In his message yesterday to mark Emancipation Day, President Irfaan Ali asserted that his government is committed to ensuring that African Guyanese are never politically or economically marginalized.
“The greatest tribute we can pay to the struggles and sacrifices of African Guyanese is to build a free, prosperous and more inclusive nation. In this regard, I want to assure all African Guyanese that my government is wholeheartedly committed to ensuring that they will never be politically or economically marginalized”, Ali stated.
The President also asserted that African Guyanese will share in the bounty from Guyana’s development.
“African Guyanese will share in the bounty that will flow from Guyana’s transformative development now and in the future. They, along with all others, will have a stake in national development and in the governance of our country.
The One Guyana agenda is aimed at building such a prosperous and inclusive future”, the President declared.
He also warned of persons trying to exacerbate divisions.
“…I am mindful that there are forces inside and outside of our country who, for selfish reasons, continue to stoke division and engender fear, mistrust and suspicion. As I have done in the past, I want to encourage Guyanese to continue to reject these attempts and expose the agitators of disunity and fear-mongering who threaten our nation’s cohesion and progress”, the President said without identifying anyone.
He called for a recommitting to creating a brighter future where resilience and achievements “resonate in every corner of Guyana, inspiring generations, present and future, to unite in building a nation that embodies the spirit of freedom, prosperity and inclusivity”.
He urged that tribute be paid to those who endured unimaginable hardships and resisted.
“Let us recall the sacrifices of our African ancestors who emerged strong and resolute in the face of such a barbarous system which gave no legal recognition to them. Let us celebrate their contributions to shaping the Guyana we know today”, he said.
Decrying slavery, the President said “Never again must the human heart become as cold and callous as to condone human enslavement. African enslavement was abhorrent and represents one of the darkest chapters in human history and a permanent stain on our civilization”.
Ali underlined the government’s commitment to reparations.
“My government remains committed to the struggle for reparations for the crime of African enslavement. We demand that those who were complicit in and who profited from the trade in captive Africans and African enslavement pay just reparations”, he stated.
Noting that CARICOM has been at the forefront of demanding reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans he said it is heartening to note that the recent EU-CELAC summit took a significant step forward by acknowledging slavery as a crime against humanity. Such acknowledgement, he said, is crucial to further pressing demands for reparations.
