…Dr. Anthony declares at Enmore Martyrs memorial service

AS Guyana continues on its path of development and transformation, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony, on the 74th anniversary of the murder of the Enmore Martyrs, reminded those in attendance that it was their sacrifice that played a pivotal role in shaping Guyana’s social support system.

The Health Minister spoke on Thursday morning at the wreath-laying ceremony for the five martyrs at the Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD) site of the monument dedicated to them.
June 16, 1948 was the date in British Guiana when five sugar workers: Rambarran, Lall called ‘Pooran’, Lallabagie Kissoon, Surujballi called ‘Dookie’, and Harry lost their lives while on strike at Plantation Enmore, ECD. They were killed by colonial police.

The resistance put up by sugar workers then demonstrated the importance they placed on improved working conditions and a better quality of living.

Dr. Anthony reminded his audience that without this act of bravery, Guyana could have been on a different trajectory of development.

Recalling that 1948 was a year when the country was strangled by social and economic hardships; the burdensome “cut and load” cane harvesting system, and a situation where labourers were deprived of having a union of choice to represent them, Dr. Anthony said that sugar workers were forced to mount protest actions after their fair demands were continuously ignored by sugar producers.

It was the selfless actions of these five men who gave their lives on that fateful day 74 years ago that was to greatly influence the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan, Dr. Anthony said.

Turning his attention to the sterling contributions of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to the struggle of the Working Class, Dr. Anthony said that the Dr. Jagan-led PPP government worked assiduously to ensure that the negative experiences of sugar workers were positively transformed.

Even to this day, he said, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government is working strategically to alleviate the social and economic hardships being experienced by people in Guyana.

As Dr. Anthony recalled, during the colonial rule, secondary education was a luxury that not many could have afforded, but thanks to the PPP, not only is it easily accessible, but so, too, is healthcare, which has, over the years, been significantly improved.

The Health Minister highlighted, in particular, the government’s commitment to investing in public infrastructure, among other areas, which he said the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan believed was pivotal for the collective national well-being.

“We have been able to give universal primary education; universal secondary education. We are now working at the tertiary level to ensure that people can have better access to tertiary education,” Dr. Anthony said, adding: “But what is even more significant is that we are able now to give thousands upon thousands of scholarships, and we want people to take advantage of this.”