GIHR Online News January 2023

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Prime Minister Mark Phillips joins Chinese community in observance of the 2023 Chinese Lunar New Year and Spring Festival.

Happy Christmas Guyana

The Guyana Institute of Historical Research is a partner of the Guyana Cultural Association of New York. Professor Dr. Aubrey Thompson, of Morgan State University is the GIHR representative. The Institute is also a partner of the IndoCaribbean Cultural Centre.

1823-2023

Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

Table of contents

Acknowledgements

Editorial team

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret'd), the Honourable Mark Phillips, who is performing the functions of President, and his wife, Mrs Mignon Bowen-Phillips, joined members of the Chinese community to observe the 2023 Chinese Lunar New Year and Spring Festival.

In his remarks, the Acting President, spoke to the role the People’s Republic of China and its citizens have played in the advancement of Guyana since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries some 50 years ago and in their 170 years since journeying to the shores of Guyana.

“The Chinese have contributed to the development of Guyana in all sectors: social, economic and political but what is more important is that the Chinese culture is part of our Guyanese culture.”

Their customs and traditions, he explained, adds to Guyana's rich cultural tapestry.

“We relish in this observance as we ring in the Chinese New Year- the Year of the Rabbit. Much like the significance of the Rabbit, I wish the Chinese community longevity, peace, and prosperity".

The event, which was organised by the Chinese Association of Guyana was held at the National Park in Georgetown.

China's Ambassador to Guyana, Her Excellency Guo Haiyan; the President of the Chinese Association, Mr Ruihui Su; the Minister of Home Affairs, the Honourable Robeson Benn; the Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, the Honourable Susan Rodrigues and members of the Diplomatic Corps were also in attendence.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

Message of His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, on the occasion of Chinese New Year 2023

January 22, 2023

Year of the Rabbit

I am pleased to offer, on behalf of the Government and people of Guyana and on my own behalf, greetings to the Government and people of the People’s Republic of China and to all Chinese around the world who are observing the Lunar Chinese New Year 2023.

These greetings are also extended to Her Excellency Guo Haiyan, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Guyana and to the staff of her embassy, and by no means least, the not insignificant Chinese community in our country.

The Chinese New Year is an occasion marked by feasts, festivals and other celebratory activities. It is a period of effusive joy and happiness for Chinese people all around the world.

This Year is designated the ‘Year of the Rabbit’. The rabbit is known for its swiftness, smartness and nimbleness. But it is also gentle, calm and peaceful. The Year of the Rabbit symbolizes the need for adeptness, vigilance, perseverance.

These virtues have been at the heart of the successes of China and its nationals. I am confident that in this New Year, these qualities will allow China to overcome its present challenges and to bring greater prosperity and peace to its people.

Guyana and the People’s Republic of China are enjoined by imperishable relations, strengthened by ties of blood, history, friendship, and furthered by shared interests. The Lunar Chinese New Year offers the promise of enhancing cooperation between our two states and between our peoples.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

The members of the Chinese community in Guyana continue to make a valuable contribution to national transformation and development. We are therefore pleased to join them in commemorating the Lunar Chinese New Year – the Year of the Rabbit. A joyous and festive Lunar New Year and Spring Festival to all!

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

Guyanese History in focus

Chinese doctor

Typical Chinese shopkeeper

HISTORY: The Arrival of the Chinese in British Guiana started in 1853

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

By Odeen Ishmael

Even though the planters in British Guiana (Guyana) had expressed interest in introducing Chinese labourers since Emancipation, it was not until 1851 that such recruitment first began. Because of the long travel distance from China, at first Chinese were not recruited since it was cheaper to transport Indians. While it cost a planter 13 British pounds to transport an Indian labourer from Calcutta or Madras, the cost was 15 pounds to transport a Chinese immigrant from any of the Chinese ports. But because of the growing need for labourers for the sugar estates, some planters decided to recruit Chinese especially during the period between 1848 and 1851 when Indian immigration was suspended.

