Emancipation Day 2021 provides an opportunity for Guyanese of African descent to remember their forefathers who endured the cruel indignities of the Middle Passage and slavery of plantation life at the hands of several European nations. It also provides an opportunity for us to recapture our identity, to take stock of ourselves socially, economically, politically, to engage in discussions on the many problems which have engaged us through the decades. Slavery remains a sensitive topic for many African Guyanese; if anything, seeking reparations is the best option for seeking accountability and justice. Reconciliation however remains a matter for the individual, but I urge all those still troubled by the events of slavery to think of the here and now, of yourselves, how you plan to become financially secure, independent and ensure your children’s future is taken care of.

The three measures identified, social, economic and political, are closely intertwined. The foundation of social progress is the family, the woman/mother, and supporting culture. The ideal family unit is characterized by both parents in a stable,

characterized by both parents in a stable, productive relationship with the common objective of economic security for the family. It is one where children learn the social skills necessary for success in life, where they come to understand the importance of a stable family as integral for their immediate success as well as that of their future generations. One of our sad realities is that our society seem to have departed from the idea and virtues of marriage, family, and what little remain of religious guidance on family is ploughed into the ground on a daily basis by a genre of music that preaches violence and general anti-social behaviours, chief among these being the degradation and debasement of women. Even sadder is that our women who have been socializing with this genre of music over the last few decades, have gotten caught up in this ‘fun’ and have paid a tremendous price for it, enduring much of the physical and sexual abuse espoused by this music. This ‘culture’ has also unfortunately resulted in many children being fathered by men who have no interest or no long term interest with the mother or parental responsibility, the consequence being children having to survive broken homes in an environment dominated by the genre of music referred to above. This obviously places them at a disadvantage compared with children in normal families at school, in search of jobs, further educational opportunities and general success in life.

Our women and young girls need to learn to respect themselves and more importantly, demand respect from men with whom they engage. Casual sexual relations is one of the most dangerous, costly activities in which women can engage, having the potential to get them sick or burdened with unwanted children with men who more often than not have no interest in them beyond liaison. Men on the other hand can do much by being more respectful to girls, women, and disregard all the antisocial urgings against women. They need to see their womenfolk as ‘sisters from another mother,’ descendants of enslaved Africans like themselves, who need to be given their rightful place in society, as partners in the security of a stable home. The active involvement of men in treating women with respect will significantly improve the condition of women, their children, and the family structure in general. Lastly, both men and women should seriously consider a return to the idea of identifying and assessing suitors as long term partners for marriage. Thinking twice on this can save a lifetime of short- and long-term distress. From an economic perspective, progress for Guyanese of African descent has exhibited a marked degree of unevenness exacerbated in no small measure by government policies through the decades. Many who have been able to acquire tertiary education and jobs which yield some measure of financial respectability, but these appear to be in the minority. Very few African Guyanese can claim to be financially independent, which in this context means owning a business that you do not have to spend much time looking after.

Stepping out Georgetown into villages in rural areas brings tears to the eyes of someone who is familiar with the lot of Africans before and after slavery, and what obtains in these areas, because while there is no question that African Guyanese in these outlying areas are free individuals, even owning their own homes, land etc., one cannot escape the destitute nature of the general surroundings of these villages and communities which results from economic deprivation. Lack of jobs and jobs which provide adequate compensation are undoubtedly the chief causes of this economically depressed state of affairs. Inadequate pensions also contribute to economic insufficiency as many elderly folk have to spend their retirement years trying to stay alive by finding a means to supplement their pensions. What is unsurprising is that many predominantly Indian rural communities have in common many of the problems identified above. The economic viability of rural communities has been a source of consternation for successive governments since Emancipation and more relevant to us, Independence. The solution is simple. Government needs to create a task force aimed at profiling communities across the country with objective being to identify resource availability, capital strength, and engage with each village/community to source ideas for becoming economically viable. Here ideas for agriculture, agro-processing, manufacturing and industry are cataloged and compiled at the district and regional level, ultimately facilitating the development of a national plan for the entire country. More immediately however, social support mechanisms including pensions could be strengthened to provide much-needed relief to distressed communities.

Politics is a sensitive topic for Guyanese of African descent as many African Guyanese feel betrayed by their political representatives over the decades, even government. This is serious, even significant, since it has had an extremely deleterious effect on their welfare, particularly since Independence in 1966. One of the great realities African Guyanese have to come to terms with is the fact that political parties must only be rewarded for their performance in government. Lastly, Guyanese have for the most part come around to the idea that we cannot survive the ethnic animosity promoted by some political parties. This is heartening, and can be seen in quite a few businesses. Indeed, Guyanese of Indian descent have been made a target in the past, just because they are Indians. This cannot be. African Guyanese need look no further than their own history to appreciate the vicious, cruel and inhumane nature of ethnic discrimination in any shape or form. Instead of being provoked into acts of discrimination, Guyanese of African descent should be first defenders against discrimination, whether against themselves or our Indian brothers and sisters who did not experience nearly as much of the abuse of slavery endured by our African ancestors on the plantations, and as a matter of fact, against any other ethnic group.

This Emancipation 2021, may we spare a moment for our ancestors who endured the indignities of slavery, reflect our social, economic and political progress through the years, consider some solutions to address our recurring problems, and remember to shun discrimination in whatever shape or form it appears to us, whether as a group or as individual. Happy Emancipation Day 2021 to All Guyanese.

Sincerely,

Craig Sylvester