The Burnham Foundation announced that its Independence Commemorative Exhibition will be open for public viewing, in the Main Street Avenue, west of the National Library, from May 24 to May 28, 2022.
“Our commitment to bringing authentic pictorial depictions of the events surrounding the 1966 attainment of Independence was not daunted, although the National Library was instructed to deny us the space that they had committed for the mounting of the exhibition. We are inspired by, and responsive to, the public outcry for the exhibition to be mounted, at all cost. We will not be deterred by the dictatorial and vindictive act of the denial of Freedom of Expression, albeit pictorial and verbal expressions,” the Foundation said in a statement. “We will continue to share with the public insights into Guyana`s history, even as we memorialize those who made it possible.”
It was disclosed on Monday Chairman of the Foundation, Vincent Alexander disclosed that on April 25, 2022 the Forbes Burnham Foundation sought and obtained permission to mount an Independence Commemorative Exhibition from May 23 to 28 at the Foyer of the National Library. According to Mr Vincent Alexander, a site visit was paid on May 18, 2022, on which occasion all of the details for the mounting of the exhibition were finalized. However, on May 23, minutes before the exhibits were to be mounted, the Foundation received a phone call from the Chief Librarian, in which she indicated that permission was being withdrawn since the Library needed the facility for its own use.
“The Foundation can only conclude that a directive was handed down to the Librarian to disallow the mounting of the Exhibition by the Burnham Foundation. The PPPC once again shows its dictatorial hand in its attempt to rewrite Guyana`s history and to impose its self on the people of Guyana through the total control of the political, social and economic landscape, while the President mouths “One Guyana” for local and Global consumption,” Alexander said. “ The Burnham Foundation, which is a non-governmental organization committed to the commemoration and the memorialization of the life of the Leader who lead Guyana to Independence, is left with no alternative but to join forces with the true democrats of Guyana in the struggle to reclaim their rightful space and entitlements as citizens of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana,” he concluded.
