hoisting the golden arrowhead

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May 2016

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Independence

2 2016. Hoisting the Golden Arrowhead

A section of the gathering at the flag raising ceremony in Mabaruma, Region One

The CV Nunes Primary choir performing at the flag raising ceremony in Region Two

Cultural performance depicting the six peoples of Guyana

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson and a regional official cut the Independence cake

at the flag raising ceremony in Region Two

Minister Dr. Karen Cummings and Regional officials take the salute from the ranks of

Guyana Defence Force in Mabaruma The Golden Arrowhead after it was hoisted Fireworks to usher in the 50th Anniversary in Region One

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson prepares to take the salute at the flag raising

ceremony in Region Two

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson among Region Two residents at the flag raising ceremony in the compound of the Anna Regina

Fire Station

The Golden Arrowhead being raised in the compound of the Anna Regina Fire Station in

commemoration of Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary

Scenes from Region # 1 Flag Raising Ceremony

Region # 2 Flag Raising Ceremony

32016. Hoisting the Golden Arrowhead

Fellow Guyanese,Guyana gained its In-

dependence from Great Britain on 26th May 1966 after more than three hun-dred and fifty years of Dutch and British rule. Guyana was first colonised by the Dutch and, eventually, was ceded to Great Britain in 1814. The three colonies – Demerara-Essequibo and Berbice were united as Brit-ish Guiana 185 years ago.

Our forebears came from the continents of Af-rica, Asia and Europe and encountered the indig-enous people of the con-tinent of South America. They laid the foundation for creating a unique, new nation on these shores. They yearned for freedom.

Guyanese, today, pay homage to the contribu-tions of our ancestors, whose rebellion reinforced their resolve to confront the greatest of adversities and overcome their most dangerous adversaries. The struggle for freedom was long and hard and the achievement of Independ-ence was a triumph of will and grit. Independence was the culmination of centuries of resistance by generations of forebears.

The militancy of peas-ants in their villages, of la-bourers on the plantations, of workers in their unions and of ‘patriotic’ profes-sionals in their councils, inspired the fight for self-determination and ‘nation-hood’. The empowerment of the disenfranchised masses through the ad-vocacy of mass-based organisations, the attain-ment of universal adult suf-frage and the achievement of constitutional reforms combined to intensify the demand for self-determi-nation and Independence.

Guyanese, today, pay tribute to the generations of men and women who were part of this historic and heroic struggle for self-determination. We

can enjoy freedom to-day because of their con-sciousness, their courage and their commitment to the cause of freedom.

We pay homage to all those who were part of this process. We recall the martyrs of the Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo revolts during the dark era of enslavement. We recall the martyrs of the protests at Leonora, Devonshire Castle, Rose Hall, Ruim-veldt and Enmore, during and after the era of inden-tureship. We recall the labours of Hubert Critch-low, Cheddi Jagan, Forbes Burnham, Peter D’Aguiar and Stephen Campbell, which eventuated in na-tional Independence.

Guyanese, today, hon-our our heads of state – Da-vid Rose, the first Guya-nese Governor General, his successor Edward Luckhoo and Arthur Chung, our first President – for their civility and for the stabil-ity, which their office im-parted to our young state.

Our people’s ardent aspiration and arduous struggle for political Inde-pendence moulded our na-tional identity. Independ-ence infused the qualities of audacity and tenacity in our people. It fortified our determination to be masters of our own des-tiny. It created new institu-tions on which to erect the pillars of the new nation.

Independence allowed us to adopt our own sym-bols of nationhood – our na-tional anthem; our national awards; our national coin-age and stamps; our nation-al motto; our national festi-vals; our national flag; our national monuments and other national emblems.

Guyanese, today, are proud of these symbols, which define our iden-tity and differentiate us from other nations. They exemplify our self es-teem. They are revered and will forever remain

objects of national pride.Independence cre-

ated the need for new in-stitutions to preserve our achievements, to promote the development of our nation and to protect our peoples’ rights. We cre-ated our own Court of Ap-peal as our highest court. We refashioned our public and police services to en-sure a better quality of life and human safety. We es-tablished the Guyana De-fence Force to stand guard over our country’s territory.

We improved access to education, electricity, health care, housing and po-table water. We established massive agricultural, drain-age and irrigation schemes, and industrial estates to put our people to work.

We created institutions to provide social protec-tion such as the National Insurance Scheme. We cre-ated banking institutions to promote savings and pro-vide credit for our people.

Guyana, in a relatively short period of time after Independence, improved our economy to provide a higher standard of living for our people. Successive administrations, throughout the past five decades, have continued to add to our national assets and extend our public infrastructure.

We are proud of our achievements over the past fifty years. We are proud of our efforts to deliver our people from dreary lo-gies, shanties and tenement yards and to open the doors to their own family homes. We are proud of having established a University of Guyana, a College of Education, multilateral schools and technical in-stitutes that expanded ac-cess to education for our children throughout the ten administrative regions.

We achieved all of these things and more even as we faced threats to our territoriality and to internal national integrity. We re-

sisted threats to more than two-thirds of our territory by Suriname and Venezuela for fifty years. We repelled an incursion into a large part of country claimed by Suriname. We suppressed an internal insurrection in the Rupununi. Our na-tion has faced tribulations. Our people’s unity, our will and strength, enabled us to overcome these threats.

Guyanese, today, exult in their achievements and accomplishments of the past fifty years. We are proud of the men and women, who led us on our journey, thus far, as an independ-ent nation. The excellence of their service brought honour to our nation.

Guyanese, today, pay homage to their heroes and honours their cultural, sporting and academic heritage on this fiftieth anniversary of Independ-ence. The works of our artists, composers, dancers, dramatists and writers; the talents of our sportsmen and women; the brilliance of our scholars and the la-bours of our working peo-ple will never be forgotten.

These men and wom-en inspired us to believe that no objective was un-attainable. We became aware that we were capa-ble of becoming champi-ons on the international stage. Their achievements are a constant reminder that small size should not mean a dearth of talent.

Guyana, once inde-pendent, embarked on a progressive foreign policy to protect its vital national interests. It bestrode the international stage with a composure and posture, which belied economic wealth or military might. Our leaders, however, had the vision to pioneer the formation of the Carib-bean Free Trade Area, the Caribbean Community and the African Caribbean and Pacific Group of states and to play leading roles in the

Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations.

Guyanese, today, re-call their audacious and principled stance in support of the liberation of colonial territories and the termina-tion of apartheid in South Africa. They took pride in these achievements, which were led by a corps of outstanding diplomats.

Guyanese, today, pay tribute to their leaders, who had the vision to have guided, and the endurance to have sustained the nation during these past fifty years. We recognise the contribu-tions of our eight Presidents − Arthur Chung, Forbes Burnham, Desmond Hoy-te, Cheddi Jagan, Samuel Hinds, Janet Jagan, Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramo-tar − in leading this nation over these difficult years.

Guyana’s Golden Ju-bilee is an opportunity to plan ahead. We must create a country that will fulfil our obligation to our children and generations to come. We look ahead to our next fifty years and to the chal-lenge of realising the ‘good life’ for all of our citizens.

Independence is our birthright. Independence vested in us the duty to protect our nation and to pursue the best interests for all generations. Inde-pendence came with the responsibility to lay the building-blocks of sus-tained national human de-velopment. Independence imposed on us the duty to ensure that we bequeath to our children and grandchil-dren an even better country than the one which we in-herited from our forebears.

The ‘good life’ means the absence of poverty. It means the presence of equality and the crea-tion of an enlightened citizenry through educa-tion. It means effective stewardship of our natural resources and the creation of employment for our peo-ple. Our mission for the

next fifty years must be to expand our economy, to ensure equality, to improve education, to protect the environment and to pro-vide employment for all.

Guyana is not a re-source poor country. Guya-nese ought not to be a poor and dispossessed people. Our country is endowed with bountiful resources – both human and natural – to banish poverty forever. We have always been known to possess the values of self-sacrifice and solidarity.

Guyana is commit-ted to the achievement of the United Nations Sus-tainable Development Goals, which obligate us to end poverty in all its forms. We have pledged to eradicate extreme pov-erty and to halve all other forms of poverty by 2030.

Guyana, in order to achieve these goals, must realign its economy to gen-erate the wealth that would allow for poverty reduc-tion. We must improve and sustain higher economic growth in order to raise our entire population out of the depths of extreme poverty.

Guyana’s economy will be enriched by the dis-covery of petroleum. We look forward to preparing our people and the econo-my for the exploitation of this rich resource. We shall create a sovereign wealth fund to ensure that all gen-erations benefit from the

President of the Cooperative Republic

of Guyana, David Granger

Message from H.E. Brigadier David Granger, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana,

on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Guyana’s Independence

Cont’d on page 4


(Excerpts)

Good evening ladies and gentlemen.

It is a pleasure and an honor to be in Ma-baruma once again to speak with you on the observance of our independence as a nation. This time around, I am even more delighted to be here with you, be-cause our beautiful nation celebrates 50 years of In-dependence, and in 2016, Mabaruma became a town!

Independence 50 years ago

Exactly 50 years ago, Guyanese were finally able to wrest power from their colonial masters and chart a new course inde-

pendent of British rule. The principal architects of our independence are un-deniably the late Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham and Cheddi Jagan, two formidable political fig-ures in our political history.

Guyana’s destiny as an independent nation was being carefully shaped.

With independence, came an unsurpassed na-tional consciousness mani-fested in unwavering patri-otism. National songs were written and sung proudly by Guyanese throughout the length and breadth of Guyana. National pride was at an all-time high as Guyanese embraced the socio-political and eco-nomic policies of that

era. Guyanese now own and control their destiny.