In August 1851, the British Guiana Government agreed to pay the planters a bounty of $100 for each Chinese landed in the Colony. The following month George Booker, one of the sugar estate owners, arranged for the first shipment of Chinese to work as indentured labourers. The 115 men and 39 boys who were recruited were transported from the port of Amoy on the Lord Elgin. The ship departed on 23 July 1852 and after a journey of 177 days arrived in Georgetown on 17 January 1853. On this difficult voyage 69 of the passengers died.

Another ship, the Glentanner, chartered by Hyde, Hodge & Co, left Amoy with 305 men and boys and arrived in Georgetown on 12 January 1853. A total of 51 passengers died on the journey. The same Company recruited another 352 men and boys later in the year and they were shipped from Amoy on the Samuel Boddington on 25 November 1852 and arrived in Georgetown on 4 March 1853, after a voyage which lasted only 98 days during which 52 passengers died. (On this journey, the Chinese mutinied and almost managed to take control of the ship).

Most of the Chinese who arrived during this period were assigned to estates in West Demerara.

The British Guiana Government expressed concerns about the physical quality of the Chinese who were recruited and also about the large number of boys who were apparently passed off as adults. Subsequently, the Government withdrew the bounty payment to the recruiting planters on 1 August 1853. Earlier that year, James White, who had been the recruiting agent for the British Guiana Government in India, was appointed as Emigration Agent for the British West Indies in China. However, he was dismissed in June of the following year mainly because he failed to recruit any Chinese labourer.

In 1853 also, the British Government had decided to support a government-sponsored recruitment programme, but by May 1854 the British Guiana Government decided to halt immigration from China due to the transportation costs which had increased by over 66 percent and also because of the failure to recruit women.

Resulting from the absence of Chinese women among the immigrants, many of the men established conjugal relations with African women. The “mixed” children born out of these unions were referred to as “Chinee-duglas”.

The Chinese proved to be good workers on the estates to which they were indentured for a five-year period. Subsequently, the planters influenced the Governor (Philip Wodehouse) to appeal to the British Government on their behalf to allow the transport of Chinese to Guyana through private enterprise. At first, this was not supported by the British Government, but eventually in 1857 permission was granted for recruitment for a one-year period. Towards the end of 1858 two ships overloaded with 761 passengers, collected from “baracoons”, left Hong Kong for Georgetown arriving in March and May 1859 respectively. On these two ships 60 persons died on the long voyage.

In 1858 the authorities in the Chinese provinces of Kwangtung and Kwangsi (served by the city of Canton) began to encourage people to migrate, and this enabled the recruiting agents to finally contract females who were part of entire families. On 24 December 1859 the Whirlwind sailed from Hong Kong with 304 men, 56 women, 7 boys (under the age of 15 years) and 4 girls (under 13 years of age). The voyage lasted 78 days and not a single life was lost.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

During 1859-60 five more ships left Hong Kong and Canton for Guyana where 1549 men, 298 women, 53 boys, 26 girls and 18 infants landed.

In succeeding years ships continued to sail from the ports of Hong Kong, Canton, Amoy, Swatow, and Whampoa with Chinese immigrants who included a disproportionate amount of women. The Dartmouth which made the final voyage, sponsored by Hyde, Hodge & Co., started from Hong Kong on 24 December 1878 and after 81 days arrived in Georgetown with 515 passengers (436 men, 47 women, 18 boys, 5 girls and 9 infants). In this group were about 70 Christian converts. For the entire period of 1853 to 1879, a total of 13,541 Chinese landed in Guyana.

HISTORY: The Chinese on the Plantations in British Guiana

On arrival in Guyana, the Chinese immigrants agreed to the following terms of employment:

1. Payment was at the same rate as an indentured labourer – $4 a month – with sufficient food.

2. The working period would be seven and a half hours per day, except Sundays and holidays.

3. Free housing and medicines would be provided by the estate owner.

4. One dollar per month would be deducted from the wages for monetary advances made in China.

5. Every immigrant could terminate his contract at the end of a year, on payment, for each unexpired year of the contract, of a sum equal to one-fifth of the amount of the passage money.

