Despite the controversy over its siting, government last evening unveiled the 1823 Monument and President Donald Ramotar hailed it as a sign that the nation would not forget the struggles of its ancestors.
The monument, which was designed and built by US-based Guyanese sculptor Ivor Thom, is located along the Seawall Road opposite the Guyana Defence Force’s Camp Ayanganna headquarters. Members of the opposition and the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA), which has been protesting the siting because it has no historical connection to the 1823 slave revolt, were not in attendance at last evening’s ceremony.
Addressing the large gathering at the unveiling, including several government ministers and joggers, Ramotar said that the monument is a dedication to the heroes of the 1823 East Coast revolt. He also called the hour-long unveiling a historic one, representing both a dedication to our historical past and national recognition of the slaves who were willing to