A work in progressSince the early days of

Independence, Guyana has come a long way. Though there have been some areas of development in some sectors along with some notable national achieve-ments, it cannot be denied that we have somewhat under achieved as a nation. Much work still remains to be done and I can assure you that this new era of the APNU+AFC govern-ment will ensure that tan-gible progress is realised at all levels of our society.

Local Government Elections

For the first time in over 20 years, Guyana held Local Government Elec-tions. This APNU+AFC government recognises the importance of local de-mocracy. We believe that at the community level you the people must man-age your affairs and not central government. Such is our commitment to lo-cal democracy that within a year in office, four new towns were established, with Mabaruma being one.

Great things are in store for Region One, es-pecially Mabaruma. Firstly and most importantly, Ma-baruma will be having its first radio station. Radio Mabaruma will be com-missioned shortly and you

the residents will be better informed through the de-livery of a variety of pro-grammes that will educate as well as entertain. You will be able to share farm-ing tips, income generation ideas, promote healthy life-styles, as well as explore ways to improve education.

In addition, this APNU+AFC government recognises that sustain-able and efficient infra-structure development is a key component of national competitiveness. We un-derstand that we must put systems in place that will ensure that we can connect and integrate towns to bet-ter serve their citizens. We believe that infrastructure should account for en-

hancing the quality of life of communities while al-locating energy resources and considering the natural environment and climate change. Understanding these factors is very impor-

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen

Cummings

Address by the Hon. Minister within the Ministry of Public Health,

Dr. Karen Cummings at Mabaruma, Region # 1

gains that are expected to flow from this discovery.

Our national economy must be reshaped to reduce our dependence on the six sisters – bauxite, fish, gold, rice, sugar, and tim-ber. Guyana’s economic policy over the next four years will be determined by the transition to greater value-added production.

Independence engen-dered expectations that the inequalities, which char-acterised colonial society would be eradicated. We have made progress in en-suring greater opportuni-ties for our people. We will continue to demolish class and geographic inequali-ties, especially between the hinterland and the coast-land and between the ur-ban and rural communities.

Guyana’s hinterland possesses its richest natural resources. The hinterland, despite this endowment, re-mains underdeveloped and plagued by poor infrastruc-ture and environmental hazards. The disparities in development and in house-holds between the hinter-land and the coastland must be reduced if we are to be-come a more equal nation.

We will continue to work towards the develop-ment of an inclusive and integrated plan to close the

gap between hinterland and coastland. The plan will involve improved internal communication – aero-dromes, bridges, cause-ways, highways, stellings and telecommunications − and public services such as education, health, human safety and social security.

We will also create stronger regions admin-istered by ‘capital towns’ in order to develop hinter-land and rural communi-ties more rapidly. Three new capital towns − at Bartica, Mabaruma and Lethem − have already been created. A fourth will follow at Mahdia. Every region, in the end, will be administered and di-rected by a ‘capital town.’

Inequality will also be reduced by catalysing greater economic oppor-tunities, particularly at the community level. We will grant greater autonomy to the Regions and ensure equal opportunities for ru-ral folk. The Constitution of Guyana states: “Equality includes the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms guaranteed by, or under, this Consti-tution or any other law.”

Guyana, therefore, will promote respect for equal-ity before the law and equal protection of the law. This

includes the guaranteed rights of citizens, equal-ity for women and the participation of citizens in the decision-making of the State, in accordance with the Constitution. We will achieve thesethrough the institution of an inclu-sive system of governance and the holding of regu-lar, free and fair elections.

Education is the gate-way to greater opportuni-ties. It is the means to a more equal society. It is a pathway towards im-proved well-being. It offers an escape from poverty.

Guyana must ensure that the right to primary and secondary education at state-owned schools must be accorded to every school-aged child. The State will continue to of-fer our children the op-portunities for a ‘good life’ through education.

Guyana has been a global leader in sustainable development and in the fight against the adverse impacts of climate change. Guyana announced, at the 11th Meeting of Heads of Government of the Com-monwealth of Nations held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1989, its commitment to create the institution that eventually became known as the Iwokrama

International Centre for Rainforest Conserva-tion and Development.

Our country set aside 371,000 hectares of forest, constituting 1.6 percent of our landmass “… to devel-op, demonstrate and make available to our country and the international com-munity systems, methods and techniques for the sus-tainable management and utilisation of the multiple resources of the tropical forest and the conservation of biological diversity”.

Guyana has advocat-ed for action to be taken against the adverse effects of climate change. This includes consideration for mechanisms to compensate countries with standing forests for the ecological services, which these for-ests provide to humanity. Our Constitution mandates:

In the interests of the present and future genera-tions, the State will pro-tect and make rational use of its lands, mineral and water resources, as well as its fauna and flora, and will take all appropriate measures to ensure and improve the environment.

Independence imposed a moral responsibility to exercise accountable stew-ardship over our natural re-source so that our children

and grandchildren may also benefit from their use.

Guyana will develop a multi-faceted ‘Green Development Plan’ so as ensure that sustainable de-velopment becomes the guiding principle of na-tional development. That Plan, a comprehensive ap-proach to our environment, incorporates clean energy supply; management of our coastal zone; manage-ment of solid waste; man-agement of our protected areas; protection of our biodiversity; protection of our wildlife and the devel-opment of eco- tourism.

Guyana’s future is ‘green’. A green econo-my will protect us from the most adverse effects of climate change. It will ensure a clean environ-ment and reduce pollution. It will preserve our valu-able biodiversity. It will ensure that all of our en-ergy needs eventually will be met from sustainable sources. It will catalyse in-vestments in eco-tourism.

Our people’s aspira-tions for a ‘good life’ can-not be met fully unless employment can be cre-ated and guaranteed for our working people. The ‘Inde-pendence Covenant’ cannot be fulfilled unless workers find remunerative and gain-

ful employment in order to provide for their needs and that of their families.

Guyana, over the next fifty years, must be a na-tion at work, employing the talents and skills of all per-sons of working age. The provision of employment for our young people re-mains an economic priority.

Employment will be created through a raft of policy measures including encouraging investment in labour-intensive and ‘green’ jobs; cottage industries within communities; mi-crocredit for small-and me-dium-sized industries and promoting entrepreneur-ship among young people.

Independence was won through the sacrifice and struggle of our ancestors. Freedom was the aspiration of all generations. Every generation has the respon-sibility to move our country closer towards the common aspirations, which were ig-nited on 26th May 1966.

Our forebears suffered and sacrificed so that their children could have a bet-ter life than they had. This generation’s responsibility is to lay the foundation for the ‘good life’ for the next.

God save our be-loved motherland! God save Guyana!

Cont’d from page 3

Cont’d on page 5


(Excerpts)

In less than 24 hours, Guyana will officially turn 50 years old. To

mark this occasion, all 10 administrative regions across the nation are prepar-ing to hoist the Golden Ar-rowhead to mark the attain-ment of our Golden Jubilee.

Even before Guyana attained independence in 1966, Essequibo always had a rich history. From the Dutch legacy to producing a large percentage of Guy-ana’s rice, Essequibo has left an indelible mark on our country’s history. This his-tory persists and the region continues to be one that contributes meaningfully to Guyana’s development.

However, the Essequi-bo Coast has faced – and is still facing – its fair share of problems. Last year, when the new Government was elected by you, the peo-ple of Guyana, there were noted issues here in Re-gion 2. For one, there was a shortage of well-developed infrastructure leading to in-creased production costs in a region where production is paramount. Unemploy-ment was also noted as an issue and was particularly concerning since no one should be forced to strug-gle to maintain the well-being of his or her family.

Nonetheless, despite the challenges, the residents of Region 2 persevered and, for the most part, thrived. This must be commended.

However, though the people have managed to take care of themselves, that does not mean that the Government should not help them in attain-ing even better lives.

As the Minister of Pub-lic Infrastructure, I under-stand how poor infrastruc-ture can stymie growth. Hence, last year, my min-istry constructed, reha-bilitated, and maintained roads across the country and, more specifically, here in Region 2; last year, just over 8,500 metres of roads were completed here, totalling about $146M.

For this year, the resi-dents of Region 2 will con-tinue to see the develop-ment of their roads. In the 2016 budget, about $2.6B was allocated for road works and Region 2 will receive a slice of the pie. For bridges, nearly $294M has been provided for re-habilitation and repairs.

Through improved roadways, the Govern-ment of Guyana will aim to expand efforts currently underway to improve farm-to-market access. The focus will be on stimulating mi-cro-farms and small scale

agro-processing initiatives to see Essequibo live up to the potential envisioned for it 50 years ago. Better road-ways and bridges mean in-creased commercial activi-ties, which in turn will lead to greater income and fi-nancial security for the peo-ple of this beautiful region.

An emphasis will be placed on reducing road fatalities seen along the Essequibo Coast through the installation of traf-fic lights, streetlights, and the placement of road markings and signs.

There will also be a focus on improving the connection between the Essequibo Coast and the riverain areas. Government recognises just how much inadequate river transport networks stymie the devel-opment of the coast and its people and a major part of the slated improvement is through the upgrade of the ageing fleet of vessels cur-rently under Government control. These vessels are quickly approaching the end of their usefulness and Government is therefore working towards acquir-ing new river transport vessels. The complaints of the ferry services of-fered in Essequibo have not fallen on deaf ears.

Therefore, Govern-ment is also looking to-

wards upgrading stellings and wharves to facilitate the proposed new vessels. Preparations are already in the works to not only up-grade but reconstruct facili-ties throughout the coun-try and here in Region 2.

Within its 50 years, Guyana has not seen state-of-the-art waterfront fa-cilities but that reality will soon change. As we celebrate our Golden Jubi-lee, plans are underway to create advanced facilities that will rival the best in the Caribbean. One of the proposed targeted devel-opment areas is Supenaam and the project will focus on boardwalks; modernised ramps for ferries and water taxis; a dockyard for yachts; and recreational areas.

