Yesterday the 23rd of February, 2023 marked 260 years since Cuffy an Akan enslaved man from West Africa successfully led a revolt against the Dutch in Berbice and became the first non-white head of state in the Western Hemisphere. The revolt was against a system that was oppressive, and discriminatory to the enslaved who were also subjected to many inhumane and degrading treatments.
Where are Africans today, are they receiving 2-3 thousand United States Dollars rent for a single apartment, are they building shore base facilities, were they given any oil blocks, are they being granted contracts from oil companies, are they receiving multi-US dollar contracts to build roads, are you satisfied with the way the current regime is treating them, do they feel oppressed?
Only a few weeks ago Bro. Nigel Hughes and Bro. Nigel Hinds presented a research paper to the United Nations showing that even East Indians from Trinidad and Tobago are benefiting from Government contracts significantly more than Afro-Guyanese, I believe it is the same n the oil industry.
Consequently, with a sense of leadership, or probably it is your daily complaints of marginalization, oppression, and high cost of living among others that did not permit me to take part in yesterday’s Mashramani festivities? However, I noticed from the pictures of the parade and Chow Pow on his Facebook like many others pointed out that Africans were the most significant group on the gyrating. I will like to see our Administration show the same alacrity and need for the involvement of African Guyanese in sharing of our economic wealth as they were used to gyrate yesterday. We must never forget that our African ancestors through chattel slavery built this country for free.
Despite of the forgoing I acknowledged that we all have the rights of freedom of assembly and movement, rights that were taken away from our ancestors. BETTER MUST COME !!!
