AUGUST is the month in which Africans won their freedom from chattel slavery, having fought relentlessly for centuries against this brutish system. The history of Africans would show that, immediately after emancipation, with their pooled pennies, they set about buying up plantations and converting them into villages; and set in place a life of social, economic, cultural and political self-determination. This inalienable right saw the conceptualisation and development of the Village Movement, which was happening throughout the coastland and in every county: Essequibo, Berbice and Demerara.

Villages were established, and their management was done through indigenous systems of government (local government) and village economy. As a proud descendant of this indomitable lineage, I am happy to know that my great-great-great-grandfather Cujoe McPherson, by himself in 1839, bought Plantation Lichfield in West Berbice, later divided same into 12 sections, and sold those sections to other Africans for a profit.

I am advised that in the African history, land was seen as belonging to all, and was expected to seamlessly pass down from generation to generation; and what are today known as transported property and “will” were not considered matters of necessity in their household.

Africans are known to talk about ‘children property’, and expecting members of the family to utilise the land without fighting among themselves for ‘inheritance,’ since this inheritance is supposed to belong to all.

Times have changed. Land today has significant value in monetary and business terms. It can be used for investments and surety in accessing financing from lending institutions. Population movement, market value, and what can be produced on land make it a primary source of wealth. Where our ancestors bought lands in the 19th century and their outlooks on ownership are not in sync with 20th and 21st century realities, we, their descendants, have a right to ensure these lands are correctly accounted for, consistent with today’s reality.

The late PNC/R Member of Parliament Deborah Backer had brought to the National Assembly a motion seeking the establishment of a commission to look into the regularisation of ancestral lands. That motion was crushed by the PPP/C Members of Parliament during a Bharrat Jagdeo-led administration. Asking the State, whose responsibility it is to ensure law and order in the system, to put in place a mechanism that would bring about land regularisation was not doing Africans a favour, but the discharge of Government’s civic duty to the citizens.

Jagdeo, who recently travelled to the United States to talk about racial discrimination, which he says is happening under the APNU+AFC Administration, has no moral leg to stand on in addressing matters of racial equality. Under his administration, this nation saw a policy being ruthlessly executed to destroy the economic wellbeing of the African community, which caused me to refer to it as economic genocide, consistent with the United Nations’ declaration on this concept.

This is not to say, however, that if there is evidence of racial discrimination under the APNU+AFC Administration, it should not be exposed, those responsible should not be held accountable, and efforts should not be made to right the wrong. Persons cannot be talking about social cohesion and failing to implement the principles to bring it about. Social cohesion starts with the acknowledgement that all would be treated equally, and fundamental rights and freedoms would be ensured.

Government is expected to treat with similar seriousness the regularisation of Africans’ land as it is doing for the lands of our Amerindian brothers and sisters. Afro-centric leaders must add their voices to this cause, and use their influence with those in the corridors of power to make it happen. In 2017, when groups meet to talk about the state of the African community, this must be recorded as an achievement.

In a society where governance is secular and religious freedom (self-determination) is constitutionally guaranteed, social cohesion would never be achieved by targeting only the religious organisations to preach on this subject. Such is not only inconsistent with the constitutional role of Government, but is divisive, given that in our multi-religious, multi-denominational and multi-sect environment — including those who believe in God and those who don’t; and those who don’t attend any organisation of worship — reaching all the people is never achieved. A spirit and intent that informs secular governance is to avoid such divisive actions.

The constitution respects diversity, calls on us to celebrate it, and there are laws that have made religious events part of the national calendar in pursuit of such objective; such must see deepening and strengthening. Government must move to further influence the national objective through policies, programmes, and improving laws to entrench equality and create a level playing field for all. This must be done consistent with international declarations, conventions and charters.

Where groundwork has been laid, all it requires is picking it up. A good starting point would be the enactment of the 2001 Bharrat Jagdeo/Desmond Hoyte Agreement, which comprises a menu of measures. Each man signed this document in his constitutional capacity, and this constitutes a document of the State and political agreement between rivals in areas that, should they be addressed, would strengthen cohesion. One such area is the depressed communities, where race dominates and is diversely spread. Even though Indians would have been positively impacted by this agreement, Jagdeo failed to implement same because of the benefits it would have also brought Africans. This Government must move to right that wrong.

Central government must create the space for regional government to function. In regions where the PPP/C secured the majority, it must be allowed to govern. Equally, in places like Linden/Region 10, which was targeted by Jagdeo’s economic genocide, this administration must move to honour the 2012 Agreement signed between the central and the regional governments with the lives, blood, sweat and tears of the people of that community.

There is no escaping this agreement, given that it was signed by governments and approved by the National Assembly; it matters not now who occupies the seats, this agreement must be honoured.

We must question African leaders who are in a position to correct the wrongs in society when they settle for giving speeches of political correctness as they actively or tacitly engage in acts that trample fundamental rights and freedoms and continue Jagdeo’s ruthless conduct. Under an APNU+AFC government, for whom Africans votes overwhelmingly, the rights and freedoms of workers employed at the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) are being trampled on, with the support of the African political establishment. In some instances of bad governance, there is no difference between Jagdeo, Ramotar and this crew; and this we, the people, must move to eradicate. We must ensure one massa is not replaced by another, lest emancipation rings hollow and insults the proud legacy of those who had fought for it.