What will be the ben-efits of such a project to the Essequibo Coast? The initi-ative will not only generate income through tourism but will also create opportuni-ties for small business de-velopment. This initiative will also provide an outlet for the people of Essequibo to come out and mix and mingle in a clean, friend-ly, and safe environment.

Furthermore, all of these developments will create employment and major economic input. It is our Government’s commit-ment that the residents and

current users will be given first option to jobs and con-cessions. While generating income is important, when we look back 50 years from now we must be most proud of the successes made due to the development of our human resource.

Outside of my Min-istry, Essequibo will see development through a fo-cus on issues such as the youth; education; health; and the development of Information Communica-tions Technology (ICT). These efforts would be in conjunction with the nec-essary financial resources to allow farmers to gain access to markets for their produce and ultimately expand their businesses.

I am greatly honoured to be here today for this flag raising ceremony. I’m also grateful to see such a diverse group of people representing Essequibo. As His Excellency, President David Granger, has said, “independence offered us a new beginning, an oppor-tunity for national unity”.

Of course, over the past 50 years, attaining na-tional unity has not been easy. We have come a long way, but there is still fur-ther to go. We have bro-ken down many of the walls surrounding race and class but we’ve still

to break down other walls, such as those surrounding simple geographic loca-tions. At times, those in the hinterland regions feel as though they are in a com-pletely different country from those in Georgetown.

You here today are the products of the chal-lenges that have been sur-mounted over the past 50 years; you represent the resilience and dedication of those that have come be-fore you. Despite, at times, feeling that you are forgot-ten or less than other areas, you have risen above the difficulties, put aside your differences, and empha-sised that we are indeed one people of one nation with one destiny. As we progress through the next 50 years, I hope that your resolve to see our country flourish only strengthens.

Thank you.

Minister of Public Infrastructure,

David Patterson

Address by Hon. David Patterson, Minister of Public Infrastructure at Anna Regina, Region # 2

tant in determining how in-frastructure can contribute positively to the commu-nity it is supposed to serve.

Therefore, as a gov-ernment we will improve the availability, quality and efficiency of local infra-structure services for the population of our towns.

Mabaruma, this APNU+AFC government will ensure that stable and reliable electricity becomes part of your modern infra-structure. Mabaruma, this government will ensure that your roads are developed properly. And in order to ensure that your infrastruc-ture matches that of a mod-

ern town, internet access will soon reach Mabaruma.

The way forwardWhile we recognise

that there is a need to in-crease the capacity of public institutions’ involvement in regional development and strengthen the cooperation between national, regional and local authorities in Guyana, it is essential that we ensure that there is a tar-geted distribution of avail-able resources. I would like to see this quickly become a reality in Region One.

Currently, there is an obvious need for the re-gional administration to

work collaboratively with the Ministry of Public Health to fix many of the issues affecting this Re-gion in the area of public health. There is a recognis-able disconnect between what is seen as priority by the regional administration and what in reality are the pressing public health mat-ters that are in dire need of being addressed by the regional administration with a degree of urgency.

ConclusionAs we celebrate and

reflect on 50 years of In-dependence, I am confi-dent moving into the future

that together we will find meaningful ways to effec-tively alleviate the many challenges that currently affect the smooth delivery of best quality health care. Moving forward I would like to see an alignment of purpose between the Ministry of Public Health and the Regional admin-istration of Region One, so that together we will be able to deliver the best quality health care services to the people living here.

The regional admin-istration must make spe-cial efforts to work along with government to help provide the best qual-

ity health care and other services to the people of this beautiful region.

Guyana is poised to become a very prosperous country and it must be your unyielding determination to prosper with it. We have got a nation to build. We have got a Region to build. Let us all come together and double our achievements in the next 50 years so that our children and their chil-dren can have a prosper-ous, modern, healthy and secure Guyana in which to live work and prosper. We must commit our ourselves to the effort that is required to build the kind of com-

munity and country that will be the envy of the Car-ibbean and further abroad.

I wish you every success in the contin-ued building and devel-opment of Region One.

Tonight, let us put aside our political dif-ferences and unite and celebrate our Golden Ju-bilee as Guyanese. And when our celebrations are over, let us remain a united people working together for the better-ment of this Region and ultimately all of Guyana.

Long Live the People of Mabaruma! Long Live the People of Guyana!

Cont’d from page 4

...Dr. Karen Cummings at Mabaruma, Region # 1


Excerpts

Fifty years is a lifetime for many of us. Many people never live to

see fifty years. I remember when I was a little boy and you heard that someone was forty- five years or fifty years, we used to call them old man. But now, I am way beyond that, and I still feel as if I am a youth. So age is really nothing (as some people say) but a number.

I want to say how-ever that Independence was something that many fought and died for. Many shed their blood on this land for the sake of Independ-ence; but if we were not to protect the gains of those persons who lived and died for our Independence, we would have been failing them and we would have been failing the generations to come. In 1966 when we became Independent, we became an independent na-tion in crisis. In 1966 when we became Independent we had a coalition govern-ment. In 2016 (fifty years later) we have a coalition government and therefore, there must be something good about coalitions. We have come full circle, and where we are today, is a re-sult of the hard work done by all of the governments that we have had since In-dependence; I make no distinction here because we believe that everybody – every government, every politician, every individual had a role to play in making us who we are and allow-ing us to be here where we

are today. So today, I want to on behalf of the govern-ment to recognise the work done by all of the govern-ments since 1966 – I am not going to go back into the past because other than tell-ing us where we came from and what we need to do, it serves us very little purpose in determining where we have to go. Our coalition government is about where we are going to take Guy-ana in the next fifty years. How do we inspire? How do we excite? How do we motivate our population to ensure that they under-stand that the good life for all Guyanese is something that we must work for?

In 1966 when we be-came Independent we were in a crisis; the British sol-diers were here, we were in a state of emergency - in 2016 we are in a different type of crisis. In 1966 it re-quired a certain type of po-litical leadership; in 2016 it requires another type of political leadership – and what I want to say here this afternoon to all of you (boys and girls, men and women of Region 3) is that the quality of leadership that you are getting now from your government, from the APNU/AFC Government is the quality of leader-ship required for 2016, for 2020, for 2025 and beyond.

Comrades, as I stand here today, 2016 requires as I said, a certain qual-ity of leadership. In 1966 the imperative of that time was that our people come together; we come togeth-er to deal with the issues

of colonialism. We come together to deal with the conditions under which our people lived in the logies and in the shacks; the poor roads, no lights, poor water supply – these were some of the conditions our politi-cal leaders met at the time of Independence. Some of these conditions persist into 2016 and these are some of the same conditions we as a government have to deal with. But we believe that we can only achieve this if we work together as a nation. We believe that National Unity is a prior-ity! And in that regard we wish to acknowledged and understand that the words of the Leader of the Oppo-sition only last night in the National Assembly sends a very powerful signal, and one which we accept; that if we work together as a coun-try irrespective of what our political affiliations are, that we can move this country for the good of our people, and ultimately that is what we need to do. We have to ensure that whatev-er we do is for the benefit of the Guyanese people - that is our motto that is what we want to do. That is what our administration said it will do when we campaigned in 2015 – that we will create a good life for all Guya-nese and this is what we meant, ALL GUYANESE.

So irrespective of what your political affiliation is, irrespective of what your religious persuasions are, irrespective of what your racial background is we have to work together as

Guyanese. We have an ex-citing nation – we have a mosaic that is so wonderful and so colourful that when you look at our flags, that when you look at our sym-bols of nationhood what you see is strength. When you look at the jaguar that is part of our symbol for the fifty years, you see strength, you see power, and this is what our nation is all about. We are a strong people, we are a strong nation and if we work together our des-tiny will be a strong one.

I want to address a few words to the young people of this region, that yours is the future of this country. The future of this coun-try belongs to you. We are mere transients. We are just the holders of governmen-tal power for your purpose – we are here to serve you as your government, and it is our responsibility, our duty as a government to ensure that when we hand over to you, we hand over a country that is safe, a country that is secure and a country that is united so National Unity has to be a priority. We want to say to the young people of this re-gion that education is criti-cal in what we want to do. Education is something that moves a nation from igno-rance, moves a nation from poverty into prosperity. Our president – President David Granger has said (and it is part of our policy in government) that we are going to make this an edu-cation nation – that we no longer will have our gradu-ates as soon as they leave

the university looking for a job in some island or look-ing for a job in the United States and Canada, and all those places. We are going to create the conditions in this country that will make you want to remain here. We are going to create the conditions in this coun-try that will make those of our citizens who have gone abroad want to come back here to live, to work and in some cases to have their final resting place.

When I was a lit-tle boy in 1966 I was told that Guyana is a place of tremendous potential, now I’m a grown man in 2016 and people still tell me that Guyana is a place of poten-tial. We have to transform that potential into reality – we have to transform that potential into wealth that will benefit our people. And so for the next fifty years we look forward to a rich powerful nation. We look forward to the time when all of the persons in the di-aspora, many of whom are coming back now, many who want to come back will consider Guyana to be the place to be. I want to now also welcome all our Guyanese brothers and sisters who have returned for these Independence celebrations – from wher-ever part of the world you are (people in the diaspora, people in Egypt, people in Israel, people in Asia, all over the world) people are sending texts, they are coming, they are sending us messages, I want to say to you that Guyana is ours!

This is where you ought to be, this is where you are going to make a good life – you can make money, you can have a good heath sys-tem etc., but that will never be your home. Guyana will always be your home.

And so my message on Independence to all our Guyanese citizens in what-ever part of the world you are, Guyana is your home – welcome home. This is ours, this is our land. This land is my land; this land is your land from the Rupu-nuni to the Corentyne, from the greenheart forest to the Atlantic waters this land was made for you and me.