6. Every female Chinese immigrant was required to live on the same estate with her husband, or with her father if she was single, and would not work unless she agreed. These terms were discussed with the Chinese immigrants who signed agreements with the recruiting agents in China before they departed for Guyana.

The first batch of Chinese was assigned to Plantation Blankenberg, West Coast Demerara, and to other estates on the West Bank Demerara. Those who arrived later were distributed to other estates, including to a few in Berbice and Essequibo.

Working conditions were relatively good on most of the estates, but some Chinese labourers complained from time to time of ill-treatment.

The Chinese came from many regions and they spoke different dialects. They also had varying skills and religious beliefs. Many of them were social outcasts picked up from the streets while others emigrated to escape misery and war. But they were concerned about maintaining their language and forms of their culture, and some of them, who had a relatively good level of education, organised night schools on the sugar plantations to teach the boys writing and singing.

A labourer who completed his contract was offered the option of renewing it, or a sum of $50 as a partial payment for a return passage to China. Very few Chinese opted to leave Guyana, but those who did so travelled on the ships that transported back to India those Indians who decided to leave Guyana on the completion of their indenture. Those Chinese who left were not only agriculturalists; some of them had worked as doctors.

There were also some Chinese immigrants who were not interested in working as sugar cane farmers because they felt the pace of work was too demanding. In May 1860 several of them left their estate (near to Georgetown) and marched to the city to protest their working conditions to James Crosby, the Immigration Agent General. At La Penitance they were stopped by mounted police who beat them with their staffs and forced them to turn back.

Those who did not want to work on the plantations had the options of buying their way out of their contract, escaping from the estates, or committing suicide. The first option was expensive since the labourers were earning only $4 a month.

There were many cases of Chinese who escaped from the estates. Many of them managed to reach Charlestown which was becoming the local “Chinatown”, but they were eventually caught and imprisoned for 30 days and returned to their places of work from where they usually escaped again.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

There was also an unusually high rate of suicides among Chinese men but it could not be determined if a dislike of plantation work was the cause. The immigrants’ traditional food, rice, was imported but it was very expensive. Plantains soon became a chief source of food. There were many incidents of Chinese labourers stealing plantains from farms owned by Portuguese and Africans, and those who were caught were brought before the court and punished by flogging. Later, some Chinese planted rice on small plots, but since Indians who were already cultivating rice expanded their production, the Chinese resorted to purchasing their supplies from them. The Chinese, like many Indians, used their savings to purchase land from African landowners. They were also astute businessmen and, by the 1880s, had established themselves in business, particularly in operating grocery stores in the rural villages and also in Georgetown and New Amsterdam. They also established laundries and restaurants in the two towns.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

Birth anniversaries in the month of January

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Former Vice-President Sydney Allicock Hon. Robeson Benn Minister of Home b. 6 January Affairs b.7 January

First Lady Sandra Granger-b.8 January Joseph Harmon-b. 8 January

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

Late President Arthur Chung b.10 January

Ernest Elliott, b. 13 January

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, b.23 January

Hon. Minister of Culture, Youth Second Lady Mignon Bowen-Philippsand Sports Charles Ramson jnr. b. 30 January b. 23 January.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

Death announcement

The PNCR is saddened by the passing of former Member of Parliament of the Party and the Coalition, Ms. Rajcoomarie Bancroft also known as Gloria Bancroft who died today, Thursday 19th January 2023, after a period of illness. She was the Regional MP for Region #8 and a member of the National Congress of Women (NCW). The Party wishes to express its sincere condolences to her children and other relatives at this time of their grief. May her soul be at Eternal Peace!

