THE People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) on Thursday morning commemorated its 60th Anniversary with a flag raising service at their Sophia, Greater Georgetown headquarters.

The early morning event encompassed several sessions, including the hoisting of the party’s flag, after which President David Granger remarked on the prestigious history of the party.

“It was a great day when, happily, Comrade Forbes Burnham, our founder-leader, together with Comrade Joseph Prayag Lachmansingh, our founder-chairman, and Comrade Jane Phillips-Gay, our founder of the Women’s Movement, set out on a mission to change colonial conditions of life in fundamental ways,” the PNCR leader said.

He added, “Forbes Burnham, Joseph Lachmansingh and Jane Phillips-Gay erected an institution aimed at encouraging and empowering poor and powerless men and women, to combine their energy and talent to transform a backward plantation economy into an independent nation.”

He noted that the party at the social level introduced social protection, improved access to public housing and public health, expanded public education and extended the provision of public services to the people.
”Our party, at the cultural level, enhanced social cohesion and integration, fostered respect for each other’s religions, celebrated the history of our peoples and promoted patriotic pride and national unity.”

According to President Granger, at the political level the PNCR rejected colonial domination, strove for fair representation, struggled for Independence and steered the colony of British Guiana into nationhood.

“Our party, at the economic level, initiated major drainage and irrigation and sea defence works in order to augment agricultural production. It improved public infrastructure in order to promote more efficient land, riverine and aviation transportation and communications. Our party, at the international level, defended Guyana’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, initiated actions which, with other states, led to the liberation of colonial possessions and the establishment of organisations among African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states that conduced to making the world a freer and safer place.”

President Granger added that the PNCR as part of a coalition administration with its partners – the Alliance For Change, the Guyana Action Party, the Justice For All Party, the National Front Alliance and the Working People’s Alliance – celebrates this, its 6oth Anniversary, with a sense of satisfaction with the success of its efforts to make Guyana a better place for everyone.

“We are the heirs and successors of the unsung and uncelebrated ‘heroes of yore.’ We pay homage to our founders who established this proud, principled party. We honour those who, today, inspired by our founders’ vision, continue to contribute to our country’s development.”

Also speaking during the ceremony was PNCR Chairman, Basil Williams, who is also this country’s Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs. He told the gathering that the party was, is, and will always be for the people.

“Our party is a party of struggle. That’s why we are here. But we are not a party that struggles in vain, are we? No, we are a party that struggles and overcomes, and we resolve that we keep on overcoming because the work of the People’s National Congress is not finished.”