Fifty years of Inde-pendence is something that we must celebrate. But as we celebrate let us ensure that we have an eye on the future. Let us ensure that we continue to ex-cite and inspire the young ones and to let them under-stand that Guyana is ours. I thank you very much and a Happy Independence An-niversary to all of you!

Minister of State,Joseph Harmon

Address by Hon. Joseph Harmon, Minister of Stateat Flag Raising Ceremony at Leonora, Region # 3

A section of the crowd at the flag raising ceremony in Region Three Cultural dance being performed at the flag raising ceremony in Region Three

See more photos on page 9


Excerpts

If we examine our jour-ney over the last 50 years we can say that

2016 is truly Guyana’s year of Jubilee. We are now in our season of restora-tion, and the APNU+AFC coalition government, and hopefully together with the members of the op-position, will ensure that we restore the good life to each and every Guyanese.

Fifty years, even if we look in this region and in this district in which we now stand, we would remember the train that played a dominant role in the lives of people living on this East Coast. You know a lot of people used that train, and we used to believe that, people live a very far way, but look at it now 50 years later. You are very well de-veloped; you’re only about minutes away from the city of Georgetown. You see development already and of course we are talk-ing about those of us in our age group because we a have a plethora of young students here who would not know what we are talking about unless their grandparents told them.

Immediately, what comes to mind is the whole question of races that we have in Guyana. We have six races and immediately after gaining independence or just before the run-up to independence it is con-jectured as to what caused the violence but there was racial strife which led to divisiveness through the years, and I am proud to

say that I have been asso-ciated with a party that re-ally led the way in trying to unite the Guyanese people for decades now, and even right now we are a united government with at least six parties representing all the people of Guyana and I think that is something to be proud about today.

We want to continue the inclusiveness, we want to ensure that we are not divided by race, ethnicity and that we judge people as Guyanese and we see ourselves as Guyanese. That’s our goal for the next 50 years and that’s why Brigadier David Granger, President of this great land of ours, he elevated this whole question of social cohesion to that of a min-istry so we have a minister of social cohesion whose remit is to ensure the con-tinued uniting of the peo-ples of Guyana. Whether its culture, whether its race, whether its religion.

You would recall dur-ing the last 50 years some people couldn’t practice their religion. In the case of the African Guyanese, there practice is called ‘cumfa’, it’s called obeah and all manner of things: you would get charged or con-victed if you’re caught but thankfully that great leader appeared on the scene, Lin-den Forbes Sampson Burn-ham. He was also ably as-sisted by Dr. Cheddi Jagan, you know you have a lot of our founding fathers con-tributing. There was reli-gious freedom, religious freedom was introduced and it was enshrined in our

constitution under Forbes Burnham when he was in government and it meant then everyone was free to worship according to their own religion without fear of being arrested, detained, charged and convicted.

So over the last 50 years we could be proud to say that we have arrived at this stage where there is freedom of worship by every Guyanese. We tried all kind of philosophies; you all know that, social-ism, cooperatives. We were supposed to move to com-munism after taking over the commanding heights and things like that and so we have been through these experiences. I think we’re the stronger for them be-cause at the end of the day what we understand and what we know that what-ever system we want to introduce in this country.It must be characterised by each and every Guyanese having an opportunity to share the patrimony and wealth of Guyana and to have a good life irrespec-tive of what philosophy you call it. So, as I stand here 50 years later, we had several presidents and all of them in their own way contributed to the develop-ment of Guyana and you might think that its strange for me to say that but it is true and so if we recognise this and we could applaud presidents who were not elected by our parties it means then that the next 50 years look bright. In fact, I am reinforced in saying this because in parliament last night the leader of the

opposition himself, Mr. Bharat Jagdeo, also made a contribution in which he recognised the contribu-tions of all Guyanese to the development of and present state of Guyana and pledge to continue to act out his efforts and the efforts of the party and Guyanese people for the betterment of all Guyanese.

Of course his message was preceded by the mes-sage by President David Granger, whose message was read by the Honour-able Moses Nagamootoo, Prime Minister on the cel-ebration of our 50th anni-versary as a nation and in that message to Parliament, the President really identi-fied the aspirations that he and his Government have for the welfare and wellbe-ing of a good life for the Guyanese people, so it be-hoves us to strive to be in-clusive and work together.

Our neighbours were experiencing great difficul-ties, like Suriname, Ven-ezuela, Brazil, buy Guyana stands like a beacon, strong. Every week investors are coming in from those coun-tries into Guyana to invest because the word is out that Guyana is the place to be if you want to do business and to develop. But that means that you cannot sit idly by and allow foreigners to take the fruits of what we have here in Guyana, not that we are against investors com-ing here in Guyana, inves-tors can by all means come, but we want you to benefit first from any wealth that is to be produced in this beautiful lands ours. That

is why the young people have a very important role to play in this regard and they must recognise the im-portance of education. You have to be educated, educa-tion defeats poverty, pov-erty as you know moves to incessant crimes and we don’t want our young peo-ple languishing in jail so we have to educate our young people and make them foolproof from ignorance.

But look at the pano-ramic view of Guyana, we talking about a green economy and the environ-ment, we talking about sus-tainable energy, renewable energy that an entirely new sector that is being develop in Guyana and hundreds of jobs will be created, you have to put yourself in a position to share in that, you have to educate your-self to share in that. Oil and gas. ExxonMobil, the colleagues visited the head-quarters in Texas and they are excited about the finds they have made in Guyana.

I want to assure you that for the next 50 years you need to start gearing yourself to be in a posi-tion to take your proper place and rightful role in the productive sectors of Guyana as a people. We need the help, the technol-ogy and assistance but you have information tech-nology and young people catch on to this quickly and so we need to develop that into all of the schools.

I was happy to vote for a contract that was awarded to rebuild a school in Golden Grove. As I said our President is an ‘educa-

tion’ president, he started with the three B’s bicy-cles, buses and boats and he has always felt that if the children don’t have the means to go to school they wouldn’t go to school and so he has been provid-ing boats to children in the hinterland and bicycles and buses. He added breakfast because hungry children cannot learn and we have only recently unfolded a billion dollar programme for hot meals for the chil-dren and then he added books so the children are in order. And so once you in-vest in education there is no doubt that you will reap the benefit of such investment.

So 50 years, which bekons we could look in a very positive way to the future, we could realise so many things, I don’t think the future has ever been so bright other than the night when that Golden Arrow-head was being hoisted. But even as it was hoisted in division we believe that we have come a long and we must avoid persons who may want to divide us, and so our message is one of unity because with-out unity there is no pro-gress, without unity there’s no happiness, as they say a house divided in itself cannot stand, much less a country. So we must focus on the next fifty years on developing each and every Guyanese, allowing them to be free and feel free.

I trust that as we cele-brate our 50th year that we would keep these thoughts in mind as we advance in building a better Guyana.

Address by Hon. Basil Williams, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs at Flag Raising

Ceremony at Triumph, Region # 4

A section of the gathering at the Region Four Flag Raising ceremony

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams delivering the feature address at

the Region Four Flag Raising ceremony

The Region Four regional choir performing at the 50th Independence Anniversary flag raising

ceremonySee more photos on page 9


We are gath-ered here to-day to observe

a significant milestone in our country’s history which warrants much re-flection and celebration.

Tomorrow, Guyana will be celebrating 50 years as an independent nation. This is a milestone which could not have been possible if it were not for the struggles of those who came before us.

Because of the hard

work of leaders such as Dr. Cheddi Jagan, Forbes Burnham and Hubert Nath-aniel Critchlow, Guyana was lifted out of centu-ries of oppression which greatly affected its people.

Over the past 50 years, our country has made sig-nificant strides in all sec-tors and as Guyanese we must take pride in our achievements as a nation.

This is a time for re-flection and renewed patri-otism which has been evi-

dent to some extent over the past few months as Guya-nese prepare to celebrate this auspicious occasion.

But patriotism is more than draping build-ings with the colours of the Golden Arrowhead and singing our national songs.

Patriotism is love, devotion and support of one’s country and that is exactly what Guyanese at home and abroad should demonstrate all year round.

We must work together

to keep Guyana on this path of development in order to ensure that the struggles of those who have gone be-fore us do not go in vain.

Guyana is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society and despite our differences as a people, we must not allow our-selves to become divided.

We must at all times live up to our motto of One People, One na-tion, One destiny and live in love and Unity.

It is only when we work together that we can see our country forward into great-er equality and prosperity.

The APNU/AFC coa-lition Government is fully committed to working along with all of our partners, including those on the op-posite side of the house, to realise the full potential of Guyana. Let us all work to-gether for a better Guyana!

