberts says. She advocates for a “train the trainers” approach, noting that even many young educators lack a foundational knowledge of Guyanese folk songs.

For Roberts, the sidelining of the arts boils down to economics and a lack of formal cultural policy. She points to the airwaves as a primary culprit; unlike the Jamaican model where local music dominates, Guyanese radio is saturated with foreign content.

Verdict

When asked to grade the current state of cultural management, the consensus among these experts is a chilling indictment:

• The Educators (Roberts & Garner): F
• The Legends (Rockliffe & Madhoo-Nascimento): Zero (on the cultural line).
• The Critics (Ace, Onyi, Mohamed, & Jones): A “sad state of affairs” where policy is replaced by politics.

“You can’t have a tree without roots,” Rockliffe warns. “We have 200 seeds in a bag, but if you don’t put them in the earth, they can’t grow. The seeds will die in the bag.”

As the 60th Anniversary approaches, the question for Guyana remains: Are we celebrating our independence, or are we just throwing an expensive party for a nation that is slowly forgetting its own name?

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• Andrea Bryan- Garner, Eze Rockliffe, Guyana’s Diamond Jubilee, Sad State of Affairs

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