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

Executive members of the Georgetown District of the PNCR, presented the General Secretary of the Party, Mrs. Dawn Hastings-Williams, with a bouquet of flowers

Executive members of the Georgetown District of the PNCR, this morning (25-01-2023), presented the General Secretary of the Party, Mrs. Dawn Hastings-Williams, with a bouquet of flowers and a gift set, congratulating her on her appointment to the PNCR. Those persons present were Georgetown District Vice Chairman and Deputy Mayor Mr. Alfred Mentore, Georgetown District Chairman Mr. Troy Garraway and Georgetown District Executive Committee Member Mr. Robert Wayne Maison.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

Congratulations to the Stanley Ming family

Mr. and Mrs. Ming are proud grandparents, as well as parents of the recent MBA Graduate, in the family. Congratulations Stanley and Michelle.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

Paul Cheong

Paul Cheong is a Guyanese Business Executive with over forty (40) years’ experience in Business Management. He is currently Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, National Industrial and Commercial Limited (NICIL), Guyana Oil Company (GUYOIL) and the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI). Mr. Cheong also serves on the Guyana-Suriname Private Sector Business Council, Board of Directors of Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO), Edward B. Beharry and Company Limited, Sterling Products Limited, North American Life Insurance Company Limited (NALICO) and North American Fire and General Insurance Company Limited (NAFICO). He previously served as Director on the Board of Directors of Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) and the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). Mr. Cheong holds an Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting, Diploma in Marketing and Bachelors’ Degree in Business Management among other academic credentials.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

Quotes of the President of Guyana

1. We believe that the One China policy is important, not just for China, but for the stability of the region. More importantly, we believe that the region itself, as we work in a global community, must find ways in which there can be a deeper partnership and deeper collaboration so that the zone can remain one of peace.

2. Relations between Guyana and the People’s Republic of China are imperishable. Inseparable ties to China have brought tremendous development gains, has brought our people closer together.

3. As our beliefs and principles and interests converge, our two countries have continued to collaborate in international forums such as the China-Caribbean Consultations, the CELAC-China Forum, the Caribbean-China Economic and Trade Cooperation, the United Nations, the G-77 and China and World Trade Organisation. We both subscribe to the belief that multilateralism is necessary to assist in finding solutions to the present global challenges.

4. Whether it is the fence, grading and shaping the ground, bringing the facility up to standard, this year we are going to fix all the grounds associated with schools in Region 10

5. We want to work on developing a particular area that will be able to provide mechanical services, engineering services, tire repair so that we can service the hinterland with here being the major hub to provide those services

6. India has mastered the art of transforming raw material into value-added, mastered the art. There is nowhere else in the world that does it as good as India. They have mastered the technology that is efficient, that is cost-effective, that is reliable and they are willing to share that technology.

7. So, over the next few months, you will see a number of measures that will be aimed at creating this new ecosystem around agriculture, by focusing on high value, focusing on new areas and innovation, because that is where the future will go. We are building a food production and agricultural system on a platform that will make it competitive, resilient to operate in an economy 2030 and beyond.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

8. So, in projecting into the future I would like to say that today, I am pleased to lead a Government that can boast of the most diversified international partnerships. We have projects from UK, China, Austria, the United States, Canada, and India.

9. An open invitation is extended to Caribbean financial institutions to come to Guyana and to explore the opportunities available. We are just as keen to partner with regional institutions as we are forging international partnerships

10. Without investment, our region’s energy and food security plans will flounder… the region’s financial systems, therefore, must take account of the development plans of the region and I think the regional financial system also must be able to proactively respond to the needs of the region, and we cannot do so without combining our efforts

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

Quotes of the Leader of opposition of Guyana

GUYANA: ‘No money in budget to monitor & audit oil sector’ – Opposition Leader …Opposition Leader says this spells danger for Guyana

Aubrey Norton

By Davina Bagot – Jan 19, 2023 – Kaieteur News – Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton is

stunned at the Government’s failure to appropriate funds in this year’s

Budget

to help the country improve its auditing and monitoring capabilities, as oil production activities continue to accelerate.

