Burnham should have been honoured by parliament as well as Jagan

Dear Editor,

A letter under the name ‘Samuel A. Hinds/A Civic and a Citizen’ captioned, ‘Last Friday night in the parliament gave hope for a better future’ (SN, 23.12.07) raises a number of issues. In the letter the writer seem to laud the night as great because the parliament was debating a motion to honour Dr Cheddi Jagan, who, according to him, “was an outstanding Guyanese, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of his entry into the legislature of our country, on December 18, 1947.”

While I have no prima facie concern with recognising Dr Jagan for what he was worth and the contribution he made to the development of Guyana, I am appalled that the government would have adopted such a clearly retrogressive step in bringing such a motion for debate in the National Assembly without ensuring that some aspect of the motion sought to recognise the First Executive President of our country, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, for his contribution.

I believe that Prime Minister Hinds is making the very mistake he ponders on in his letter, that is, to engage in activities that will clearly cause us to be divisive rather than unify our efforts to ensure that we have a highly cohesive society. It is when public acts like these which hinge on very sensitive issues begin to take on a partisan look, that we who are interested in cooperation must be concerned. Especially since a great section of the society regards Burnham as the father of the nation long before he was named the Caribbean man of the 20th century.

It is clear from Mr Hinds’ letter that he, like the PPP/C, would want to ensure that Burnham’s imprints are permanently removed from Guyana, but history will remind us that this will be an exercise in futility, and would create an obvious vacuum in the nation’s politics and governmental history.

How will we account for the country’s independence-managed government? Will we name October 5, 1992 as the starting date with Dr Cheddi Jagan as our first Executive President?

This issue of denigrating Burnham because we did not like his policy or political style, or could not understand the man’s vision, cannot be transformed into national hate where we will ultimately deprive our most cherished resources, our children, of the true history of their country.

The beliefs of Mr Samuel Hinds, the PPP/C and the government must not be converted into the blueprint for how our children should view our political leaders; they deserve an opportunity to research their history in a way that will supply a fuller meaning and understanding of our politics.

Brainwashing tactics can only result in an even more problematic and polarized society; it may breed the very rancour, bitterness and acrimony Hinds refer to in his letter.

Hinds spoke about the progress we were able to make in becoming “one people.” In this very simple acknowledgement he should recognise the impact Burnham made in ensuring that nationhood and nationalism were enhanced, thereby promoting a sense of “oneness” in all of us. The question is whether that spirit of nationhood and unity still exists in our nation?

There is no doubt that Burnham, like so many great world leaders, made his share of mistakes, but is it enough of a crime to erase him from Guyana’s history?

Come on, Mr Hinds, let us not try to play up a great leader by playing down the contribution of another. Our nation can ill afford this kind of ‘lass lick’ politics; we must strive to give credit where credit is due.

There continues to be blame thrown on all sides, so don’t try to make Jagan out as an innocent schoolboy in all of this.

I say, Burnham deserves his share of national honour, and no debate in the parliament to honour Dr Jagan can be complete without honouring Burnham.

Had the PNCR attempted to do this I am quite sure the debate to do same for Jagan would be ongoing, which indeed would have been the correct thing to do. Both men contributed so both should be rewarded. And we can name quite a few others who should also be honoured.

Yours faithfully,

Lurlene Nestor