TOMORROW, Guyana will celebrate its attainment of national sovereignty and self-governance, having become a Republic in 1970. Guyana had earlier gained independence on May 26, 1966 and was ecstatic to try out its new system of governance.
In the 1970s, Guyana was transformed into a socialist “co-operative republic” led by then Prime Minister Forbes Burnham. It was then marked by aggressive nationalisation of foreign-owned industries (bauxite, sugar), autocratic rule and towards the end of the decade, significant economic decline, severe shortages and political repression.
There was the hosting of the Nonaligned Foreign Ministers Conference in 1972 and the controversial elections of 1973/1978. History recalled the Jonestown massacre that killed hundreds of Americans in 1979.
The 1970s was, for many, a transition from the optimism of independence to a period of “misery” and increasing state control. Burnham and the People’s National Congress’s grip on power, control, wealth, business, commerce and security led to it being one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere in the early 1980s.
When Burnham died and Desmond Hotye continued, though toning down his policies and measures, Guyana was virtually becoming a bankrupt pariah state.
Guyana was on its death bed. The long walk, struggles, fights and compromises to emancipation, independence, and republicanism did not save Guyana from this sad reality.
All of those events, stories of personal challenges, rigged elections, political struggles and socio-economic battles from the period 1950s to 1966 and right through the 1970s to 1980s had made Guyana into a weak nation that was on life support as it manoeuvred its way through high waters and hell in the 1990s under the leadership from the People’s Progressive Party’s Cheddi Jagan, Samuel Hinds, Janet Jagan, and Bharrat Jagdeo.
Under their leadership, Guyana was like a malnourished child finally seeing a doctor to nurse him back to satisfactory health. Dr Jagan led the way with prudent policies which were pro-poor, pro-working class, and pro-people. He led Guyana to make the economy work for poor people and citizens by building the social, welfare and economic foundation from the ashes left by Burnham and Hoyte’s PNC.
Many will not openly praise Dr Jagan for saving Guyana and ending the decades of tyranny, but they all know it.
Dr Jagdeo came to power at the turning point in our history and continued the bold financial and social reforms. He understood the gravity of the task of nation-building as he understood the then-opposition of the PNC, which was always fanning the flames of racism, division, political violence and unrest. Dr Jagdeo was starting work on building the structure of a modern, free and democratic Guyana, on one hand, while on the other hand, he was cognisant that he had political enemies, particularly the PNC, styled as the PNC-1 Guyana, PNC-Reform, APNU, and the APNU+AFC, waiting to stab him in the back.
He pushed through because Guyana was going to be in a position to win by the time he stopped being the President.
Fast-track past the stable yet turbulent years of Donald Ramotar, whose administration was fighting for its life and to safeguard everything that the PPP had been fighting for thus far.
Despite all the PPP/C administration’s efforts, the APNU+AFC would win the elections. The PPP/C would let them reign, but with checks and balances. For five years, the party opposed when they had to and agreed when they had to.
The PPP/C informed the public of the many scandals of the APNU+AFC administration, which were costing the populace immensely, in terms of wealth, resources, and human resources.
In the midst of a storm, their own parliamentarian, Charandass Persaud, sealed their fate with a no-confidence motion. The theft and highway banditry intensified, then held on to power for five long months.
The country was going backwards. And, it would soon have flattened after Guyana was showing recessionary indicators.
It’s good to know and be reminded of our history. Every time we forget how far we have come as a nation and a republic, I will always tell the same story. If we, as Guyanese, forget our history, we are bound to relive it.
I fear that was what we did by giving the PNC a chance at government from 2015 to 2020.
On Monday, Guyana will reach another milestone in the nation’s history when it celebrates its 56th year as a republic with much pomp and ceremony. This Republic Day celebration will mark over five and a half decades of national sovereignty and self-governance. It will mark the sixth year since we elected Mohamed Irfaan Ali as our president, marking the start of his second term.
When President Ali came to power, Guyana was still in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic and an ongoing health crisis. He still faced economic crises, both domestic, caused by the greed, selfishness, and arrogance of the APNU+AFC government, and international, caused by climbing global food and oil prices, climate change, and many wars.
Ali got to work and started in a bold, fresh and admirable way, solving the crises. He kept Guyanese safe during the pandemic. Our economy was shielded by Ali’s domestic economics while rolling out one of the most aggressive public housing, infrastructure and construction campaigns in the history of this country. He continued the fiscal and financial transformation, working with the private sector, banking institutions, industry bodies and civil society to make homes, property, and businesses more affordable.
President Ali also started the most aggressive campaigns to push Guyana to attain the goal of food security, emphasising agriculture as a necessity through which other things become accessible.
All facets of life were touched during the early Ali years. Dr Ali’s administration transformed the face of the oil and gas sector in this country through a bold and realistic legislative facelift, which places focus on Guyanese and Guyanese jobs.
Read the words I will write. This current PPP/C government is the hardest working government this country and the wider region have ever seen.
Now, Guyana is progressing smoothly along the development trajectory. Change is upon us and finally, there is something to celebrate.
President Ali and the government, through Budget 2026, will again address the cost of living and doing business and will further strengthen the monitoring of infrastructural projects that bring value and empowerment to our people.
Dr Ali will ensure the citizens of Mahaica, Eversham, St Cuthbert’s Mission, Anna Regina, Sophia, Letter Kenny, Providence, Diamond, Grove, and many more communities, including Linden, access the benefits, good governance and policy making outlined in Budget 2026.
The president has already delivered on some of his commitments made earlier this year to take Guyana closer to being a modern digital economy, starting by revolutionising the Public Service and Public Sector.
Looking back on how far we have come since the 1970s to date, Guyana is brighter, more modern and sophisticated. Real growth and change are engulfing the country, and it will transform our country’s face and image. Guyana is in safe hands.
Guyana is in the steady hands of those who know and understand the mood of the people.
At last, let the celebrations begin, knowing the future is in Dr Ali’s hands, moving forward.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.