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Once the novelty of the 90s, Guyanese use to stand in line to use phone booths all across Guyana. The phone booth is now antiquated technology, replaced by traditional landlines which are now being gradually replaced by mobile phones. What technology do you think will phase out the mobile phones we use today?
Here is a list of the Guyanese heads of state after independence in chronological order, with their years served and positions:
The Rupununi Uprising started on January 2, 1969, less than 3 years after Guyana was granted Independence from Britain, in the Rupununi District of Guyana. This armed rebellion was primarily led by ranch owners who feared losing land rights under the new government of Prime Minister Forbes Burnham. The uprising involved attacks on government facilities and was reportedly supported by Venezuela, which provided training and equipment to the rebels. The Guyana Defence Force quickly responded, suppressing the revolt within a few days.
In June 2000, when Canadian Oil Company CGX was drilling for oil in Guyana’s waters bordering Suriname, the Surinamese military sent soldiers on gunboats to force out the operation. At that time, Guyana’s military matched that of Suriname, and a military response from Guyana could have settled the matter forcefully. But that would have involved a lot of bloodshed, damage to infrastructure in both countries, and cultivate deep enmity between two friendly countries with strong brotherhood and cultural ties.
The death of 19 year old Sasia Adams in June 2018 is a heartrending tragedy that is shrouded in mystery. Her alleged assailant was arrested and charged with manslaughter but was later released due to insufficient evidence. Her death was described by the defense attorney during courtroom trial as a “tragic incident.” This article is dedicated to the memory and remembrance of Sasia Adams.
Guyana is generally a peaceful country, and we don’t go looking for trouble. Nevertheless, Guyana has had its fair share of historical wars, and it is still not without its enemies.
The first batch of East Indians arrived in Guyana on the Whitby and Hesperus ships from Calcutta, India on May 5th, 1838. The Whitby brought 249 passengers (233 men, 5 women, and six children). The Hesperus brought 165 passengers, mostly men. A total of 18 persons died from both ships. From then to 1917, successive batches of East Indians arrived on Guyana’s shores to labor on the sugar plantations for minimum wages.
The guilder was the currency of British Guiana (initially known as Essequibo and Demerara) between 1796 and 1839. The Guianan guilder replaced the Dutch guilder at par after the colonies were captured by the British from the Dutch. In 1836, the guilder was reduced in value to 16 pence and, in 1839, the British pound and British Guiana dollar replaced the guilder as the currency of British Guiana.
On December 21, 2018, then AFC Parliamentarian, Mr Charandass Persaud, toppled the APNU/AFC Coalition government in a no confidence motion tabled by the PPP/C. The video above shows him speaking to reporters that night explaining why he did so. For many, Charandass Persaud is a National Hero, but for others, he is a Judas and traitor. It depends on which side of the fence you’re standing on.
Opinions will vary widely on this matter. Was Guyana better under British Rule? And should we have stayed that way? Some would say “yes,” some would say “no,” some would say “absolutely,” and some would say “sort of.” And the list goes on.
They waited in the bush for him. And as he came round the corner, they sprang out and aimed at him. His shirt pocket was full of papers and a pen. He put his hand up and pleaded for mercy. “Don’t kill me! I’ll give you back your jobs!”
About 4 years after declaring Independence from the British Empire, Guyana was declared a Republic on the 23rd of February, 1970. A Republic is a system of government in which the people elect their government through periodical elections, and is closely tied to a democracy. Nevertheless, some countries around the world have used the term too loosely, calling themselves a Republic while in fact practicing Autocracy, Dictatorship, or Tyranny.
The Tapir is a vehicle named after the Tapir animal perhaps due to its appearance and sturdiness. The Tapir was forged through the late president Burnham’s push for greater self sufficiency. Although some components were imported, the Tapir was Guyana’s first attempt to produce its own automobile in the 70s and 80s.
The varying dcoumentations of the 1763 Berbice Slave Revolt in Guyana, South America can be conflicting. This detailed account was translated from the Dutch Archives and gives a great insight into what exactly played out.
The Cuffy Statue, also called the 1763 Monument, is a national monument of Guyana that was erected in honor of rebel slave “Cuffy.” Variations of the spelling include Coffy, Kofi, and Koffi. The location where the monument has been erected is called “The Square of the Revolution.”