On Monday evening, following the Budget presentation by Minister with Responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh, Norton said he expected that this year’s fiscal plan would have made specific provisions to improve the country’s human resource capacity.

“I would have thought that in a Budget like this, the minister would have been speaking in terms of human resource development, that we have put resources there to improve our capacity to audit cost oil. We would have put resources there to be able to monitor what is happening offshore. There is none of that and therefore, you are not increasing our capacity to ensure we get what we deserve in terms of profit oil,” the Opposition Leader pointed out.

In a subsequent interview yesterday, Norton explained that Guyana must be able to determine cost oil on its own, rather than await reports from the developer of the resource. This means, putting measures in place to be able to monitor the expenditure Norton said. “For you to determine what is cost oil, you need

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

to have people with the requisite skills to know what the actual cost of production is and therefore if you are serious about ensuring Guyana benefits, one of your first tasks is to develop the institutional capacity and capability to monitor first and audit what is happening.”

According to him, this Budget should have not only streamlined resources towards this objective, but also clearly outline the kinds of skills that would be needed for Guyanese to monitor the operation and conduct its own audits to ensure the right figures are being presented. He was keen to note that such a simple step would have aided in ensuring Guyana gets it rightful share of the profits.

The Opposition Leader said that the failure to implement such measures spell danger for Guyana and leaves the country at the hands of the oil companies, which can very well decide to inflate the numbers.

“If you do not know exactly what is happening, you can be given any figure and you need to live with that figure, rather than being able based on your capability to be able to analyse, audit and know that these are the actual figures and therefore determine that this is the kind of profit that exists and this is the profit we are sharing,” he explained.

The Leader said that the Government has decided to sit back and assume that the oil companies are presenting Guyana with the correct figure as it relates to expenses to develop the oil resource. To this end, he argued, “I don’t think any business should be organized in a way that you are dependent on the people you are doing business with to tell you how much you actually spent to explore and how much is profit.”

The Leader of the Opposition said he plans to raise these issues with the Government at the Parliamentary level during the Budget Debates over the next few weeks.

Norton argued that this year’s Budget is the largest ever and more worrying is the fact that no investment is being made to strengthen Guyanese oversight in the industry that is responsible for bringing in the largest amount of revenue.

Delving into this year’s allocation for the Ministry of Natural Resources- the agency responsible for the oil and gas sector- this newspaper found that a programme that commenced under the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition is slated to continue.

The objective of the ‘Oil and Gas Sector Development Programme’ is to, among other things, enhance the legal and institutional framework for management and oversight of the local oil and gas sector.

It is being funded by a loan from the International Development Association (IDA) – an international financial institution which offers concessional loans and grants to the world’s poorest developing countries.

This project does not directly cater to developing capacity to monitor the offshore operations and conduct audits.

In the meantime, Norton said billions have been allocated to other sectors, while a major priority area has been left with no funding.

This year, a whopping $136.1 billion has been set aside for the development of roads and bridges in the country. Last year, government spent $95.7 billion in this area.

The Ministry of Education is poised to receive $94.4 billion this year while $54.4 billion has been allocated to the Housing sector. Another $84.9 million is budgeted for the Ministry of Health. Notably, Government has also set aside US$43.3 billion this year for its Gas-to-Energy project as well.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

Submit poems in observance of the bicentennial of the 1823 Demerara slave rebellion

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

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Write to Members of the Guyana Institute of Historical Research

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

GIHR Call for papers and abstracts for the Sixteenth Conference

Theme: Race relations, cultures and, politics

‘Latent effect ’ (2021) by Keith Agard

Welcome reception

Date: 22 June 2023

Time: 6 pm.

Plenary sessions

Date: 23-24 June 2023

Time: 9am-5 pm daily.

Guyana Institute of Historical Research 2023 Virtual Conference

Theme: Race relations, cultures and, politics

Welcome reception

Date: 22 June 2023

Date: 23-24 June 2023

Time: 9am-5 pm daily

Abstracts and proposals will be accepted by 9 June 2023.

