Interviews and photos by Shabna Ullah
As we celebrate 47 years since Guyana gained independence, we asked members of the public to share their views on the occasion.
Terrence Orderson, Reggae artiste,
‘Independence is a good thing for any country where they will be free from Colonialism and the different oppression that has been taking place. In Guyana we know how to take care of ourselves and how to depend on ourselves because we have so many resources in our country. Guyana is a free country and we should have been that way for a longer time. But everything happens in the right time. So concerning the independence of Guyana, we should follow our motto and we must live as ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny.’ We must live in love and unity.’
Aaida Bacchus, student,
`It is nice to know that we have achieved 47 years as an independent country. I think that over the years there has been a lot of progress from where we were to where we are now. On the 26th of May, we might find ourselves feasting, congregating with loved ones and enjoying our precious free time. But May 26 is also a time to take stock and appreciate the deep freedoms we enjoy every day. In honour of Independence Day, those who won our independence believed liberty to be the secret of happiness and courage to be the secret of liberty. I must congratulate the ruling body for all their efforts in bringing us where we are today. I hope that we can continue to work hard to make Guyana a better place. Happy 47th independence to all Guyanese…!’
Patrick Robin, security officer,
‘Forty-seven years ago, I was a proud Guyanese when Guyana became independent. Today I am somewhat disappointed because although independence brought us so much we have not achieved what was expected. That is because our politicians are not putting our country first and working with our people for its development.’
Ruqaiyah Baksh, teacher/
UG student
‘By gaining independence, Guyana was able to merge and become a multi-cultural country with all the six races embracing one culture and becoming ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny.’ Independence has allowed the country to act on its own and not depend on leaders from other countries to dictate to them. We are free to make all our decisions as a united country. We can elect our own president and we have our own constitution and we are working towards what we think we want best for our country.’
Michael Marks, businessman,
‘I am happy that there has been a lot of development in the country. But the government has to do a lot more for sea defence, especially on the East Coast. They have the old [sea] wall there and then they have a drain. When the water tops over it goes in the drain. So I think they should build another wall between that wall and the drain because that would take care of the disaster on the East Coast. Other than that there are good roads but some of the kokers on the East Bank need to be looked after. But I would say the country has achieved a lot so far in terms of development on its 47th independence anniversary.”
Amy Heeralall, nursing
assistant/sales rep,
‘Firstly, I must say that I am proud to be a Guyanese and I want to wish everyone a happy independence to all. This is a beautiful country and I am happy to see that it has developed over the years. I think it is better for any country to be independent. In the case of Guyana, we have a lot of resources that can take us forward. We just have to put aside our differences and work together for a united Guyana.’
Lydia Wilson, lecturer at Government Technical Institute,
`First of all I want to congratulate every Guyanese as we celebrate our 47th independence anniversary. Independence should not be for us being freed from British but it must mean a time for us to come together and make plans that would help every Guyanese. We are a part of a global village and I would wish that our independence, our planning, our strategies would take us to a higher level. As an independent state we sure have achieved much, but there is much more for us to do. We have the kind of human resources, the kind of mind here in Guyana that can move us quickly and in the right direction to achieve a whole lot. When we think of the resources we have here as a country, we should have been way ahead. We therefore need to play our role, not looking at the other person. If we were to give of our best then we would be surprised to know how quickly we would be elevated as a people, as a country and so contribute in a meaningful way to the world at large. If independence is to be truly effective then we need to as a country, as a people of six races to make plans, execute them and evaluate them along the way. As we do that we will obviously see our strong points and our weaknesses. We would be able to build on those strengths as we go along the way. So happy independence to everyone and remember that we have a civic right to do things that would truly reflect that we are an independent country.’
Leona Douglas, self-employed,
‘Independence is good for any country and I think we have done well so far. I want to congratulate all Guyanese on the occasion of our 47th year as an independent nation. We are free to run our own affairs and we don’t have to take orders from other countries. Every country does good and bad. I think we should focus on the achievements we have made so far and try to correct where we have erred.’
Javed Saywack, UG
student/Junior cricket coach,
‘Happy independence to all of our Guyanese brothers and sisters. I think that there should be more conscious, cultural events in schools pertaining to the occasion. From a national heritage perspective, I find that many students don’t know where they came from and how they attained independence. I hope we can all use this occasion to create harmony and unity in our country. It is a time for reflection of our gains over the past years and for us to strive to make Guyana a better place. We should also continue the rich legacy of our late leaders Dr. Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham.’
Richard De Souza, labourer,
‘As long as you are indebted there is no such thing as independence because in reality we still have to listen to the people who we borrow the money from. So Guyana in reality is still not independent, not a matter if we accept it or we accept it not. The entire country when we think about it is in debt. We borrow from the IMF, the IDB and now we are borrowing from the Chinese and the Brazilians. Where is our independence?’
