I READ the report “Site chosen for 1823 Monument disrespectful to ancestors” (SN 29-12-12) with a good deal of questioning since many of the statements are contradictory and are historically incorrect. At the outset of this letter, I would like to emphasise that I am not supportive of the Minister of Culture and his ministry in building an 1823 monument on the Seawall. Indeed, my advice to the minister is to cease forthwith any monument-building along Carifesta Avenue and allow the various groups who are complaining to raise funds and build their own monument wherever and however they wish. Such is not unprecedented as the Indian Arrival monuments in the City, in Berbice and elsewhere were all financed by private donations and public funds were not used as they were to build the Cuffy monument, the Burnham mausoleum and now the 1823 monument. The Ministry of Culture must immediately reconsider the 1823 monument scheme and deploy the money to more useful social projects since Parliament is making less and less money available.
The following are the incorrect historical facts:
(1) The Parade Ground in 1823 stretched from Murray Street (now named Quamina) northwards to what is now New Market Street. In the early 20th century the Promenade Gardens was built on the northern part of the Parade Ground. The slave rebels were executed on that part of the Parade Ground now occupied by the Gardens and it was there that their heads were exhibited. If the intention is to build a monument on an area which the colonial authorities created, on which their militias paraded for over 100 years and where they humiliated and executed the slave rebels, then it has to be where the Promenade Gardens are and not the small piece of the southern Parade Ground, now rechristened “Independence Park”.
(2) Ms Hazel Woolford complains that the monument on Carifesta Avenue “is being built on an area which is named after the daughters of a man who was an avid supporter of slavery and who even mistreated his salves and this blatantly disrespects the slaves who died in the 1823 rebellion.” Ms Woolford seems not to realise that the Parade Ground was the stomping ground for the militias of the slave masters and other rabid upholders of slavery and that the Parade Ground is associated with the humiliation and execution of the rebel slaves. Further, in Ms Woolford’s reference to names, she seems to be oblivious that Bourda’s small daughter Kitty was in no league with the colossal oppressors who surround the Parade Ground…There is Governor Carmichael on the west of the Parade Ground, a man who upheld slavery and imperialism. On the eastern side, there is the Duke of Wellington who himself and his family, the Wellesleys, were the great imperialists ruling such places like India. And on the south there is Governor Murray, a slave-holder himself. Actually, baptising Murray with the name Quamina does not change history and reality anymore than the man who was forbidden to eat pork but decided he would eat chicken instead of baptising the ‘pig’ with the name of ‘chicken’. Ms Woolford is also carrying a veiled attack on the PNC party and President Burnham for erecting the Burnham bust just across the road from the proposed 1823 monument in the heart of Kitty.
(3) Ms Woolford, in her statement says “…the Parade Ground is demographically significant in that the area is close to Smith’s Church that supported the rebellion and that the site demographically unites the rural area and internal Stabroek.” This statement has no meaning as the use of the word “demographically” could have no relationship to Smith’s Church and the Parade Ground or to the rural areas and Stabroek.

In any case, Smith’s Church in Brickdam, Georgetown was not even there when the rebellion occurred. Rev John Smith was the Congregational minister who stood up for the rebels and died in prison. Smith and his Congregational mission operated on the East Coast of Demerara and Quamina was one of his deacons. Smith’s Church in Brickdan was named in memory of John Smith long after the rebellion. Smith’s Church in Brickdam therefore had no “demographic” connection with the Parade Ground in 1823 since it wasn’t there. And secondly, the Parade Ground in no way “demographically” unites the rural areas and Stabroek, whatever “demographically” may mean.
(4) One of the objectors to the Carifesta site claims that 13 years ago President Jagdeo turned the sod to build a monument at the Parade Ground and that they purposely ignored the present Minister of Culture’s public invitation to submit their views on the monument so that he could resuscitate the scheme and get ahead with it. These organisations disrespectfully ignored the minister’s invitation – they studiedly said nothing of the Parade Ground or what they wished. Despite the bad manners and insult, the minister still persisted in his idea to build an 1823 commemorative monument. The minister must therefore stop the tomfoolery and cease with any 1823 monument and let those who wish to rely on the happenings of 2000 continue to do so. If the minister persists, he would be inviting continual opprobrium to himself.
(5) I refer to Lincoln Lewis’s letter (SN 31-12-12) where Lewis emphatically asserts that the 1823 Rebellion monument is solely in the province and the concern of “the African community” and not the other 72 per cent of the population and nation. He also indicates that a former President turning the sod at the Parade Ground 13 years ago was the final word in the issue, though most of the main actors of that time had either died or retired and had completely withdrawn from any concern with this matter. The Minister of Culture should take Lincoln’s advice and leave matters to rest as they were 13 years ago and don’t do anything further. This is sage advice when there is little money in the kitty and when the money could be deployed to more urgent social programmes and projects.
My last word or epilogue:  Minister of Culture, stop forthwith with any monument-building on Carifesta Avenue. Such attempted monument-building is generating discord, undeserving disrespect and abuse to yourself and use of public funds for which you would be perpetually criticised. Such would lead to a nasty and everlasting blotch on your term of office. Take Lincoln’s advice and leave the matter to rest in 2000.
You could quickly convert the area prepared into a relaxation and entertainment appendage to the Seawall Park to accommodate children, kite-flying, a Sunday market along the lines of London’s famous Petticoat Lane, a place where budding artistes of many types could introduce themselves to the public with free shows, a mini Hyde Park for speakers, etc.
And to my Afro-centric brethren, I would strongly advise you to carefully study Prof. Accabre Nkofi’s unique and highly compact manifesto, “The Rebirth of the Blackman.” That manifesto could be obtained at the National Library, the University of Guyana Library and I understand the Internet carries large extracts from it.