A Biographical Summary
Scholar:
Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham was born to a Headmaster father and a devout Christian mother on February 20, 1923. His scholastic career is one of the outstanding features of his life. He went from Kitty Methodist School to Central High School and then to Queen’s College in 1935 and one year later gained the Centenary Exhibition as well as a Government Junior Scholarship. In 1937, he won the Percival Exhibition Award and in 1942 he won the coveted Guyana scholarship. The war prevented him from proceeding to university overseas and he therefore read externally for a degree from London University.
After the war, he proceeded to read Law at Gray’s Inn, winning the best speaker’s cup in the process. But the Law could not hold him. Politics was in his blood. Several Caribbean Leaders, especially Errol Barrow of Barbados have testified how Burnham and others “tired the sun with talking” on all subjects political. The destiny of Guyana and the Caribbean region claimed his attention. Left wing politics attracted him and soon Burnham was involved with the youth arm of the Communist party of Britain and the politics of the Caribbean students.
Brilliant Lawyer:
In 1944, he was awarded the Bachelor of Arts Degree at the External Examination of the University of London. In 1947 he gained with honours, the Bachelor of Laws Degree from the same University. In 1948, at the age of 25, he was admitted to the Bar of the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn, London. In 1949 he returned home and was admitted to the local Bar. By 1959 he had so established himself as a brilliant lawyer, that he was elected President of the Guyana Bar Association.
Politics:
While a student in London, his keen interest in politics earned him the presidency of the West Indian Students Union in 1947 and participation as a delegate to the Students’ Congresses in Prague in 1947 and Paris in 1948. Upon his return to Guyana he became a co-founder and Chairman of the People’s Progressive Party. In 1952, he was elected to the Georgetown City Council where he served as Mayor on two occasions, in 1959 and 1964.
First President with Executive Responsibilities:
In 1957, he founded the People’s National Congress and served as Leader of the Opposition within the Legislature until 1964 when he became Premier at the head of the People’s National Congress / United Force Coalition Government. When Guyana became independent in 1966, he became Prime Minister and with the advent of a new Constitution, he was elected the First President with Executive responsibilities on December 15, 1980, remaining in that position until his death on August 6, 1985.
International Respect:
He earned for his country international recognition and the respect of friends and foes alike for his articulation of commitment to the practice of NonAlignment. He made it clear that he was not prepared to sacrifice Guyana’s right to determine its own path of political, economic and social and cultural development. He was also an indefatigable foe of apartheid and was repeatedly praised for the strong support to the liberation struggles in Southern Africa.
CARIFTA/CARICOM/CARIFESTA:
Within the Region, he was a Founding Father of both CARIFTA and CARICOM and was regarded as “a regional Leader of utmost importance and highest esteem.” His was the vision of an integrated Caribbean Community [CARICOM] of independent people and he worked hard towards making that vision a reality. In the quest for cultural independence, under his leadership, Guyana hosted the first Caribbean Festival of Creative Arts (CARIFESTA).
Women’s Rights:
He ensured the passing of legislation which gave children born out of wedlock equal rights with those born of wedlock. A State Paper on Women in 1976 gave birth to three laws – The Equal Rights Act; The Family and Dependent’s Provision Act and the Married Persons (Property) Amendment Act. These Acts ensured for women equal rights in all spheres of political, economic and social life.
Concern for Youth:
His concern for youth was manifested in the establishment of the Guyana National Service which was meant to give early school-leavers additional opportunities and to build in young people a spirit of nationalism and engender a zeal for service to the nation.
Awards:
He received Guyana’s highest award, the Order of Excellence (O.E.) in 1973. His work as an internationalist earned him the grand Cordan Dhíorde du Mil award from the Government of Egypt, the Jose Marti award from the Government of Cuba in 1975 and an honorary Doctorate of Law from Dalhousie University of Canada. Three countries awarded him their highest awards – in October 1983, Brazil honoured him with the Cruseiro DoSol, in 1984, Bulgaria with the Star of Planinay and in 1985, Yugoslavia with the “Order of the Red Star.”
——————-
Extracted from Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, O.E, S.C.(20 February 1923 – 6 August 1985)
National Assembly Speeches, Volume1. September 1957 – November 1958
