President David Granger yesterday morning paid tribute to Guyana’s first Executive President and founder of the People’s National Congress, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary of his death. The wreath laying ceremony was held at the Mausoleum at the Seven Ponds in the Botanical Gardens.
Yesterday’s event was organised by the State. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said on Friday that commemorative services to mark the death anniversaries of all former presidents will now be state-funded functions.
Granger in his remarks said that the late Forbes Burnham will always be remembered with reverence for his fight against inequality, poverty, illiteracy and other social ills.
“We recall Forbes Burnham’s courageous campaign to transform the backward colony of British Guiana when he entered office on 14th December 1964 up to his death on 6th August 1985. Forbes Burnham described his mission as `…a struggle…against poverty, ignorance, unemployment, hunger and exploitation…” He launched a process of national transformation to eliminate the inequalities associated with economic, geographic and demographic disparities. Forbes Burnham’s policy of national transformation was based, in part, on providing easier access to public education,’ the President said.
He noted that the institutions, which were set up by the late President still sustain social change and the evidence of his achievements is visible everywhere, particularly in the University of Guyana at Turkeyen, the Cyril Potter College of Education, the Co-operative Training College at Kuru Kuru and the Technical Institute at New Amsterdam among others.
“Forbes Burnham will always be remembered with reverence. We renew, on this solemn commemoration of his death, our collective commitment to continue his campaign “…against poverty, ignorance, unemployment, hunger and exploitation…”” President Granger said.