Hosted by the Guyana Institute of Historical Research

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

The Guyana Institute of Historical Research is pleased to call for papers and abstracts for its 16th Annual Conference. For the 2023 conference, the committee will consider proposals on all aspects of Race relations, cultures and, politics, especially encouraging submissions that reflect on this year’s theme; submissions that focus on other topics will also be entertained by the Committee. Submissions of pre-organized panels and roundtables are strongly encouraged.

During the TWO days Conference, each panel will have 3-4 presenters (each 2015 min., respectively), possibility of submission of a partial session with at least 2 presenters.

Panel, roundtable, and pictorial proposals will include the following information:

following criteria:

Proposal explains the topic, research questions, methodologies, and historiographic significance in ways that specialists and non-specialists alike can understand. (10 points)

Proposal presents new findings or revisions of long-held interpretations. (10 points) Panel proposals must include a panel title and 300-word abstract summarizing the theme of the panel; paper title and a 300-word abstract for each paper proposed; and a one-page professional curriculum vitae for each panelist (including the chair and commentator).

Roundtable proposals must include a roundtable title, a 300-word abstract summarizing the roundtable’s themes and points of discussion, and a one-page curriculum vitae for each participant (including the moderator, if any).

Individual paper proposals are also welcome and must include a paper title, 300-word abstract of the paper, and one-page vita with contact information and email address. If accepted, individual papers will be assigned by the program committee to an appropriate panel with a chair and commentator. Volunteers, who wish to serve as chairs and commentators should send a one-page curriculum vitae to one of the following persons: GIHR Conference specialist Syndrene Harris –syndrene.harris @uog.gy.com

Registrar Hazel Woolford –gihrinstitut@gmail.com

Proposals will be judged according to the Proposal addresses the conference theme. (5 points)

Participants may present one paper, serve on a roundtable, or provide panel comments. They may not fill more than one of these roles during the conference, with the following exception: Members who act as panel chairs may

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

deliver a paper, serve on a roundtable, or offer comments in another session. You may invite persons through the print or social media to be members of your panel. Members who serve as both the chair and commentator of a single session may not present in another session. If members attach themselves to more than one proposal in violation of the above rules, then the first proposal that arrives will be considered by the program committee and any subsequent proposals that include that member will be rejected.

All the correspondence, other than related to paper abstracts submission and acceptance, should be sent by e-mail for the Conference Organizing Committee, to the attention of the GIHR Conference specialist Syndrene Harrissyndrene.harris @uog.gy.com

The Organizing Committee would appreciate your familiarizing the members of your research/teaching unit, as well as all interested colleagues, with the present Announcement.

Tours

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

Panels

1. Memorializing an event in history .

a. 1763 Berbice revolution.

b. 1823 Demerara rebellion.

c. 1853. The arrival of the Chinese in British Guiana.

d. 1913 Rose Hall labour protest.

e. 1953 The suspension of the Waddington constitution.

2. The Diasporas: Historical and Contemporary

a. Twice deceived.

b. Illegal immigration.

c. Little Guyana.

d. The Caribbean nationals and colonials and the British government.

e. Kamla Harris, Jamaica and Modi.

3. Africans and the human condition.

a. Contributions of Africans to the Founding of Civilizations

b. The trans-Saharan slave trade.

c. Slave trade, slavery and manumission in Africa, Europe and the Americas.

d. Africans, apartheid and South Africa.

e. Migrants and Expatriates

f. Africans in India.

g. Afro-Futurism

4. Christianity and Indian immigration

a. The Presbyterian church.

b. Berbice High School.

c. The Lutheran church.

d. Christian school teacher in the class room, practicing Hindu priest at home.

e. The plantation owner and the religion of labourers.

5. Gender, women, race and, identity

a. The feminization of the University.

b. Gender, women and, small business.

c. Gender based violence in the plantation society.

d. People trafficking.

