As I listened to the citizens on the streets I want encouraged the Opposition to
find it within their conscience and duty to table a motion in the National Assembly to ensure that Guyana finally honours its heroes in a meaningful and enduring way. Among those heroes stands Dave Martin—musician, poet, cultural icon, and one of the most profound voices Guyana has ever produced.
In this regard, I must commend the Hon. Odessa Primus for her contribution during the Budget 2026 debate. Her presentation struck a necessary and uncomfortable chord. She called on the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports to do far more for our local artists and cultural practitioners, and she was absolutely correct. For the past five years and more, there has been little to no tangible effort by the Ministry to advance cultural development or youth empowerment in any structured, visible, or lasting way.
Hon. Primus reminded the nation of a painful truth: we do not honour our heroes while they are alive, and we struggle even more to honour them when they are gone. Few examples illustrate this failure more clearly than the case of Dave Martin.
Dave Martin was not merely a musician; he was a chronicler of our Caribbean condition. His music gave voice to identity, struggle, pride, and conscience. Songs such as Blade of Grass and Where Are Your Heroes, Caribbean? are not just artistic works—they are cultural landmarks. Ironically, the very question he posed in song remains unanswered in Guyana history today.
As shared poignantly by his wife, when Dave was alive and the new roundabout near the Demerara Harbour Bridge was being constructed, she reached out to the then Ministers of Public Infrastructure and Culture. She proposed a simple yet powerful idea: a statue of Dave Martin, guitar in hand, at a location deeply connected to his roots in Region Three and symbolic of his contribution to the nation. That request went unanswered. The opportunity was lost.
Since his passing over a year and a half ago, there has been tireless advocacy to preserve his legacy—yet to no avail. No statue. No national monument. No enduring tribute befitting a man who gave Guyana a cultural voice that resonated far beyond our borders. Recently, his wife expressed the quiet hope that such recognition might still happen in her lifetime. That alone should trouble us as a nation.
Honouring Dave Martin with a statue is not about nostalgia; it is about national values. It is about affirming that culture matters, that artists matter, and that our heroes deserve recognition beyond speeches and anniversaries. A statue of Dave Martin would not only honour his memory but also serve as a constant reminder to young Guyanese that art, conscience, and cultural pride have a rightful place in our national story.
If the Government is unwilling to act, then let the Opposition lead. Let a motion be tabled in Parliament calling for a national framework to honour Guyana’s cultural heroes, beginning with Dave Martin. Let us finally answer his question—not with words, but with action.
Because a nation that forgets its heroes risks forgetting itself.
