By Francis Quamina Farrier
STATUES and portraits of those deemed less than admirable heroes or heroines of the past are being removed from public display in many cities and other public spaces around the USA. Over three decades ago in Guyana, the statue of Queen Victoria deemed unacceptable for public display, was removed from the compound of the High Court in Georgetown, and dumped at the back of the Botanical Gardens where it remained for many years until it was rehabilitated and returned to its pedestal once again. It now seems as though history may repeat itself.
Walking along the pavement on the Avenue of the Republic in Georgetown last February, I observed a young Englishman taking great efforts to get a good photograph of the statue of Queen Victoria with his phone. Instinctively, I took out my own phone and took a photograph of the tourist in action. A few weeks into the coronavirus lockdown, I posted that photo on Facebook. That resulted in a flood of comments, a few of which I now share with you.
Victor Pires stated, “You can’t change the past. Live with it. Learn from it and don’t forget it.”
Elfreda Moore St. Claire said, “She is cleaned up nicely, proud that we can boast of a clean and beautiful Guyana.”
From Guyanese, Dr. Henry Muttoo in the Cayman Islands, “Francis, do you feel she should [or would] be removed once again, and placed behind the gardens?”
From our own beloved musician Dave Martins, it is a matter of location, “In a colonial display in the museum, that’s the place for that statue.” The last six words come across like a refrain from a Dave Martins hit song.
“Some of us separate her from the policies which she reigned over. Ridiculous! Remove the statue!” stated Albert R. Cumberbatch.
Glenyss Adams-James enquired, “So who writing the petition to get the ball rolling?”
Nick Harewood suggested, “Off with her head. Return her back to the [Botanical] Gardens. No, better yet, ask Hew Locke to adorn her appropriately the next time he visits Guyana.”
Francis Canzius, no doubt with a heavy sigh, stated, “Some of us really don’t know what to say.”
Meanwhile, Malcolm Wiltshire was more direct; “Come on Francis, that thing needs to be removed from there. Remember who put it there.”
Another direct criticism was from Mohamed E. Shaw; “The point Mr. Farrier is why proudly carry the name of your slave master… Liberation starts from within.” Of course, that needed a response from me which was as follows; “Dear Mr Shaw. Please be respectful and desist attempting to speak for me. It is unbecoming of a gentleman such as yourself.” To which Mr Shaw answered, “Mr. Farrier, no disrespect meant. My apologies. I have always been a fan of yours…Tides of Susanburg, and your interesting pictures.” That gracious apology was accepted.
Based in far-away Thailand in East Asia, Guyanese, Derrick John Jeffrey made the following contribution to the conversation. “I could tell you the history of Victoria, from her birth to her death. She kept a diary from an early age, until long after her German husband, Prince Albert died.”
With firmness, Michael Jordan demanded, “Off with her head!”
Then, like the Balm in Gelled, Kelly Khan poured some soothing suggestions. “I have a better idea”, she commenced. “Instead of spending time, money, and efforts in trying to move her, why not do something more meaningful, like say…look at ways we can have constitutional reform?” And there was more from Kelly Khan; “Why not educate our people about our rich history? Why not work to improve our health and educational systems?” Kelly Khan had some more patriotic recommendations to offer. “Why not spend that time and money repairing City Hall?” The latter, of course, struck a chord with me, since for over 15 years, I have been lobbying for repairs to the Georgetown City Hall which is just one block north from the Victoria statue.
Guyana is not the only country where a statue of Queen Victoria was cause for great controversy. Another statue of the queen evoked much controversy in Dublin, Ireland. After much debate, it was also taken down and buried. Some years later it was unearthed and shipped thousands of miles away to Sydney, Australia, where it was given a new home and a pedestal to be displayed thereon.
In 1840, at age 21, Queen Victoria got married to Prince Albert of Germany. That was shortly after slavery ended in British Guiana in 1838. Amazed that the English queen, whose name was given to their village, was marrying a German, the ex-African slaves in Victoria Village in British Guiana, composed a song, which was more like an angry lament;
“When me go home, me goh tell me Mooma seh, Victoria married wan German, man.
German man, German man, Victoria married wan German man.”
For them, Victoria had let the side down and married someone from a country which was a future enemy of England. But how did those ex-slaves in 1840 seen almost 70 years into the future with World War l and World War ll, when Germany fought two devastating wars with Britain?
With the popular mood in America and other countries removing statues and monuments, will the statue of Queen Victoria here in Guyana fall a second time? Maybe the residents of Victoria Village should have a say. So too, staff and students, past and present of Queen’s College in Georgetown which was named to the honour of Queen Victoria.
