DEAR President Granger,

ON Thursday August 6, 2014 our nation will be observing the 13th death anniversary of our late President and father of this great nation, President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, who led his country for 21 years from 1964 until his death on August 6, 1985, at the age of 62, after undergoing a throat operation in a hospital in Georgetown.

President Burnham served our nation with distinction, wisdom and good leadership. He made a huge contribution towards the development of this country during his time of presidency – in all areas, namely physically, educationally, economically, culturally and politically, as a leader for all of his people, regardless of their ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation and party affiliation; and that is why under his leadership our national motto was rightfully regarded as “One People, One Nation, One Density.”

In this light, I am kindly requesting that you rename Ogle International Airport that is located on the East Coast, after the late President Burnham in remembering him and the contributions he made to this great country, especially at this time of his death anniversary.

Let us demonstrate to future generations that President Burnham mattered and was the great leader who fought for freedom during the anti-colonial struggle for our country’s independence on May 26, 1966 and eventual republican status within the Commonwealth of Nations and the establishment of CARICOM in 1977.
Under the leadership of President Burnham, the coastal road network and major sea defences were constructed; the Soesdyke-Linden highway; bridges on the Canje and Demerara Rivers, the international airport at Timehri and the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Agricultural Development Scheme; the University of Guyana and Cyril Potter College of Education; National Insurance Scheme; the multilateral schools; President’s College; and hinterland schools for indigenous students. His Government embarked on rural electrification, pure water supply for households and other infrastructural projects.

President Burnham also established huge working people’s housing schemes, the Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Police Force, Guyana National Service, the Amerindian lands rectification process, free education as an entitlement, and equal recognition of religious observances in this country.

President Granger, as the nation prepares to observe the 13th death anniversary of President Burnham, I strongly believe that renaming Ogle International Airport after the late President Burnham would be a good thing to do in honouring this outstanding Guyanese.
Only recently the Guyana International Convention Centre (GICC) was renamed after Guyana’s first President, the late Arthur Chung who served this country from 1970 to 1980; while the late President Dr. Cheddi Jagan was honoured when the previous Government renamed Timehri International Airport, to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.
He was first elected Chief Minister in 1953 and later became Premier of British Guiana from 1961 to 1964, prior to independence, subsequently serving as the third President of Guyana from 1992 to 1997.

Come on President Granger, let us do it now for the late President Burnham just as we did for the late Presidents, Mr. Arthur Chung and Dr. Cheddi Jagan.
Thank you Mr. President.
May God continue to bless our great nation.

RAYVONNE P. BOURNE