AMID the furore over the elections impasse, Guyana in less than two weeks will be celebrating its 53rd year as a sovereign state, having gotten its independence from Great Britain on May 26, 1966. This meant that after just over 150 years of loyalty to this European country, British Guiana, as we were then known, ceased to be a colony, thus becoming a nation. We therefore joined the family of nations.

Those who are old enough and had been privileged to witness such a historical moment will remember the excitement in the run-up to that historical date.

There was an air of festivity, almost like Christmas, but with no carols. Homes were given makeovers while flying the Golden Arrowhead proudly from their landings and windows; public buildings were gaily bedecked with flags. And instead of the customary God Save the Queen, the newly released National Anthem, ‘Dear Land of Guyana,’ was constantly being played on the two radio stations: Radio Demerara, which, after midnight on May 25, 1966, became the Voice of Guyana, while the then British Guiana Broadcasting Service became the Guyana Broadcasting Service, or simply GBS.

There was also the newly written National Pledge constantly being recited on the national airwaves, for there was no television at the time, and all the newspapers that were carrying historical accounts about the then colony and its relations with its Mother Country, as Great Britain, as a colonising power, was then known.

Daily, dignitaries from all parts of the Commonwealth, including Britain, were arriving for what was certainly the most historical occasion yet. Socially, Guyanese from all walks of life were expressing their views about independence in a positive manner, in shops, at street corners, and at drinking spots downtown. But independence did not come without its challenges, for there was

turbulence in the form of communal strife, with its inevitable loss of life and other sad incidents that brought great hurt and discomfort to many. These are chapters that we must not allow to reoccur.

Notwithstanding these sad episodes, Guyana’s Golden Arrowhead was proudly hoisted that momentous midnight, proclaiming our National Motto of ONE PEOPLE, ONE NATION, ONE DESTINY. A new dawn had come. From that time onwards, we are still struggling to achieve the ideal of a united people in a united country. This has been our biggest challenge, and will continue to be so, until all of us, no matter how different, ethnically and culturally, we are, and irrespective of social class, realise that this is our country, and that it will take a bold effort from each of us, working collectively for a better and prosperous country through working together.

It is not that there have not been lessons to be learnt from our past; nor that we lack the intellectual depth and capacity to understand what those former experiences ought to mean for our future as Guyanese. The truth is that while there are many who are encouraging the gospel of racial unity, there are others who steadfastly continue to sow the seeds of racial enmity and disunity for their personal, partisan ends. For them, love of country comes second to personal ambition. Such doctrine can only breed suspicion, hate, and fear, and will not benefit country or people, even those who are the inciters of this poison.

Therefore, it is not too late for Guyanese brothers and sisters to be reminded that independence was not just an opportunity for us to become pilots of our own destiny. That was just the beginning, the national platform from which the hard work had to be launched. This meant pooling our mental and physical energies for the good of everyone, and for country, and not just a section of the nation, or the favoured few. More importantly, it also meant recognition and respect for our multicultural being, and of the rich diversity of same, channelling our diversity, especially for innovative growth and development of country.

Indeed, as a country, Guyana has the requisite mental energies, while being concomitantly blessed with an abundance of natural resources to become the socio-economic paradise of the Caribbean Community. But we can never hope to climb, much less conquer this much desired summit of material well-being, and being able to realise all of the potential opportunities if we do not do so as a united PEOPLE.