Dear Editor,
May 26, 1966 – the birth of freedom from the English monarchy. British Guiana became an independent nation fifty-four years ago, joining their other sister islands in the rest of the Caribbean. The name changed to Guyana, with a Coat Of Arms of its own, A National Motto, a National Anthem and A National Pledge. The Golden Arrowhead, the Flag of Guyana, proudly replaced Great Britain’s flag, The Union Jack, at midnight of May 25, 1966. As the National Anthem clearly spells out, a heritage inherited from heroes both bondsmen and free, their eyes did not live to see this glory.
This land, fertile from their broken bones, torn fleshes, blood, sweat, tears and their ravaged bodies, prospered to nourish all with its sugar, rice, agriculture crops, rum, bauxite, timber, gold, diamond and now oil. Nature’s gifts of the forests, mountains, waterfalls, wildlife and rare species appeal to attract an array of international visitors. A country that became world renown for cricket, hospitality, friendliness and beauty rose from an overlooked state to global demand. Once, its natural resources and people were plundered to extract the richness to be shipped to England and the rest of the world.
The pangs and pains from the sacrifices of our ancestors who arrived from the other side of the world did provide a remedy to relinquish sovereignty from the United Kingdom and, to free and unite the souls of a nation comprising of six peoples. But the original owners of this land, the fathers, mothers and children of the royal Indigenous people, whose name and fame are rarely proclaimed, are not given the honourable acclaim that they deserve. Bombarded by the early conquistadores, the Dutch, Spanish, French and English, their lives, lifestyle and culture were threatened for their survival. Their rights were not only trampled on but also, their freedom was snatched from them, they contracted the invaders’ diseases, perished and died and had to go in hiding or leave their habitat. To date, many are still denied their land titles. No wonder the exodus of so many frustrated and oppressed Guyanese to seek greener pastures!
The question now arises, are all of us still, really free? In this diversified society, are there still not task-masters trying to implement enslavement once again? Aren’t we the pawns of many culpable dictates? Wasn’t the Golden Arrowhead subservient to the promiscuous paramountcy of a fraudulent collative force? Are we not under-protected due to the law forces’ pledges to honour, respect and obey a hierarchy? Isn’t the legal system corrupted with unilateral politics? Isn’t the entire Government employment controlled with biased ethnicity? Isn’t the electorate big wigs the tools of political mischief? Aren’t the majority of elections the abuse of fraud and deceits of one perpetual party entity? Hasn’t one political party snatched rulership viciously and illegally to promote their personal, assumed superiority, much to the demise of the other parties and the detriment of the country’s economy?
Is there loyalty to this country and its Constitution anymore? Who is there to guarantee justice, liberty and equality when those in charge daily erode the rights of the people and perpetuate use and abuse of power? How many lies, false promises and insincerity have surfaced in practice to replace the inconvenience of truth and honesty? Haven’t the villainous makers of illicit agreements from secret meetings personally benefited and raped the treasury of this nation and robbed the people of their much-needed earnings and benefits? Who remains untouched and above the law while conducting illegal affairs, blatantly glaring to the public’s view and protected by a syndicate of rogues?
Indeed, the theme of One People from One Nation with One Destiny is the motto for only one secular group of people and the others have seen their freedom eroded from underneath their feet, in front their eyes and from their hands with their voices stifled. A once fragrant flower, blooming, has withered from neglect from its gardener! Happy independence to whom and for what?
Yours respectfully,
Jai Lall
