$32.6M allocated by Government for group activities
GUYANA, beginning in January of this year, is celebrating 2011 as International Year of People of African Descent, with exhibitions, conferences, lectures and other events planned by the Standing Committee under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
For the programme, Government has allocated $32.6M, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony said in a ‘Statement by a Minister’ during a sitting of the National Assembly.
On December 18, 2009, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2011 the ‘International Year of People of African Descent’, by Resolution 64169, which was adopted without a vote, indicating the wide support and consensus in the global community, he said.
Anthony said some of the proposals discussed and accepted by the committee include officially starting, this month, the building of a monument to the Demerara Slave Revolt of 1823, during which at least 250 slaves were killed.
He announced that there will be an open competition for the design of the monument and a panel will evaluate the submissions, leading to the winning entry being built.
Anthony said there will also be several exhibitions, throughout the year, including a permanent one at the Museum of African Heritage and a mobile showcase that will be travelling to various communities.
In addition, he said prominent scholars will be engaged to deliver a series of lectures – a minimum of once per quarter this year and a number of local conferences, the Victoria Commemorative among them, roundtables and a caucus of African cultural workers.
Anthony said one delegation from Guyana will attend the UN International Conference, themed ‘People of African Descent: Recognition, Justice and Development’ and another delegation would be in attendance at the UN Regional Conference in the Caribbean.
‘Guyana Slave Route’ tours and sites will be part of the celebration of the year and would involve identifying places of historical importance, placing markers and recreating the historic routes. “We will also encourage youth groups and schools to visit on educational tours,” he said, adding that a number of school-based initiatives will be implemented, inclusive of a national school debating and a national essay competition and video conferences with schools in Africa and the Caribbean.
Anthony said another set of books will be published, one being ‘Hearing Slaves Speak’, by Professor Trevor Bernard. It is based on Court testimony of slaves in Berbice during the period 1810 to 1820 and, through those records, people can get a glimpse of the brutality of slavery that occurred here in Guyana.
He said he is extremely pleased that the scheduled programme emerged from the discussions and the consultative process within and by the Standing Committee.

TREMENDOUS SUCCESS

“I can, therefore, with optimism, say that the UN-designated Year of People of African Descent will be a tremendous success.”
Anthony remarked that the UN Resolution builds on the work done in 2007 when the world commemorated the bicentennial of the abolition of the slave trade in captive Africans.
“We, in Guyana, join the rest of the world in condemning these atrocities as a crime against humanity. We also demanded an apology and we sought reparations for the injustices. This was done at the official ceremony which was held at the National Cultural Centre under the theme ‘We must never forget’,” he recalled.
Minister Anthony said it was further reinforced by the tabling of a motion in National Assembly.
“Around the world, many events were held to re-awaken the world’s collective memory to the atrocities perpetuated on the millions of African men, women and children for more than four centuries.
“Plantation slavery was the most horrendous form of tyrannical rule in modern history. It was the embodiment of the worst excesses of a depraved age. Not only did it exploit and abuse one portion of humanity but, throughout its existence, it brutally suppressed any and all expressions of disaffection on the part of the outraged victims,” he said.
Anthony noted, too, that, during slavery, the plantocracy orchestrated the suppression of all Afro-centric customs and traditions, especially language and those practices that threatened the security.
He said that, through a successful combination of legislation, criminalisation and political suppression, many of the Afro-centric languages customs and traditions disappeared. “This has denuded a people of their identity and deprived our nation of the richness of this diversity.”
Anthony said the Government of Guyana was fully cognisant of the contributions of peoples of African descent in the development of Guyana, the Caribbean and the wider world. “Through their collective efforts, they have helped to build infrastructure for plantation, agriculture and the drainage and irrigation systems and have made sterling contributions to every sector of our country’s character, with special reference to education, culture, music, arts and politics.”
He posited that many Guyanese owe their birth and good health to the caring hands and expert minds of Guyanese of African descent in the medical field. “Thousands of Guyanese owe their good education to the many dedicated educators of African descent. We recognise the monumental contribution that Guyanese of African descent have made to our country. With this in mind, the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, established the Standing Committee, of about 30 persons, representing various stakeholders, both at the national and regional levels.”
According to him, the Standing Committee includes representatives from Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and Ten and had their inaugural meeting on June 18, 2010.  Since then, the Committee under the Chairmanship of Professor James Rose, has met 11 times “to discuss the most appropriate ways in which we can commemorate this year,” Anthony reported.