Dear Editor,
I write to share some information in relation to two letters by T Pemberton.
After Mr Burnham became the head of the Government of Guyana in December 1964 with the title of Prime Minister, he acquired an Austin Princess, a prestigious British car. The car was given licence plate number, PR 1, likely in recognition that Mr Burnham came to power as a result of the first national elections held under the PR (proportional representation) system. The vehicle was acquired through Gajraj & Sons, at that time the local agent for Austin cars, a popular British car used by the less wealthy class for personal transportation and as hire-cars (taxis) in Guyana. The Austin Princess may have been a gift to the Prime Minister from the company. Shortly thereafter, the Rover, a less prestigious car than the Austin Princess, was purchased for each minister of the government.
Gajraj & Sons was a private company owned by the Gajraj family of Georgetown, and one of the Gajrajs, Rahman B Gajraj, was Speaker of the Legislative Assembly during the period 1961-64. Later, after independence, the company was sold to the government and the name changed to Guyana-Gajraj Limited. On my visit to Guyana in 2013, I noted that the property was boarded-up and Guyana-Gajraj is no longer in existence.
Over the years, Prime Minister Burnham was often chauffeured in this vehicle, flanked by police outriders with sirens blasting, as he travelled from Georgetown to his country residence at Belfield, East Coast Demerara.
I emigrated from Guyana in 1974 and I do not know what became of the vehicle. However, on a trip to Guyana in 1991, I visited the national museum and saw the Austin Princess on display in a special roped around area with a plaque stating that the car was fully restored locally. At the time, also on display in the museum in another section, was the first aluminium ship built locally by Sprostons Limited.
I do not know if the car I mentioned above is the same vehicle T Pemberton has written about. In any case, I believe Mr Burnham’s Austin Princess, PR 1, is part of Guyana’s history and should be preserved. I sincerely hope that this vehicle is still in the national museum and can be on display as the 50th anniversary of independence is celebrated.
Yours faithfully,
Harry Hergash