Minister of Public Health,

Dr. George Norton

Address by Hon. Dr. George Norton, Minister of Public Health at Flag Raising ceremony at Fort Wellington, Region # 5

Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton delivering remarks to those gathered at the compound of the Regional Democratic Council, Fort Wellington, Region Five for flag raising ceremony

A section of the gathering at the compound of the Regional Democratic Council, Fort Wellington Region Five for flag raising ceremony

Members of the disciplined services pay compliments as the Golden Arrowhead is being hoisted

The Golden Arrowhead being hoisted outside the Regional Democratic Council’s office

Persons gathered to witness the hoisting of the Golden Arrowhead outside the Regional

Democratic Council’s office

Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton,Region Five Chairman Vickchand Ramphal, along with other senior regional officials and Members

of Parliament at the flag raising ceremony



The hoisting of the National Flag in Region Four

Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Region Three officials look on as the Members of the Disciplined Forces march

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams leading the march

Minister of State Joseph Harmon greeting members of the audience

Members of the Guyana Police Force during the March Pass at the Region Four Flag raising ceremony The Region Four costume designed by Neilson Nurse St. Cuthbert’s Mission students performing a dance

Members of the Disciplined Forces and scouts standing at attention during the flag raising ceremony Members of the Disciplined Forces marching at the flag raising ceremony


Scenes from Region # 4


D’Urban Park comes alive

Children of Guyana get in formation to commemorate the 50th Independence in one of the largest cultural presentation

Overhead view of the crowd at D’urban Park for the flag ceremony in honour of Guyana’s 50th Independence celebration

President David Granger greets members of the security forces upon his arrival at the flag raising ceremony at D’urban Park

The President and Prime Minister being escorted to their seats at the flag raising celebration at D’urban Park

Members of the Guyana Defence Force stand at attention moments before the hoisting of the

Golden Arrowhead at D’urban Park on the eve of Independence

Over 1,000 young people were part of the cultural presentation at the flag raising ceremony

in Georgetown Every stand at D’urban Park was overflowing

Soldiers prepare to hoist the giant Golden Arrowhead under the flashes and lens of the media

The Golden Arrowhead flutters freely minutes after being hoisted. Fifty years ago, the flag was first hoisted as a declaration of Guyana’s free-

dom from British rule A section of the mammoth crowd


Officers of the GDF delighting the crowds with their presentation at the flag raising ceremony in Georgetown

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Minister within the Ministry of Education Nicolette Henry

The crowd spilled out of the stands to get a better view of the presentations at D’urban Park’s flag raising ceremony

Overhead view of D’Urban Park showing overflowing stands

The Flag Party The Golden Arrowhead flying high after being hoisted

Fireworks thrilled patrons after the hoisting of the flag at D’urban Park

D’Urban Park comes alive

The Guyana Defence Force Band


Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton taking the salute from the disciplined services at Regional Democratic Council, Fort Wellington,

Region Five for flag raising ceremony

A section of the planning committee for the flag raising ceremony take a photo opportunity with Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton

The Mexican Mariachi Band performing in Region SixPrime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Mrs. Nagamootoo

share a dance on stage

Nurses attached to the Fort Wellington Hospital take a photo opportunity with Minister of Public

Health Dr. George Norton

Primary school children drawn from varying schools in Region Five performing a national song

at the Flag Raising Ceremony which was held in the compound of the Regional Democratic Council

Regional Chairman Region Five Vickchand Ramphal delivering remarks at the flag raising ceremony

African Drummers from New York performing for the audience Ranks of the GDF during the Parade in Region Six The New Amsterdam Secondary Choir on stage





Excerpts

It is always a celebra-tion of who we are; we are not simply Guya-

nese or Caribbean people, we share what is called a continental destiny with the rest of South America so when the Guyana ship would continue to sail after midnight tonight into a new 50-year cycle, we would want to conclude that cy-cle with all our new gen-eration speaking English, Spanish, French, Portu-guese and possibly Dutch.

Our navel string is buried in this continent, and we have a continental destiny so that is how we believe that we are going to be reborn great, it is not what we were in the past, it is what we hope to become, a world first-class nation, that must be our ambition – today as I speak with you, all the countries that surround us are in trouble. The Brazilian president is facing impeachment, (she) was replaced by a tempo-

rary President, President (Nicolas) Maduro in Ven-ezuela, his regime now is facing a meltdown, Suri-name and Trinidad are also facing difficulties.

Recently the World Bank and the IMF (Inter-national Monetary Fund) recognised that Guyana is the only country in this part of the world that is standing solid, standing strong. And this must be our best tribute to our ancestors, the Am-erindians - the Indigenous people, African slaves and freed Africans and Inden-tured labourers- Indian, Chinese, Portuguese. They came here as indentured labourers, West Indians and even freed blacks, they came as labourers and some Europeans to work on the estates and all their dream and hope had been to live in a country that one day can be free.

Sometime we take our freedom for granted and we do not think about the sacrifices and strug-gles that brought this free-

dom from the days of the indigenous peoples who ran into the interior to free themselves and escaped from the colonial planters who came here looking for labour in order to take our wealth out. The Afri-can slaves many of whom would rather become what they call bush Negroes and maroons; they ran away into remote parts of the interior and to Suriname.

At midnight tonight when the rest of the world would be asleep, to re-call the words of the great Nehru at the time of India’s independence in 1947, he said that India would awake to a new freedom and so to-night after 50 years of being free, Guyana will reawaken to a new cycle of freedom where you have learnt now to appreciate that freedom because in other countries there are people who live and once lived like in South Africa in a state of apart-heid, in separate existence.

We are lucky that we in Guyana we can look

back and at what was and we can avoid becoming countries like those where freedom was nominal, freedom was only a word.

We have enjoyed the essence of freedom, and that was what was captured by the multicultural show you have witnessed here today, that we have brought with us the ancestral energy, the ancestral spirit and we have all been rejoicing that we could do this in our own country; can feel that we have an identity that is dis-tinct and different from any other people in the world, we are the only Guyanese people in the world and we must feel blessed for that.

I wish now to bring you greetings from the President of our Republic David Granger and to re-peat the words I read yes-terday in the National As-sembly when I conveyed his message to the Mem-bers of Parliament that our history has been one where many people, many forces combined to take

us forward. I recall in my own modest contribution, after the 1961 elections, I joined the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan in Berbice on a mo-torcade because we felt that independence would come after the 1961 elec-tions and the British with-held the independence until 1966. I have walked that long journey since 1961 and for me personally the word freedom is sweeter than nectar, because I know the value of it, to be able to stand up and be counted as a Guyanese and there were other persons who walked that journey. I want to say even though politics then divided us, the leaders we had from Cheddi Jagan to Forbes Burnham, Desmond Hoyte, Janet Jagan, Samu-el Hinds, Bharrat Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar who all became President and be-fore that Arthur Chung, they all played a role to bring us this far. We made mistakes yes, but these are not mistakes we cannot cor-rect and therefore, I believe

that all our political lead-ers, all our political parties they must be commended for the role they played to bring us this far and if we are to move forward more than ever, we need every hand on deck. As I refer to the Guyana ship, we need all hands on the paddle, we have to be like the Guyana team, we have to bat for Guyana, bowl for Guyana, run for Guyana and above all we must win for Guyana so, Happy Jubilee to you.

Prime Minister,Moses Nagamootoo

Address by Hon. Moses Nagamootoo, Prime Minister, and 1st Vice President of the

Cooperative Republic of Guyana at Flag Raising Ceremony at New Amsterdam, Berbice, Region # 6

A section of the gathering on the lawns of New Amsterdam, State House

Indigenous Students dancing to the Matapee song

The New Amsterdam Tassa Drummers on stage Young Drummers from New Amsterdam performing for the audienceSee more photos on page 14

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and other officials on stage


Happy Jubilee to all Guyanese, wher-ever you may be.

I know that many Guyanese have returned from the diaspora to be with us as we celebrate 50 years of our independ-ence, and for my broth-ers and sisters from the Rupununi to the Atlantic Ocean to Morawhanna to Moleson Creek, to all parts of our very huge and diverse country, I would like to convey the best wishes of our Government to you on this remarkable celebration of 50 years of independence of Guyana.

This celebration has brought to the fore the love of our people for Guyana, their patriotism, their com-mitment to go forward as a united country, as a free country, as a clean coun-try, as a green country, as a beautiful country and that is why today, I feel so energised, I feel so elated because I have seen the genius of the Guyanese people that they could put all the difficulties behind them, and look forward to the future with renewed confidence, with a sense of pride, with a sense of com-mitment, new commitment.

As I look back on 50 years, I recall the night the flag, the Golden Arrow-head, our National Flag was hoisted at the Nation-al Park. I was glued like many persons in the Coren-tyne, would have done, or in Essequibo or in the Ru-pununi or other parts where

you didn’t have any televi-sion at that time and you heard the voice of Bobby Moore and Rafiek Khan and Victor Insanally as they recounted the events that would lead to the unfurling of our independence flag.

The independence of Guyana has been a very special part of my life and the struggle and the desire for it. I went to a motorcade up in Crabwood Creek in 1961 and I joined that mo-torcade where the inten-tion was that after the 1961 elections Guyana would be independent. Cheddi Jagan was elected to office then and he led that motor-cade, and it was from then that I never looked back, I never faltered and I felt that the greatest mission in one’s life is to be able to witness and fight for the freedom of one’s country. It was for me an achieve-ment when Guyana be-came independent in 1966.

I sat in my home vil-lage watching the parade, the march on the road, the procession of people cel-ebrating independence, but as I noted on another oc-casion, for me it was not a happy time as our country was still under a state of emergency, and that there were people who were in jail, and therefore for me the occasion of inde-pendence was both pain-ful, nostalgic, as well as euphoric, a moment that I should be overwhelmed with pride and joy.

Today, I look back at

those 50 years since 1966, and I look back at the long journey, the difficult path we have come through, and I am more convinced that looking back is not really what we should be doing at this time. We have to look ahead, we have to look to the future, we have to look to see where we are going, it’s good to know where we came from, but I can im-agine in the next 50 years, a beautiful Guyana, my homeland, my mother land, where all our children are properly educated, where all our young people, quali-fied and trained can find gainful employment, where we would have no need to worry that our young peo-ple would migrate or they would leave the country with the training and skills, where we can look at our mothers and our elderly people, and make sure that their needs are satisfied, where we are able to have one of the best or the best health system in the region and nutrition is attended to.

Why do I say in the next 50 years we could do all of this? We live in the hope that we can be-come an oil and gas pro-ducing state, that we can have more revenues com-ing from the wealth of our country which is our natural resources, where we can manage our green untapped virgin forest and we could produce oxygen for the rest of the world and we can be compensated for our supply of oxygen to

save this planet, for having perhaps one of the world’s largest natural resort, for-estry resort like Iwok-rama, a bigger Iwokrama that we could use to do all kinds of laboratory test-ing of species that would be good for medicines and all manner of cures of peo-ple facing health issues.

