The Working Peoples Alliance (WPA) has joined the rest of Guyana in saluting the African Guyanese community as it observes the 181st anniversary of the end of chattel slavery in Guyana and the wider Anglophone Caribbean.

In a statement, the WPA said Emancipation Day is one of the most important days on the national calendar. “On that day, our African Guyanese sisters and brothers triumphed over forced bondage and set Guyana on a freedom trajectory which should be cherished by all Guyanese regardless of ethnicity. In many regards, Emancipation meant freedom for all Guyana– August 1, 1838, was indeed the birth of the Guyanese nation.”

According to the WPA, as the country celebrates this pivotal historical moment, it is urging African Guyanese to reflect on the very meaning of Emancipation. “Such reflection must zero in on the story of bondage, of triumph over bondage and of survival of the most heinous form of socio-economic and political system mankind has known. It must also focus on the scars of bondage that still haunt the collective soul. Finally, Emancipation means the convergence of the Middle Passage, chattel slavery, colonial servitude and post-colonial socio-economic inequality.”

The WPA said it has noted that it has become commonplace in some circles to downplay or ignore the importance of history and historical memory. “WPA frowns on that tendency and urges African Guyanese and the country at large to look to their history as a source of inspiration and for insights into the root causes of their current condition. In that regard, WPA calls on the Ministry of Education to make history, particularly Guyanese and Caribbean history, a compulsory subject on our schools’ curriculum, from nursery to university. We also call on African Guyanese organisations to make the teaching of Black and African Guyanese history a central aspect of their mission.”

The party said it is aware of the sense of despair, alienation and drift among sections of the African Guyanese community and urges a sustained, multi-faceted campaign of Renewal and Restoration. “There must be an internal effort that includes roles for the individual, the family, the community and organisations. But WPA is of the firm conviction that ultimately African Guyanese would not overcome the current challenges without targeted government policies that attack the particular challenges of the community. The elongated arm of enslavement must be severed from the throat of the community before African Guyanese can truly see their way to true emancipation. WPA pledges to use its voice and influence to help this effort.”

It is against this backdrop that WPA has called on African Guyanese organisations to become more pro-active in advocating for big, overarching policies, especially in the socio-economic sphere. Such advocacy, the WPA said, must be motivated by the need for renewal and for ethnic equality. As Guyana prepares for the era of Oil and Gas, African Guyanese must position themselves to benefit from the expected collective wealth.

“Towards this end, we call on the organisations to organise African Guyanese community conversations culminating with a National Summit to mobilise a wide cross-section of opinions and expertise. In this regard, WPA notes the excellent work being undertaken by IDPAD-G in setting the stage for a sustained intervention. The WPA also supports the continued advocacy for reparations, both external and internal, as a necessary and proper form of compensation for the ravages of enslavement. It is a just campaign that should be supported by all ethnic groups.”

Finally, as a political party, WPA said it would be remiss if it did not urge the African Guyanese community to participate fully in the electoral process that is upon us. “While elections and political parties have not been mediums of transformative change, they should not be ignored. We, therefore, call on African Guyanese to register in preparation for voting and to use that vote in the most constructive manner. Emancipation was/is also about the right to vote.