–in honour of late women activists Kowsilla and Sakina Mohamed

TWO distinguished women, Kowsilla and Sakina Mohamed who dedicated their life to social and political activism in the 60s and 70s, were honoured on Monday when President Dr. Irfaan Ali opened the Kowsilla Community Park and Sakina Mohamed Computer Lab at Leonora, West Coast Demerara.

While delivering brief remarks to commemorate the opening of the facilities, the Head of State recognised the efforts of the women, who both hailed from Leonora and fought for democracy and freedom.

Kowsilla, called Alice, was an active member of the Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO), the women’s arm of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). She was savagely killed by a scab-driver while participating in one of the country’s historic sugar worker struggles at Plantation Leonora.

On March 6, 1964, during an industrial strike at Plantation Leonora, Kowsilla and several other women had formed a peaceful human barricade blocking the ‘high-bridge’ at the Leonora Sugar Estate when the ‘scab’ drove a tractor into the barricade, severing Kowsilla’s body, and injuring 14 others, with some being crippled for life.

The women were involved in the sugar workers’ struggle for better working and living conditions, and for the recognition of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) when Kowsilla paid the supreme price for her convictions on that fateful Friday morning.

“The life of Kowsilla is a life that has left a legendary mark, not only here in Leonora but all across our country. Her life and her work is living on, and will continue to live on once freedom is celebrated because of her sacrifice. Her life was geared towards the achievement of freedom,” President Ali said.

However, the sacrifice of Kowsilla, who died at the age of 40, and was a single mother of four children, and the other indomitable women did not go in vain, as GAWU gained recognition by the Booker Tate sugar plantations in 1973.

“So, this park is a custodian of hope; hope in every single one of us that no matter where we come from, no matter what our circumstances are, we can be persons who can put our names in history, once we stand up and defend principles and values that are dear to us,” President Ali said.

On the other hand, Sakina Mohamed, also a member of the WPO, was a leader in the community of Leonora. She was a teacher and co-ordinator, and was responsible for educating the masses through various techniques, including arts and crafts, and was President Ali’s grandmother.
The newly commissioned Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Hub was opened so that the legacy of teaching and learning will continue.

“So, we have in this park a small ICT hub, with computers connected to the Internet so that children can go there to do their homework; young people can go there to do research, and women and other persons who want to learn to use the computer can also go there,” President Ali said.
The Head of State reminded that decades later, the world continues to face many challenges, including threats to democracy, and persons must decide what principles and values they stand for.

A DISTINGUISHED ROLE
“Not so long ago, right in our country, we were once again asked to stand up for certain principles and values that make us a free people; principles and values that make us a democratic people, and, once again, women played a distinguished role in standing up for democracy and freedom,” he said.

He acknowledged that Kowsilla and Sakina Mohamed were “of a different era,” noting that they came up when there were greater challenges surrounding women and women were not just contributors to society, they were bearing the brunt of the hardships in society.

He added: “But whilst all of this was going on, these two women still found the time to dedicate themselves to political and social life, because they understood, even then, how important political education and social consciousness was to the upliftment of women; the upliftment of our communities and the upliftment of our country.”

The Kowsilla Community Park and Sakina Mohamed Computer Lab at Leonora are two symbols aimed at continuing the legacy of the two women, President Ali said.

“You have an opportunity to be the best you can ever be. Do not believe for one moment you are lesser than anyone else because of the region you come from, because of how you look or because of how poor or rich your family is,” he told the gathering which comprised children.

The event was also attended by Minister of Education Priya Manickchand; the Minister within the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar; former Parliamentarian and head of the WPO, Indra Chandrapaul and other political figures.