Concerns are mounting over the future of Parade Ground in Georgetown, as the Coalition for Parade Ground 1823 accuses the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport of attempting to quietly determine plans for the historic site without broad public engagement.
In a statement, the Coalition said the Ministry convened what it described as a poorly advertised consultation on Wednesday, March 19, involving a “cherry-picked audience of its own choosing,” raising questions about transparency and inclusivity in the decision-making process.
The group is insisting that any plans affecting Parade Ground must be approached with sensitivity and wide consultation, given the site’s deep historical and cultural significance.
“The Parade Ground is a sacred space for African Guyanese. It stands as testament to the sacrifice that paved the way to the abolition of slavery and served as a major milestone in our march to freedom and Independence,” the Coalition stated.
The importance of the site is rooted in the 1823 Demerara Rebellion—one of the largest slave uprisings in the British Caribbean. Led by enslaved Africans including Quamina and Jack Gladstone, the revolt was driven by demands for freedom and improved conditions. Though initially intended as a peaceful protest, it escalated into confrontation, prompting a brutal response from colonial authorities. Many rebels were killed, while others were executed and their bodies displayed, including at Parade Ground, as a warning against resistance.
Highlighting this history, the Coalition recalled that in 1823, enslaved Africans were “brutally slaughtered, beheaded and their heads placed on staves at Parade Ground as a warning to others against rebelling.” Despite this, the struggle for freedom persisted, ultimately contributing to Emancipation in 1838.
“Because of our sacrifice at Parade Ground and across Guyana, others who arrived after 1838, enjoyed a slave-free space,” the statement noted.
The Coalition stressed that Parade Ground should not only be preserved but properly honoured as a place of remembrance for those who lost their lives in the fight for freedom.
“Parade Ground is therefore a sacred site for all Guyanese – it marks the place where African lives lost their lives in the fight for freedom and must be preserved to honour the struggle that made it possible for all of us to be free,” the group said.
In response to what it sees as an inadequate consultation process, the Coalition has launched a petition calling on the government to respect the historical and cultural integrity of the space. It is also urging the immediate establishment of a committee to oversee the construction of a fitting memorial at the site.
The group is appealing to the wider public to support efforts to protect Parade Ground and similar heritage spaces, emphasizing that decisions about such sites must reflect their profound historical meaning and the collective memory of the nation.
