Valuing our Independence

By M Margaret Burke

“We may have all come on different ships, but we are all in the same boat now.”
Martin Luther King Jr

“INDEPENDENCE is not just a flag and an anthem. Independence means independence of spirit,” said the former Minister of Education, Information and Public Service, Yvonne Harewood-Benn as she quoted the then Prime Minister of Guyana, L.F.S. Burnham.

Speaking about the change independence has brought to her life, and that of Guyana, Harewood-Benn told the Pepperpot Magazine that she was not in Guyana when the country became an independent nation, having left the country in 1964 to study in England – in the midst of what she referred to as a very difficult time in the country.

She noted though, that she was still able to celebrate and share in the joy of Guyana becoming an independent nation while in England. She told of how, along with her friend Olive Lyken (who recently passed away), they cooked, sang songs and enjoyed themselves in their own way for the occasion; they were not to be left out, she stated.

OUR MOTTO
General elections were on December 7, 1964 less than two years before the country gained independence, and Harewood-Benn said that prior to those elections the then prime ministerial candidate, Mr. Forbes Burnham went all over the country promoting healing, peace and trying to unite a nation that had gone through a lot of mayhem and felt that he was successful to a large extent.

However, she stated very emphatically, “We must make sure that we never reach that stage in our country again – it must never happen again; ‘nip it in the bud’ wherever; make it something that we must think of positively, it must never happen again and anybody who come to incite you, chase them”, she insisted.

She went on to say that while she does not know how much longer she has to live, being 84 years at present, she would like to see Guyana live up to our motto of ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’. “They have some people who really believe that is possible, but on the other hand there are some who forget that or put it one side – they are selfish, think only of themselves, but we have to find the people who will ‘put Guyana first’ and remember that it belongs to all of us .

Harewood-Benn said that it is important to note that “everybody has a stake here,” for if I may borrow a quote from Martin Luther King, ‘We may have all come on different ships, but we are all in the same boat right now’,” imploring that as a people, Guyanese must try and live together.

BEAUTIFUL AND BLESSED
Harewood-Benn said that every race has something to give and so none should think of one race being superior to the other one, and went on to say, “We are Guyanese and Guyana belongs to all of us and we must behave as if it is just that.” She said that while there are disasters in many parts of the world today, Guyana remains a beautiful and blessed country and therefore there is a lot to be grateful to God for– whoever persons may see Him to be.

She offered that independence is about looking after one’s self, not just the trappings, but that persons must want to look after themselves in every respect; using the resources of the country, for that is what it means to be independent.

“We must think seriously about our development and about the development of our country; about the path that we can play in helping in its development because everybody has something to offer wherever necessary,” she said.

OPEN OUR INTERIOR
She continued, “Since I was a child they have been talking about the resources – I want before I die to see the potential fulfilled, realised – I want to see that. I would like to sit in a vehicle and travel comfortably by road from Linden to Lethem; I want to see them develop infrastructure; that is where some of the oil money must go – open our interior.

“It’s tremendous when you think of it, what we can do – now that the oil money is coming I know that [President] David Granger is not going to steal the oil money – he is not going to put it in no Swiss Bank, he is going to use it,” Ms. Harewood-Benn declared.

He urged that the interior of Guyana, which has very beautiful places be opened. She informed that as a politician she was able to travel to many parts of Guyana’s interior and marvelled at what she saw, “Lethem, you look out and you see the mountains there at night if it is moonlight, wow! – We have to do whatever we can to let the potential for this country be realised, it’s worth it,” she exclaimed.

THE YOUNG PEOPLE
Harewood-Benn said that there is so much that people can do with their lives, particularly now, and urged that especially the young people should find creative ways of ‘educating’ themselves and in some ways create their own employment, since not everyone would get a government job or work in an office.

She told the Pepperpot Magazine that she tries to talk to young people, especially those who are feeling that there is no hope, trying to convince them that there is hope. In fact, she said, that there are many of them who are finding out that there are things that they can really do; there are things they can do, many things, once they put their minds to those things and that there are wonderful opportunities right now for them, she assured. There are many success stories to go by, Harewood-Benn added.

NEVER GOING BACK
Harewood-Benn said that there was a whole lot of difference in Guyana to when she left in 1964 and when she returned from England in 1968 and that she was very happy about that. “We have come a far way and must never go back to where we were – a place of turmoil, murder and mayhem, but when I came back, thank God, people were ready to settle.”

She said that the Prime Minister of the day, Mr. Burnham had made it his duty to go around to every village to talk to the people about togetherness… “This is what our present leader [President David Granger] is saying, ‘we are better together than apart – and I believe that we are better together. Everybody has something to offer and we don’t fancy the people who want to divide us; those who are preaching division – they don’t have the interest of the country at heart when they preach division.”

She said that at this time when the country is celebrating independence people should desire only the best – for the development of themselves and also for Guyana. (mercilinburke2017@gmail.com)

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