6. Libraries, special collections, and historical bibliographies.

a. The Academic teaching library.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

7. Main trends in education

a. Education policy.

b. Teaching Caribbean history in a plural society.

c. Adult education and learning.

d. Future learning.

e. Politics and education.

f. Ethnic studies.

g. Caribbean studies.

h. Private schools

8. Business and ethnicity.

a. Plantation economy and businesses.

b. Portuguese and businesses.

c. Yesu Persaud.

d. The tea plantations and the Irish.

e. Industrialization.

f. History of the oil industry in Guyana.

g. Food and nutrition security.

h. Parallel economy.

i. Cash transfers .

j. Socio economic transformation in Guyana and the Caribbean.

k. Guyana National Cooperative Bank.

9. Politics, trade unions and, Indians.

a. Jung Bahadur Singh

b. Jainarine Singh

c. Mohammed Ayube Edun

d. Cheddi Jagan

e. J.P. Latchmansingh.

10.Architecture

a. Gender, women and prisons.

b. Architecture and school buildings in the developing world.

c. Architecture and the construction of hospitals.

d. The Georgetown Public Hospital.

11.Pandemics in the colonies

a. The medical history in the colonies

b. Cholera

c. Malaria

d. Yellow fever

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

e. The influenza epidemic.

f. Ebola.

g. Covid

h. Monkey pox/small pox.

12.Culture and the Arts.

a. Indian art and artists

b. Doris Rogers

c. Phillip Moore

d. Monuments and public art.

e. Spirituality.

f. The writings of Walter Rodney.

g. The creole world of Guyana and the Caribbean.

h. The Guyana prize.

13.International Relations.

a. The world economic order.

b. Globalization.

c. Non Aligned Movement.

d. The Problem of Territorial Settlements.

e. The Commonwealth of nations and the former members of the British empire.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

REGISTRATION FORM.

Sixteenth Conference of the Guyana Institute of Historical Research

Dr. [] Mr. [ ] Mrs. [ ] Ms. [ ] Prof. [ ]

Name:

Address __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________

Telephone Number: (Home ) ____________________________(Office) ____________________________(Cell)

E-mail: ____________________________________

Organisation:___________ ____________________

Educator [ ] Post graduate student [ ] Researcher [] Administrator []

Please submit a copy of your conference presentation in the week of the conference, as well as a video presentation/power point for the conference secretariat to share. If unable to do so, please set up your presentation. Please fill out this form or a photocopy

Contact person: Ms. Syndrene Harris- syndrene.harris @uog.gy.com

Download, scan and return Registration form to gihrinstitut@gmail.com/gihrinstitute@yahoo.com

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

GUYANA: African Guyanese existence again systematically targeted, continually eroded –

By GHK Lall

GHK Lall

Kaieteur News – The PPP Government and leadership can either be congratulated or condemned for its relentless commitment, its premediated visions, to target African Guyanese communities, interests, ways of life, and then systemically erode all three. The latest involves cooperatives and idle lands (Demerara Waves, January 23), as presented by the Hon. Minister of Labour. On the one hand, I go out of my way to congratulate the PPP brain trust for coming up with yet another perverse scheme that indicates the energies that are devoted to delivering the vindictive, vengeful, and vicious thrusted again at the breast of African Guyanese.