I can look to our sugar workers being retrained, being retooled for the fu-ture so you don’t have to do the back-breaking work, where the sugar industry would be restructured, re-habilitated and diversified so we don’t have to carry sugar as a national burden. We have to carry the agri-culture sector, both sugar and rice as potential for the diversification of our economy, as the potential for value added products.

We would concentrate on manufacturing rather than raw materials’ ex-traction, where our young people will put their skills in factories that would produce high quality prod-ucts from sugar, rice and other agricultural products from which our country is richly endowed so we can once again become the bread basket of the Carib-bean, the bread basket of the Western Hemisphere.

So I look to the fu-ture with optimism, I look the future with hope, I look to the next 50 years with a sense of accomplishment that I have been here on the long journey in the first 50 years, and I that I have done

all I could and you also, all of you, all of us would have to say that we have done all we could to make Guyana viable for the next 50 years, to make Guyana a model of the country we call our homeland, our paradise. We can bask in the sunlight, we can en-joy the breeze, we can en-joy the scent and the fume of a clean environment, where you can breathe healthy, stay healthy and live healthy, so this is my vision as I bring you these greetings, on the occa-sion of the 50th anniver-sary of our independence.

I want to wish you and your families all the best, and I wish to assure you that our Government will continue on this path that we have started to make sure that we provide al-ternative energy, that we become a green economy, where we do not utilise so much of our resources on fossil fuel, that we could have solar energy, wind energy, water energy, so more Guyanese can have more disposable incomes in their pockets, that we are able to gear our economy and our industries and pro-ductive sector to receiving energy from renewable sources and that will place us as an envy in the world.

And, that is why I be-lieve that you also share that confidence that Guy-ana could bounce back in the next few years ahead to a bountiful country, self-sufficient in the things we

need to consume, laying a viable, solid, unbreak-able foundation for better health care, better educa-tion, better transportation and overall to be able to provide housing, recrea-tional facilities and those leisure parks, that people would need to know that they don’t only work in Guyana, but they can en-joy moments of leisure.

I want also to let you know that in one year, we have been in Government we have chosen quite delib-erately to focus all we can, and divert as much resourc-es as we can afford to cel-ebrate with you the Golden Jubilee because we recog-nise that the Golden Jubilee has brought out something in all of us, that we could celebrate together, we could sing, we could laugh, we could dance, we could enjoy each other’s compa-ny not as six different races, but as one, Guyanese, one Guyanese nation with one obsession, one passion and that is, we should all be reunited and all con-sider ourselves as citizens of our common homeland. But also I would ask that in your silent moment that you consider that we have much more to achieve; we have just begun this new journey, we are on the door step of a new exciting step for Guyana, so once again, happy Golden Ju-bilee, enjoy being in Guy-ana, enjoy being Guyanese.

Thank you.

Message from Hon. Moses Nagamootoo Prime Minister and 1st Vice President of the

Cooperative Republic of Guyana, on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Guyana’s Independence

Young dancers performing

Regional Chairman, David Armogan, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and New Amsterdam’s

Mayor, Kirt Wynter as the Flag is hoistedRanks of the GDF unfurling the Golden Arrowhead

on the lawns of State House, New Amsterdam


Excerpts

Bartica! I am hap-py to be here this evening in another

capacity; to give my pres-entation on behalf of the Government and to cel-ebrate with you my fellow Guyanese at this flag rais-ing ceremony to commem-orate Guyana’s independ-ence. This year is so special to our nation, as it marks the fiftieth (50th) year of Guyana’s independence from colonial rulership.

As Government and a nation, we are celebrat-ing this historic milestone and Golden Jubilee un-der the theme, “Reflect, Celebrate, Inspire”.

Putting independence in context, according to the writings of His Excellency Brigadier David Arthur Granger “Independence has been described as a de-colonisation, the reform, reversal or removal of atti-tudes that prevailed in the old economy and society. It also implied ‘Guyani-sation’, that is the educa-tion and employment of Guyanese to help them attain their full potential”.

May 26 is a special day for Guyanese. Independ-ence means a lot to us as Guyanese. Fifty years ago on May 26, 1966, the Un-ion Jack was lowered and the five coloured Golden Arrowhead flag was hoist-ed to demonstrate to na-

tions and the people of our country that we are com-petent and ready to handle the affairs of our dear land.

On that very night, the late Cheddi Jagan and the late Linden Forbes Burn-ham embraced each other and many people shed tears of joy; symbolic that a great victory has been won and the struggle for ndependence was over. The birth of a new nation has arrived. No longer the British Guiana but Guyana.

Fellow Guyanese, let us remember that the strug-gle for independence was fought putting nation above political parties and self-interest. Guyanese were united in a common cause.

Tonight I consider it a blessing, to witness Guy-ana’s 50th independence anniversary. There were many freedom fighters who would have struggled for independence, shed blood and tears and did not get a chance to glimpse the lowering of the Union Jack and the hoisting of the Golden Arrowhead.

Tonight we pay hom-age to our fallen heroes, who fought for our inde-pendence. We remember Guyana’s First Executive President, the late Linden Forbes Sampson Burn-ham, Late President, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, the Late Peter D’Aguiar and the Late Stephen Campbell. They all had their respec-

tive roles and purposes during Guyana’s prepara-tions for independence.

Fellow Guyanese, gaining independence meant that we had the right to decide the economic, so-cial, cultural and political direction of our beloved country. We determine the rise and fall of our coun-try- we are responsible for all the consequences of our decisions and actions.

Bartica! In reflecting where we were, we can simply say that under the British rule, our leaders and fore-parents, endured having non-Guyanese manning affairs and hold-ing key positions with-in governance system.

Today, tonight we can celebrate, as gov-ernance positions are held by Guyanese;

Tonight we can cel-ebrate our own national motto: One People, One Nation, One Destiny,

Tonight we celebrate our own national Pledge, Anthem and National Songs;

Tonight we cel-ebrate our democracy in election of a Gov-ernment of our choice.

Fellow Guya-nese, these, among oth-ers are things for us to celebrate. Not only do we celebrate them, but we are also inspired!

Fellow Guyanese, after 50 years of Independence there’s still work to be done.

Many challenges have set us back as a nation. Prior to May 11, 2015, there was the practice of divisive pol-itics but when you elected the APNU+AFC, as a Gov-ernment of national unity, you sent a strong message no more race politics or in the words of HE Brigadier David Arthur Granger no more “ethnic arithmetic”, which has stymied our development as a nation. Guyana belongs to all. Our Government has under-taken to unify our people. His Excellency has set up Ministry of Social Cohe-sion specifically to promote ‘oneness’, as our motto de-clares “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”. The younger generation must not experience the divisive past we have experienced. This is the only way our nation can move forward.

Bartica! I can con-tinue to focus nationally, but allow me to turn my attention to Region Seven. Like many other regions, you have suffered years of neglect. In this year of Jubilee, you have many things to celebrate. Dur-ing our lead up to the May 11, 2015 elections, the APNU+AFC made a prom-ise with you the people of Bartica that once elected to government, Bartica will become a town, since you have the potential.

On May 7, 2016 our Government fulfilled that

promise and granted town-ship status to Bartica and Bartica, you have elected one of your own among others to serve you as Mayor and Councillors of this city. And in the words of Mayor Gifford Marshall and I quote “we are go-ing to be Guyana’s first model town because we are going down the road of greening our entire township….and Bartica is united and is a town where look out for each other, we love each other and we want to set anexample for the rest of Guyana”.

Bartica! You have the right spirit for nation building; I commend and applaud your desire for development of a model city in unity. For united we stand divided we fall.

CONCLUSIONLet us as Guya-

nese demonstrate one-ness, so that we can join hands, hearts and heads together to propel this beautiful nation of ours to be the model country for the rest of the world.

Let us rise above the ideologies of narrow minded people who seek to divide us as Guyanese. Let us pride ourselves in our rich cultural heritage and diversity and embrace oneness as can be seen in all our national symbols, anthem, pledge, songs, national poems and mot-

to. Let us not get tired of working and fighting for the betterment of Guyana.

On behalf of HE Brigadier David Arthur Granger, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Prime Minis-ter Moses Nagamootoo and Ministers of Govern-ment, I extend Happy In-dependence greetings to you the people of Bartica.

May God continue to bless our nation and grant us peace! Long live the people of Bartica, Long live HE Brigadier David Arthur Granger, President of the Co-operative Re-public of Guyana, Long live Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Ministers of Government and Long live the people of Guyana!God bless you all!

Thank you!

Minister within the Ministry of Public

Infrastructrue, Annette Ferguson

Address by Hon. Annette Ferguson Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure

at Bartica, Region # 7

Minister Annette Ferguson waiting to take the salute A section of the crowd in Bartica The Bartica Secondary School’s Steel Orchestra



Excerpts

I am happy to be here among you to celebrate Guyana’s 50th anniver-sary of becoming an independent

nation. I am happy to be in Potaro-Sipa-runi which lies at the heart of Guyana, and which for too long has been an ach-ing heart. This administration however is committed to seeing this great re-gion become the heartbeat of Guyana.

My friends, 50 years ago the Union Jack was lowered and the Golden Ar-rowhead was hoisted for the first time. On that historic day our country was born. On that day Guyanese were given the opportunity to work together as one people, building one nation, and charting our own destiny. On that day of political independence, we were handed the re-sponsibility to shape our own future and make our country what we want it to be.

Thirty-six (36) years ago, our coun-try was demarcated into 10 administra-tive regions, and with it the system of regional administration was introduced. Apart from independence itself, this may have been one of the most significant developments in our country’s history.

Our country has come a long way from the days of colonialism. However, we still have a lot of work to do. For too long our peoples have been divided. For too long we have argued one with the other, about things that don’t matter, instead of extending the hand of friendship and fel-lowship to our fellow Guyanese. For our country to develop, this has to change.

