ON the eve of the 33rd death anniversary of former President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, executive members of the National Congress of Women (NCW) participated in a wreath-laying ceremony to pay respect to his legacy.

On August 6, 1985 Burnham, who was the founder and leader of the People’s National Congress (PNCR), died at age 62 from heart failure during surgery on his throat at the Georgetown Hospital.

Since then, his death anniversary has been observed each year to pay tribute to him. This year, it was hosted at the NCW, the women’s arm of the PNCR, at their headquarters at Lot 44 Public Road, Kitty.

In attendance were Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence who serves as First Vice Chairperson of the PNCR and National Chairman of the NCW, and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams who serves as the PNCR Chairman.

In her remarks, Lawrence thanked the women for taking the time to celebrate the life of their past leader who, she reminded, paved the way for the party to empower women all across the world.

“As the women of this party, we know that we are very important elements within our party and so… we want to take time out to say to our party comrades and to all the people of Guyana and of this world, that we recognise Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham as our founder leader and, more so, as a leader who believed in the womenfolk and has made the way possible for many of us,” she said.

She added: “We can, through the PNCR women’s arm, the National Congress of Women, use our talents and develop programmes and strategies to ensure that other women in Guyana and around the world are given not only their due respect, but that we can break through the ceiling of the many issues that confront us as women.”

One year after Burnham’s death, the women of the NCW, then called the Women’s Revolutionary Socialist Movement (WRSM), decided to commemorate his memory with the construction of a statue of him at their headquarters located on Kitty Public Road.
During the ceremony, floral tributes were laid at the statue on behalf of the Burnham family, friends and foundation and the PNCR.

To continue the celebration of the life of the late LFS Burnham, today, at 07:00 hrs, the PNCR is hosting its annual commemoration ceremony at the Mausoleum, Place of Heroes, Seven Ponds located at the Botanical Gardens.