Region 2 honours 5 martyrs of the Devonshire Castle Strike

Region Two Regional Vice Chairman, Humace Oodit, urged the public to keep alive the memory of the sugar workers who were killed during the Devonshire Castle Strike on September 29, 1872.
He made these remarks during a remembrance and wreath-laying ceremony held on Sunday at Cabbage Dam, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam). Five sugar workers – Kaulica, Baldero, Ackloo, Maxidally, and Beccaroo – were shot dead by colonial police while striking against the working conditions on the sugar plantation.
Sunday’s remembrance event featured religious songs, poems, and tributes honoring the sacrifices made by the five fallen workers.
Oodit reflected on their bravery, stating that their actions continue to inspire a society that values justice, social equality and freedom from oppression. He emphasised that these workers died standing up for the rights of the working class, challenging the oppressive labour conditions of their time.
The Region Two Chairman also expressed pride in seeing school children actively participate in the ceremony, helping to foster a connection between the younger generation and their rich ancestral legacy.

Retired headmaster and lecturer, Sir Parmeshwar Lall, noted that the Devonshire Castle Strike marked the first major protest in which Indian indentured laborers lost their lives while fighting for justice, and underscored the grave injustices they faced under colonial exploitation.
Lall further explained that the workers’ courage to stand up against their oppressors and demand better conditions should remain a key historical milestone, serving as a reminder of the strength of collective action.
In her closing remarks, Regional Executive Officer Susannah Saywack emphasised the historical significance of the 1872 uprising, stating that the sacrifices of these workers continue to fuel the ongoing struggle for social and economic justice. She highlighted how their actions paved the way for better conditions for Guyana’s working class and contributed to the nation’s progress.

Wreaths were laid at the base of the monument by representatives from the Region Two Administration, religious organisations, students from 8th May Secondary, and other well-wishers, who paid tribute to the legacy of the fallen heroes.
The Devonshire Castle Strike of 1872 was the first major protest in which Indentured servants protested against the unfair systems that were being used to exploit them, according to the National Trust of Guyana. The estate workers were dissatisfied with the working conditions on the sugar plantation and complained bitterly about the unfair manner in which the indentured system was managed. Their complaints included poor wages, long hours of work, administrative abuse; the manner in which tasks were assigned to them and the numerous deductions from their pay.