Diaspora Times Monthly News Magazine Issue 2 Volume 5 Times International
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DIASPORADIASPORA TIMES MONTHLY NEWS MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 VOLUME 5 TIMES INTERNATIONAL In The News INDEPENDENCE DIARY Personal Let us Cooperate Landmarks For Guyana Health & the mystique THIS IS THE FRUIT of Forbes Burnham Independence 1966 Independence What’s it Pocket Portrayals all about? Jubilee fever HAPPY ANNIVERSARY BARBADOS JUBILEE... 1 MAY 2016 GUYANA INDEPENDENCE MAY 2016 DIASPORA TIMES MONTHLY NEWS MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 VOLUME 5 EDITORIAL Editorial - Karen Sinclair At the junction of Quamina Street, Stabroek INDEPENDENCE DIARY Jubilee events: Guyana, Jamaica, Florida, Canada, New York & New Jersey Market and Queenstown 6 Personal Landmarks - Desmond Roberts 7 1966 Independence - Pocket Portrayals by Guyanese By Karen Sinclair 11 Golden Jubilee Symposium - Dr. Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith I know that my fellow Guyanese will be Berbice, Vlissengen, Ruimveldt, Bourda, New Am- 13 A shout from an iconic poem by Martin Carter saying “eh-eh, is wah wrang wid she?” Ok, I’ve sterdam, Vreed-en-Hoop? The musical tone of 14 Health and the mystique of Forbes Burnham - By Hubert Williams been away for a long time, but I do remember the name Beterverwagting, is as much a part of that Quamina street is neither in Stabroek nor our heritage as that village was the home of Qua- 17 Prime Minister Burnham receiving instruments Queenstown and that there is no physical junc- mina Gladstone, a hero of the Demerara slave of independence - photograph tion linking the three. Instead, today I am calling rebellion of 1823. Can we not ascribe our capital 18 The Nation's Leaders for us to embrace the disparate historic dimen- the heritage of King George, even if we have con- sions of our diverse heritage, whether notorious cerns about his legacy? British roots whisper in 19 The National Anthem or celebratory. Regent Street, Princess Street, Duke Street, 20 Independence: What’s It All About? By Frank A. Campbell This jubilee anniversary edition of Diaspo- Queen Street and Alexander Street as well as in 22 Coats of Arms ra Times contains many reflections about Guy- the layout of our Coat of Arms. Similarly, Linden, 23 Independence Arch ana’s independence as other patriots passionate- renamed for our first Prime Minister, Linden 24 This is the Fruit - Poem - Karen Sinclair Forbes Sampson Burnham, is an echo of inde- ly call for the renaming of towns, streets, build- 26 Jubilee Fever - Karen Sinclair ings and villages as a sign of this independence. pendence, as is the village, Melanie Damishana, 27 Guyana's Totem Pole While I understand the sentiments, we cannot named in tribute to one of his daughters. Man- simply wipe out our history and run from its un- dela Avenue forever recalls our support for the 28 “Let us Cooperate for Guyana”- Francis Quamina Farrier dismantling of South African apartheid in 1994, pleasant truths. We may perhaps be better 30 Happy Anniversary Barbados - Karen Sinclair served if we simultaneously acknowledge and while the names of nearby Le Repentir Cemetery embrace all the dimensions that make us who we and villages like La Bonne Intention and Le 32 A cry from the words of Guyana's “singing cowboy”- Nesbit Chhangur Ressouvenir harbor traces of French occupation are. IN THE NEWS two centuries earlier, between 1782 and 1784. It was in 1814 that the then three colonies Symposium on Guyana - Barbados Relations Yesterday did contain atrocities. Like Mar- Demerara, Berbice, and Essequibo first became CARICOM’s Reparation ‘Baton’ moves to Guyana one British Guiana. Prior to that, Essequibo and tin Carter’s protagonist, we “come from the nig- Demerara were possessions of the Dutch West ger yard of yesterday”. Today we are free. Tak- India Company, while Berbice was a colony ing ownership of our truth is freedom. Let us not owned by the Society of Berbice, a Dutch compa- forget nor bristle with denial. Indelible foot- ny. So, while we may proudly acknowledge the prints of our complex history have brought us to symbols of our free heritage in the names Umana this junction. Let us embark on a truly Happy Yana, President’s College, Avenue of the Repub- Jubilee Anniversary with the strength to face our lic, Cyril Potter College and the new Arthur Chung truths! Convention Center, how could we deny the histo- ry echoed throughout the nation in names like 2 DIASPORA TIMES MONTHLY NEWS MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 VOLUME 5 Table of Contents Editorial - Karen Sinclair INDEPENDENCE DIARY Jubilee events: Guyana, Jamaica, Florida, Canada, New York & New Jersey 6 Personal Landmarks - Desmond Roberts 7 1966 Independence - Pocket Portrayals by Guyanese Diaspora Times 11 Golden Jubilee Symposium - Dr. Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith May 2016 13 A shout from an iconic poem by Martin Carter 14 Health and the mystique of Forbes Burnham - By Hubert Williams Issue 2, Volume 5 17 Prime Minister Burnham receiving instruments of independence - photograph 18 The Nation's Leaders Editorial Board: 19 The National Anthem Chairman: Desmond Roberts 20 Independence: What’s It All About? By Frank A. Campbell Editor: Karen Sinclair Members: Dr. Rohan Somar, 22 Coats of Arms 23 Independence Arch Ave Maria Haynes, Dr. Lear Matthews, 24 This is the Fruit - Poem - Karen Sinclair Hugh Hamilton, Freddie Shivdat 26 Jubilee Fever - Karen Sinclair May 2016 Design and Graphics: 27 Guyana's Totem Pole Richard Hooper 28 “Let us Cooperate for Guyana”- Francis Quamina Farrier Distribution: 30 Happy Anniversary Barbados - Karen Sinclair Eleanor Hunte 32 A cry from the words of Guyana's “singing cowboy”- Nesbit Chhangur IN THE NEWS Submissions & Letters: Symposium on Guyana - Barbados Relations [email protected] CARICOM’s Reparation ‘Baton’ moves to Guyana Advertising: [email protected] COVER President Reprints & Copies: David [email protected] Granger, and his wife Disclaimer: Sandra The views expressed and information provided in articles published in this Granger magazine are the responsibility of 3 the individual contributors and not of the Diaspora Times. DIASPORA TIMES MONTHLY NEWS MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 VOLUME 5 EVENTS MAY 2016 JUBILEE DIARY GUYANA EVENTS MAY 2016 LOCATION DATE National Museum Day 18-May-16 DIASPORA Literary Street Fair Region 6 20-May-16 Jubilee Festival Region 4 20-May-16 "Tales of Our Fathers" Play Region 10 21-May-16 Ex-Athletes Track & Field 22-May-16 Boat Cruise Region 10 22-May-16 National Symposium 23-May-16 TO 24-May-16 Guyana Golden Jubilee Distinguished Lecture 23-May-16 Legacy of Iconic Women 23-May-16 Guyana at 50 24-May-16 National Symposium 24-May-16 Flag Raising Ceremony Countrywide 26-May-16 Float Parade Region 4 26-May-16 Guyexpo 27-May-16 Football @National Stadium 28-May-16 T-20 Cricket @Albion Region 6 28-May-16 Folk Festival 31-May-16 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY 4 DIASPORA TIMES MONTHLY NEWS MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 VOLUME 5 DIASPORA TIMES INTERNATIONAL Extends Best Wishes To Guyana on its 5 DIASPORA TIMES MONTHLY NEWS MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 VOLUME 5 MAY 26TH Personal Landmarks By Desmond Roberts was the person But May 26 was important to me for other reasons. who hoisted the My older brother, Walter, was born on May 26th. He I new Guyana flag up had returned to Guyana for the historic evening but that flagpole at midnight, had not been wicked enough to suggest that the fire- to signal the achieve- works had all been arranged for his 23rd birthday. He ment of independence had been studying in England and would be the last for British Guiana on time he would return to Guyana. He died in England May 26, 1966. The hasty 30 years later. construction of the new site at D’Urban Park for Later, my eldest brother, Arthur, was gravely ill in a the 50th anniversary flag Barbados hospital in 1982. I had taken him there and raising ceremony reminds me of the new tarmac laid had visited him several times. He was very low and at what was the old Golf Ground, then labeled Queen had been asking for me. I was Chief Umpire on our Elizabeth Park. The wind reluctantly snapped the annual Force Field Exercise which ended in Bartica. I Golden Arrowhead to attention 50 years ago and, had signaled that I was leaving for Barbados that very similarly the huge flag was winched up to receive the evening. Just as the ceremonies ended I saw a young strong winds atop the pinnacle of the high flagpole officer coming to me with a message; and I knew. My th built for the celebration of Republican status in Feb- brother had died on May 26 in Queen Elizabeth ruary this year. We are no longer British. Hospital in Bridgetown. My best friend’s father also died on May 26th. I was a Second Lieutenant in the fledgling Guyana Defence Force. I was based in the still ‘under con- The main three ceremonies of life are said to be struction’ Camp Ayanganna, sharing a bungalow with birth, marriage and death. May 26th has shown me the British officer, Jimmy Jonklass, who was also a both birth and death. If I had thought about it then, I Second Lieutenant. We were about the same height; might have been married five days earlier than I did. he was honey blond and I, very dark. He would lower the Union Jack. Jimmy had a very pleasant, happy Desmond Roberts is a former Director General of the personality. I have not seen him again during these Guyana National Service and is Chairman of the Edi- fifty years. torial Board of the Diaspora Times. 6 DIASPORA TIMES MONTHLY NEWS MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 VOLUME 5 INDEPENDENCE Pocket Portrayals s a teenager I grew up in College, causing some disruption.