Dear Editor,
Guyana, the independent nation, was without doubt birthed from the trade union movement. Guyanese have never agreed on who should be called ‘Father of the Nation’ but universally agree that Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow was the ‘Father of the Trade Union Movement’. Those who debate on the merits of Jagan or Burnham for the title of ‘Father’ are political sycophants or bereft of history’s lessons.
Critchlow began the struggle for Guyanese in 1905; long before the aforementioned duo were ‘seeds’ much less apples of their parent’s eyes. All of the names associated with the long struggle for independence were at one time or other members of various trade unions, Jagan was treasurer of the Manpower Citizen’s Association (1945) and Burnham was President of the British Guiana Labour Union (1952). Little boys compared to the big man H.N. Critchlow who cleared the path selflessly.
To both Jagan and Burnham’s discredit, they were not ‘selfless’, they were continuously ‘jockeying’ for power and were not in favour of full independence until they were sure they would win the first election of an independent Guiana. It was the Justice Party’s Jai Narine Singh who moved the motion for full independence in our Home Rule Parliament, seconded by Martin Fredricks; quite contrary to the wishes of Jagan and Burnham. However, once the motion was put to the floor for a vote, Jagan and Burnham were cornered politically and voted in favour of full independence. I believe the time is ripe to ‘Grandfather’ Critchlow, ease up on ‘Rich Nephews’, and allow space for a ‘Father’ of a modern Guyana to flourish.
Sincerely,
Robin Singh
