THE Working People’s Alliance (WPA) salutes the African Guyanese community on the occasion of the 173rd anniversary of the abolition of chattel slavery. Emancipation in 1838 brought a formal end to what is perhaps the most horrendous tragedy in the history of the human family. But the very overcoming of three centuries of inhumanity is itself a lasting story about the resilience of the enslaved and their thirst for freedom. That they walked out of slavery with their dignity intact speaks volumes.

The immediate movement towards acquisition of lands and the construction of self-governing communities represent the highest form of self- emancipation. Emancipation of African Guyanese meant emancipation of all Guyanese as it ensured that slavery would not be visited on any other racial group.

But the effects of slavery still haunt Guyana and the rest of the African diaspora as the descendants of the enslaved continue to face the myriad challenges of post-emancipation. While African Guyanese have made tremendous strides since 1838, there have also been some areas of concern.

The implications of systemic racism continue to negatively affect the community while socio-economic underdevelopment and cultural confusion seem to be more the rule than the exception. The process of healing and recovery of humanity has been a slow and sometimes complex one; a situation that is compounded by Guyana’s acute ethnic problems.

WPA, therefore, urges African Guyanese to embark on a period of internal reflection including a collective conversation aimed at evaluating where the community is and figuring out how to recapture lost ground. Such a reflection must be a constant exercise if the scars of bondage are to be fully healed.