We recall what conditions were like under the previous regime: for the years 2012, 2013 and 2014, a total of $80 million was allocated to repair roads in the whole of Region 8. That situation changed with the election of the current administration. In 2015, $600 million was allocated to construct concrete roads in Mahdia alone. We are disappointed the project has not progressed as it should have done, even though the contracts were awarded in De-cember 2015. This was as a result of the contractor who was supposed to supply stone failing to do so. The contract will therefore be awarded to another contractor.

Four-and-a-half years ago, Guyanese took determined action to remedy our divi-sions. Guyanese from all walks of life em-

braced the idea of inclusive governance. They did this by giving one political party the right to form a government, but not a majority in the National Assembly. Regret-tably, that opportunity was not grasped.

One year ago on May 15, 2015, the electorate chose a six-party coalition – the APNU+AFC – over a one-party candidate, to lead our country for the period 2015-2020.

Ladies and gentlemen, that event marked a new beginning – the possibility of a fresh start – the opportunity of creating inclusive governance as stipulated in Arti-cle 13 of the Constitution, and a better life to which all Guyanese can look forward.

The road ahead will not be easy; it will require dedication and hard work, but with our combined efforts we will achieve our aim of providing a good life for Guyanese, in whichever part of the country we live.

Your government knows of the is-sues which the people of this region face on a daily basis: You need a better water supply, you need reliable continuous and, most importantly, affordable electricity, proper healthcare, you need a commer-cial bank; you need all-weather roads, all-weather airstrips. My friends, we know of those needs, and we are work-ing to meet those needs. We know that you need mining lands; the Minister of Natural Resources has recently announced that 120 blocks are soon to be made available to small miners in this region.

President Granger is committed to de-veloping a green economy; one fuelled by renewable energy. Here in sub-region 2 of the Potaro-Siparuni region, in the very near future we will ensure that the Tumatumari Hydroelectricity Plant is rehabilitated to provide the supply of electricity, mentioned.

AGRICULTUREIn the area of agriculture, the region’s

initiatives are geared to provide food se-curity. The programme, recently started, and will supply inputs to the school-feeding programme and will provide many more sustainable jobs in the region.

The RDC has developed a framework to stimulate economic ventures; this in-cludes absolute ownership of the crops grown, processed, packaged and marketed.

The region is also embarking on introducing shade house agricul-ture at Kopinang, Kato and Mahdia

to grow crops such as lettuce, toma-toes, and strawberries, to name a few.

Currently, there are three acres of rice growing at Monkey Mountain and four acres at Kopinang prepared for mixed farming and cultivation, in-cluding ground provisions, beans, etc.

As it relates to capital purchases, the RDC will be purchasing $13 million in agricultural equipment for irrigation, land preparation, and a smaller percent-age for chemicals to control acoushi ants and other pests and diseases in the farms.

EDUCATIONEvery day, the administration is mind-

ful that your schools need better equip-ment and more staff. Our children are our future. That is why the administration is committed to improving the schools across this region and throughout our country.

NATIONAL UNITYMy friends, Guyanese chose to elect

into office a new administration, an ad-ministration which promised transparency, accountability, democracy and regional autonomy. As part and parcel of regional autonomy, the administration is commit-ted to the decentralisation of decision-making power from central government to regional administrators. Ladies and gentlemen, Guyana is a large and diverse country; our various regions have a variety of human and natural resources. Our vari-ous regions each have diverse geographic features. Given these facts, how can one expect that our country could be governed from an office in Georgetown? It is only logical therefore; that each region be giv-en the power and authority to chart their own courses and plan their own destinies.

His Excellency President Granger has charged each region with develop-ing and fashioning a plan for their own development. This plan will take into ac-count the current economic conditions of the regions, the regions’ available natural resources, the regions’ available human re-sources, and the needs of the regions’ resi-dents. This plan is called the Plan of Ac-tion for Regional Development or PARD.

We are all aware that Guyanese usually refer to their regions by a number instead of by their names. Residents of Potaro-Siparuni it is clear that the reason for this is that the

names of the regions are too long and of-ten difficult to remember. However, how can anyone form an emotional bond with a number? We need to call our regions by their names. The administration therefore, has taken a decision to send teams into the regions to consult with residents and admin-istrators regarding the flags as well as the simplification of the name of each region.

TOWNSHIPMy friends you would be aware that

the administration had planned to make Mahdia a township, unfortunately this did not happen. The reason for this delay is due to technical challenges involving the demarcation of constituencies within Mah-dia, however, this matter is now engaging our attention and we intend that Mahdia will be a town within one year from today.

My friends, making Mahdia a town is the logical thing to do since Mahdia is already the administrative center of Pota-ro-Siparuni. Making Mahdia a township is part and parcel of the strategic direc-tion of this administration that each re-gion must have a capital town which will provide all essential governmental ser-vices such as driver’s licences, passports, NIS, pensions, GRA services, disability payments, land titling, business registra-tion, marriage certificates, and so on.

I close by wishing you once again a happy 50th anniversary. Let us work to-gether to develop our country from strength to strength. Let us work together to create a better life for ourselves and our children. Let us put aside our petty disagreements and embrace our neighbours. We have a future to build. Let us get on with the work at hand.

Happy Independence!

Minister of communities, Ronald Bulkan

Address by Hon. Ronald Bulkan, Minister of Communities at Flag Raising in Mahdia, Region # 8

Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan with students of Mahdia Secondary

A section of the gathering at the ceremony Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan and wife Sattie Bulkan enjoying the flag raising ceremony



Excerpts

Fifty years ago we be-came an independ-ent nation. Energies

were released. We fash-ioned a way of ensuring ethnic harmony. We built roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, Amerindian hostels and the like. We hosted CARIFESTA for the first time in 1972; we built the Umana Yana for the first time also in 1972.

CARIFESTA was the first event at which the In-digenous Peoples of Guy-ana were able to show off our culture and traditional way of life. Today, the Umana Yana remains a means by which we the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana say to the world, in a tangible way, that we have the capacity and the capability to contribute to our country’s richness and developmental thrust.

Successive Govern-ments of Guyana have con-tinued to work towards an ever improving education system and health care de-livery service. Successive Governments have worked towards the general im-provement of the lives of Indigenous Peoples. That process started well before Independence with Ste-phen Campbell, our first Indigenous legislator. He

was joined later by our very own, the then very youthful Phillip Duncan, the first Indigenous Guya-nese to become a minister of Government. Guyana was to be graced by sev-eral Indigenous ministers of government thereafter: Vibert De Souza, Carolyn Rodrigues, Pauline Sukhai, Desrey Fox, George Nor-ton, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, Dawn Hastings-Williams and Sydney Allicock. Caro-lyn Rodrigues later became the first Indigenous person to be appointed to the of-fice of Minister of Foreign Affairs. Dr. George Norton is the first Indigenous Min-ister of Health – a product of our scholarship pro-gramme. I am honoured to be the first Indigenous Vice President of my country.

There are countless Indigenous Guyanese who have contributed to the development of this young country by dint of their hard work, commit-ment, sacrifices and pat-riotism. They can boast of accomplishments in education, health, avia-tion, general public service, military service and count-less other areas. These are our National heroes and we must celebrate them.

As I have said in oth-er places, the Indigenous Peoples of Guyana have

served humanity well. We have from time immemo-rial been the keepers of the earth’s lungs. We have kept civilisation going by ensur-ing sustainable use of the natural environment. We are the reason that Guy-ana can earn real money for its standing forests.

Guyana has made sig-nificant strides since May 26, 1966. There have been many challenges. Some we have managed to over-come; others still linger. I believe that, were we all to fully understand Inde-pendence and the respon-sibilities which go with it, our challenges will be significantly reduced.

In moving forward on the next leg of our journey as an Independ-ent Nation, we who are elected to lead must of necessity, see ourselves as servants of our people.

Let us recognise that every Guyanese has a role to play in the future of our country. It cannot be “we versus them”. It has to be about UNITY. Together we must sit and formulate sensible policies; design meaningful and workable programmes; engage peo-ple who are possessed of the requisite skills and ex-perience to help with taking these programmes forward.

Those of us who see

the need to frustrate ef-forts aimed at real devel-opment are hurting all of us; our children and future generations. Those of us who see the need to ig-nore brilliant ideas aimed at real development be-cause of their source are doing no different. We must resist the temptations to engage in these use-less and harmful exercises.

We have come a long way. Lethem is now a Town. Lethem is now offi-cially the capital of Region Nine. We are embarking on the decentralising of government services. This set of actions is geared to ensure that the difficulties associated with journeying to the capital city to do ba-sic things come to an end. Region Nine residents are entitled to the unhindered access to the full enjoyment of all government services right here. You will get no less. Your government intends to bring technical and vocational training, agricultural training, im-proved education delivery and health care service to you here in Region Nine. We shall continue to im-prove the physical infra-structure of the Region. We shall improve the jus-tice system here, as well.

To our young people desirous of studying at the

tertiary level, and who have difficulty finding a place to live in the city I have good news. The Ministry of In-digenous Peoples’ Affairs has already embarked upon the process of planning and costing with respect to a new dormitory specific to your needs. The construc-tion of this facility will com-mence soon after this year.

We have removed the political tentacles from the National Toshaos’ Coun-cil. They are now truly independent of political direction. Government facilitated the holding of Guyana’s first ever Indig-enous Peoples’ Rights and Resources Conference held last August. Govern-ment continues to support Indigenous Villages and Communities through in-terventions aimed at im-proving Village economies and equipping youths with skill sets necessary to con-tribute meaningfully to sustainable development.

As we celebrate tonight the 50th anniversary of our Independence, let us do so ever mindful of our many National achievements; let us celebrate the people who made it possible. Our leaders - Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, Cheddi Jagan, Peter d’Aguiar - may have had differences on many matters. How-

ever, they were united on one thing: the need for British Guiana to become Independent Guyana.