On the other, there can only be the harshest denunciations, the sharpest curses, at the latest expression focused on coops and lands left idle, which does nothing but strip a people, layer by layer, of their dignity, their presence, and a respectful belonging. From my perspective, the message from the PPP to the African Guyanese community is simple as it is telling: deal with us on our terms, step over to our side, or this is what is going to happen, with more planned, and more to take shape in their implementations. It takes a considerable amount of twisted thinking, a doggedly calculating mentality, to drum up, then come out, with such an objective now laid at the feet of a besieged segment of Guyana’s population. Amid all the breathtaking things, it is enlightening about what burns in the soul of the PPP, when it unveils this development involving cooperatives and idle lands. However looked at, from whatever angle or elevation, the conclusion is immovable: there is a sinister and ominous vision harboured that has as its sole destination, the reduction of the African Guyanese community to that of chattels and dependents, subject to the ruthless dictates of a PPP Government that keeps venturing into territory best slowly and patiently cultivated, rather than consumed by the official unsheathed sword. I recall that there were some people, and a government over in Europe just under a century ago, that this PPP Government now eerily resembles when things like these surfaces. I invite Guyanese to do the comparisons, see how close they come in the parallels that targeted jobs, strongholds, and culture, until there was nothing left, as all were decimated to the bone and the bitterness of ashes that linger to this day. Those who are keen students of history know that that can be taken literally.

As is the norm, the PPP has a cover story, and it has the usual ring; at least, on the surface, and within limited confines. According to Demerara Waves, the Labour Minister said, “those that want to work for development, we will work with them but what we will not continue to have happen-people utilising the farcical umbrella of coop societies when they have government land in their possession and I have no apology to make. The action, as I have said, is either they resolve these matters or they will be dissolved.”

“Work for development”, it is. Who defines that, using what clear, consistent standard? Regarding “the farcical umbrella of coop societies”, there are those, but my interpretation is that that could be a smokescreen for what usually turns out to be the camouflage and subterfuge for draining away pockets of African Guyanese presence to the advantage of the PPP Government, through clever visions and objectives harboured. The matter of IDPADA-G and the unilateral cessation of the bulk of its funds came about under a similar nebulous development. It was about use of funds, fraud alleged, audit reports ignored and discarded, and an African Guyanese group left hanging by a fingernail, and with every intention that it is gutted and left swinging in the wind. City Hall accused of mismanagement and corruptions, only for more corruptions to be added through Central Government intrusions and manipulations; the capital city and Region 4 (with its kind of people) now existing as occupied territories.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

It is why I connect this parallel of “farcical umbrella of coop societies” to the precedent of IDPADA-G and City Hall, the conditions to which they have been reduced, and all that has followed since. I discern a continuum of crises manufactured, then smartly exploited. It would have encouraged for the Hon. Minister to speak of ideas to support the coop sector in the same manner done in the interior involving corn and soya; inspiring to hear plans in his ministry to address the humiliations of Guyanese oil workers, through monies for dozens of Labor Inspectors and occupational safety must haves. Instead, the Minister was steely in his resolve, in the contemptuously dismissive nature of the PPP Government, this of the ‘One Guyana’ declarations, “I have no apology to make.” His President must be proudly cheering on the sidelines since it is a song straight out of his own songbook. I am thinking of Mocha, IDPADA-G, City Hall, and now coops and idle lands (all involving primarily African Guyanese welfare), and there are some alarming questions that reasonably follow in the wash of those. What next is contemplated by the PPP Government with African Guyanese interests in mind to be undermined? Who and where, and under what tent, would another plank in the way of life of African Guyanese be selected and then first weakened, then extinguished? There is a certain compelling, inarguable logic to these questions, as bolstered by the progression (or deterioration) of events in the last two plus years. And though particularly so in the now widening harrowing experiences of African Guyanese, it doesn’t stop there.

At least, not for anyone with a conscience, with a mind unfettered by tribal distortions, with what is constructive and progressive for this country. Instead of ultimatums like resolve or be dissolved, I urge partnering for enhancing. Rather than dismantle and decimate, I exhort building up and the believing that comes from such action. That could lead to the elusive ‘One Guyana’ said to be envisioned.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.

You are invited to read the following GIHR Journals Online https://issuu.com/hazelwoolford/docs/gihr_journal_special_issue_november_2 022_edited

https://issuu.com/hazelwoolford/docs/gihr_journal_issue_10_september_2022 _revised_editi

https://issuu.com/hazelwoolford/docs/gihr_journal_issue_5_2017_b27be832d 12a0b

1823-2023 Bicentennial of the Demerara slave rebellion.