The murder of Shonette Dover will go down as one of the most brutal, heinous, and cold-blooded murders ever committed on a Guyanese citizen by someone she once loved and trusted. Whether the younger sister of the victim was criminally involved in the killing is disputable, but the pieces of evidence presented against the former boyfriend point to a well-planned, cold blooded, and premeditated murder.
Jim Jones, founder of the People’s Temple of the United States and later the Jonestown ‘subcolony” in Guyana, South America, believed in a system of government referred to as “communism,” “socialism,” or “marxism.”
During the 1970s, when racial tensions were high between whites and blacks of the United States, Jim Jones promised his followers something that portrayed him as a champion of the oppressed: racial and social equality. In this regard, The People’s Temple was made up of about 69% blacks, 25% whites, and 6% mixed races. Little did the followers know that Jim Jones meant them no good.
It is no secret that religion has been hijacked by evil men and women who twist scriptures to suit their own conveniences. These wolves in sheep clothing use religion to control, enslave, and extort others. And Jim Jones was certainly one of these. But as the bible reassures us, “surely they have their reward.”
The story of Jonestown which unfolded in the jungles of the Northwest Region of Guyana, South America is one of darkest stories of Guyana’s history – one that will forever stain the pages of Guyana’s history book, but one from which many life lessons can be learned.
My husband, Harvey, and I used to live on a ranch in the North Rupununi Savannahs of Guyana, South America, where there was a 10-mile stretch of grazing ground between two places called Pirara and Meritezeiro. These places were owned by a dairy company called LIDCO, and they were “two in one.” The Headquarters, administration workers, and ranchers’ homes were all located at Pirara. Harvey and I lived at Meritezeiro where he controlled that section of the ranch. There were four cattle boys there.
The various accounts of the 1763 Berbice Slave Rebellion, also called the 1763 Berbice Slave Revolt and the 1763 Berbice Slave Uprising, are sketchy and sometimes conflicting. This very condensed version is based on intelligence gathered and cross-examined from various reputable sources including the Dutch Archives.
The Neesa Gopaul murder case is doubtless one of the most horrific, brutal, and chilling crimes in Guyanese history. Imagine being heartlessly attacked by the very person whose God-given duty is to love and protect you. Imagine a group of vacationers looking for a fun time out but ending up finding a human corpse stuffed in a suitcase at Madewini Creek along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway, and imagine a woman, with the help of her partner, stuffing her daughter’s lifeless body into a suitcase and then dumping it into a remote creek with dumbbells tied to it so that it wouldn’t resurface. These are some of the elements that compose the Neesa Gopaul murder case – a brutal crime which sent shockwaves throughout the nation of Guyana, South America.
In the early to mid 80’s, I was a trader to Brazil and flew on the HS 748 weekly. We nicknamed her “Flop Hat,” although I’m not sure why. At that time, GAC had daily service into Lethem, Rupununi, Guyana South America, and the daily arrival of Flop Hat was the high point of the day. It was the only way in and out. After a short time, we could tell which aircraft was approaching – whether sky van, 748, islander, or DC 6 – by the sound of their engines.
Almost all Guyanese have heard the story of Eldorado. In Primary School, students even sing the Patriotic Song, “born in the land where men sought Eldorado….” But the story of Eldorado is not limited only to Guyana’s shores – it is one of worldwide fame – and it is what drew the Spanish, British, Portuguese, and other explorers to Guyana.
Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II, was born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on the 21st of April, 1926 in Mayfair, London, England at 02:40 hours (GMT), while Guyana was still a British colony and was called British Guiana. She ascended the throne of the British Monarchy on the 6th of February, 1952 after the death of her father, King George VI.
As the Venezuelan people and government continue their ramblings over Guyana’s Essequibo territory, the Guyanese people are firmly resolved to holding their ground with their unified and resounding “not one blade of grass” song to the Venezuelans. But a 90-year-old Venezuelan stamp restates what we as Guyanese have known all along – that the Essequibo was never part of Venezuela, and that Caracas was never keen on claiming the Essequibo prior the 2015 oil discovery in Guyana’s waters.
Stepping back into the Ashmins Building after two years was an emotional rollercoaster. My last interaction with this building was kicking in the very door you see in the picture and being frivolously charged for such. Yes, the door with the handles still missing onto this day.