At midnight on May 26, 2016 we start a new journey. We start the march towards the next 50 years as an Independ-ent Nation. For us to suc-ceed, we need to be united around a common idea. May I suggest that we unite around the solid belief that as a Nation, we shall attain true economic independ-ence. By 2066, when our grandchildren come here to celebrate, they should be celebrating Lethem, the most developed Town in Guyana. They should be celebrating Guy-ana, the most developed country in CARICOM.

Let us get to work. “We have a nation to build; we have a destiny to mould.”

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock

Address by Hon. Sydney Allicock, 4th Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’

Affairs at Lethem, Region # 9

A group of dancers entertaining the audience at the flag rising ceremony in Lethem

A section of the gathering at the flag rising ceremony in Lethem

These young ladies showcasing the costumes which were used at the float parade on

Independence Day 2016



Excerpts

My fellow Guyanese, the development of a hu-man being could be lik-ened to that of a nation, and more particularly, to our nation, Guyana, as-piring for nationhood.

For about 350 years, Guyana was controlled by the European powers – Dutch, French and Brit-ish – with the latter fully occupying Guyana from the early 19th Century.

Guyana’s road to polit-ical independence was in-deed turbulent. For a brief period in the early 1950s, its nationalist movement, the original People’s Pro-gressive Party, under the leadership of the Late Pres-idents, Dr. Cheddi B, Jagan, and Mr. Forbes Burnham, enjoyed overwhelming support from the working class and the masses in general, as they pursued the noble objectives of national unity and internal self-gov-ernment. Their resounding victory at the 1953 gen-eral elections astounded many, including local

reactionaries, the Co-lonial Office, and more so the US State Depart-ment. With independ-ence came the termination of more than a century and a half of British colo-nial administrative rule.

As part of independ-ence we saw the emergence of our new Guyana Coat of Arms. Beneath a scroll-like banner, the Nation’s Motto is proudly proclaimed: “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”, while on the shield itself are found three barrulets of azure blue symbolising Guyana’s wa-tery nature and its water po-tential. This Coat of Arms justifiably accords pride of place in our national minds and reminds us of our uni-ty and sense of purpose as an independent nation.

There was the selec-tion of the Canje Pheasant

as the national bird. The flag and national anthem, the design and colours of the new flag – “The Golden Arrowhead,” had already been chosen. The winning entry for the national an-them, “Green Land of Guy-ana,” was written by Rev-erend Archibald Luker, and the words were set to music by Cyril G. Potter, a promi-nent Guyanese educator and musician. Guyana became an independent na-tion on Thursday, May 26, 1966, but the independence celebrations began four days before and contin-ued until May 29. On the evening of May 25, a grand cultural performance took place at the Queen Eliza-beth Park (later to be re-named the National Park).

Similar activities were also scheduled to be held in other parts of the coun-try with major ceremo-nies in Essequibo, [here in] McKenzie/ Wismar/Christianburg (now Lin-den) and New Amster-dam. Adrian Thompson and team also raised a flag at Mount Ayanganna.

Then at midnight, the Union Jack, the symbol of British colonial rule for 163 years, was lowered and the new flag of Guy-ana, the Golden Arrow-head, was raised to the top of the mast. Just before the flag raising ceremony be-fore a huge crowd, Prime Minister Forbes Burnham and Opposition Leader Cheddi Jagan publicly em-braced each other, indicat-ing their satisfaction that Guyana had finally won its political independence.That was 50 years ago!

My fellow Guya-nese there are some valu-able lessons that should take note of as we assem-ble here, on the eve of our Jubilee anniversary.

Independence was a col-lective effort

It was a “we thing” and

it required effort. It wasn’t given on a platter. We had to fight for it. As H.E. President David Granger points out: “Political Inde-pendence was neither the work of one person nor one party nor was it a sud-den event. It was a process that took place over a long period of several decades.”

That’s why as a gov-ernment, we hold that: “Perhaps nothing is more important to APNU+AFC than being a change agent for healing and reconcili-ation in our beloved Guy-ana. Since the beginning of our recorded history, we have known conflict and strife, most notably in the deliberate manipulation of the races by our colonial rulers to ensure that, un-til today, we remain dis-trustful, disrespectful and disdainful of each other.

President Granger (in his May 12th address to the National Assembly) reiter-ated his call for social co-hesion: “Stating that social cohesion was key to this country’s moving forward. President Granger told the Parliament that Guyana’s future depends heavily on “deeper social cohesion” and stressed that the cur-rent generation has an obligation “to repair past damage, to restore trust and to rebuild the bases of a ‘moral community’.”

Fellow Guyanese, just as we, together worked to gain Independence, we have to work togeth-er to build the nation. It calls for collective effort.

Independence was a promise for the future

Independence was just the start. It was just the be-ginning. It was the birth of a living organism with the potential to grow and devel-op but political independ-ence is just one compo-nent of being independent.

Since coming into of-fice, H.E. President Grang-

er has been championing this theme of economic independence. Taking his message of economic inde-pendence across the nation, the President observed that: “East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six) can lead the economic recovery of the entire country. It can influ-ence the economic devel-opment of the Caribbean community through the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME),” adding, that “[the] Re-gion comprises 96 com-munities. It is the only Region with three towns. Guyana needs strong Re-gions… We need economi-cally robust Regions…”

Fellow Guyanese, as we contemplate the future and we consolidate and celebrate our political inde-pendence, part of our contri-bution to building this “free and just society” must be to work for full independ-ence, including economic independence. The future beckons. We must work to fulfill the promise that independence brought us.

Independence opened the door of opportunity

Independence gave us the opportunity to cre-ate the life (country) we want. We didn’t have to wait on another to build it for us. Independence gave us an opportunity to establish ourselves in the world, which means get-ting ahead, educating our people, establishing re-lationships and compet-ing for a place in society.

Some of you may be too young to know this. When we gained independ-ence, it took approximately eight hours to travel from McKenzie to Georgetown. Within two years, that was reduced to less than three hours, with the completion of the Linden/Soesdyke Highway. And there were many more such exam-ples, including “the MMA

Scheme, the expansion of the Black Bush Polder and the Tapacuma Drainage and Irrigation Schemes; the Demerara Harbour Bridge and the Canje Bridge; the entire network of coastal roads from Corentyne to Essequibo; and, the Na-tional Cultural Center.

Independence gave us Responsibility

Social ResponsibilityOne of our Historians

writes: Our expectation was that with political in-dependence we would have enjoyed political stability, national unity and social and economic progress. Unfortunately, the stark reality is that today our nation is still struggling to achieve these desired goals.

President Granger is of the view that the coun-try cannot move forward as a nation with sections of society preaching disu-nity. With that in mind, the President said, “We need to reinforce the political party system in which all Guya-nese can sit at the table and resolve their problems in an inclusionary manner. That is why I have been advocat-ing shared governance and inclusionary democracy.”

Territorial ResponsibilityOur President reminds

us of this responsibil-ity: “Independent statehood vested us with the respon-sibility of being guardians of our territory, custodians of our national patrimony and masters of our own destiny. Our new status imposed an obligation to improve our citizens’ access to public servic-es... It engendered hopes of a ‘good life’ for all.”

Environmental Responsibility

It is now our duty to protect and care our por-tion of the earth and its at-tending environs. It is our duty to understand that

our choices and our ac-tions will contribute to the well-being of the environ-ment or its deterioration.

Independence brought with it accountability

It is said that with re-sponsibility comes account-ability. So you may ask, “To whom are we account-able?” We are accountable to our collective selves. We are also accountable to the next generation. We will be judged by the next generation as either being responsible or being reck-less with that which was bequeathed to us – what we did with it and what we, in turn, bequeath to them.

We are proud of our accomplishments since achieving political Inde-pendence over the past fifty years. We now look forward to the achievement of economic independence over the next fifty. We shall be prouder when we em-ploy our energies and ef-forts in this special year of our ‘national renaissance’ to remove the remaining obstacles that still keep us disunited, and to chart a course that will bring hap-piness to our people. It is now time to set forth on a new pathway to progress.”

On behalf of the Government of Guyana, I wish you and your fam-ily a blessed 50th Inde-pendence Anniversary!

Minister within the Ministry of

Communities, Valerie Adams-Patterson

Address by Hon. Valerie Adams-Patterson, Minister within the Ministry of Communities at

Flag Raising in Linden, Region # 10

See photos on page 20


Mazaruni prison inmates performing folk songs Parade marches on

The Golden Arrowhead is hoisted at Mahdia

Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan among residents looking at the fireworks

Flag Party marches on Golden Arrowhead being hoisted Gift for Bartica’s first Jubilee baby

Students of the Mahdia Secondary singing and dancing folk songs Fireworks display in Mahdia

Residents of Mahdia watching fireworks


Scenes from Region # 8

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Scouts participating in the Region Ten, Flag Raising Ceremony

Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock delivering the feature address at the flag rising ceremony in

Lethem, Region Nine

Members of the Police Force’s Band leading Joint Services ranks marching at the Region Ten, Flag

Raising Ceremony in Linden

Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldiers conducting their march pass before the hoisting

of the flag, Region NineGuyana Defence Force (GDF) soldiers standing at seize

as the Golden Arrowhead is hoisted in Region Nine

Fireworks light up the sky as the Golden Arrowhead flies at full mast in Region Nine

A section of the crowd at Region Ten Flag Raising Ceremony in Linden

Minister of Housing Valerie-Sharpe Patterson and Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira cutting an Independence Cake at the Region Ten Flag

Raising CeremonyThe Regional Democratic Council Building, site of the Flag Raising Ceremony in Linden, Region Ten

Scenes from Region 9 & 10 Flag Raising Ceremony

hoisting the golden arrowhead

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