President of Guyana Dr Irfaan Ali says his government remains committed to the struggle for reparations for the crime of African enslavement. He stated this on the occasion of Emancipation Day 2023, marking the 185th anniversary of the formal abolition of slavery in Guyana.
He said: “We demand that those who were complicit in and who profited from the trade in captive Africans and African enslavement pay just reparations.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has been at the forefront of demanding reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans. Within the region, there has been a concerted effort to seek both the acknowledgement of and redress for the injustices inflicted as a result of the slave trade and slavery.”
The president noted that Emancipation in 1838 did not end oppression as freed Africans continued to face tremendous challenges which they confronted with admirable resolve and resourcefulness.
As such, President Ali said Emancipation Day also heralds the significant contributions of African-Guyanese, which include the development of the peasantry, the emergence of the Village Movement, and the pioneering role of Africans in local government and education.
“African achievements have touched all spheres of life.”
He is calling on citizens on Emancipation Day to pay tribute to those who endured unimaginable hardships, yet resisted.
“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.
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.”
However, the President of Guyana noted that he is mindful that there are forces inside and outside of the country who, for selfish reasons, continue to stoke division and engender fear, mistrust and suspicion. He is encouraging Guyanese to continue to reject these attempts and expose the agitators of disunity and fear-mongering who threaten the nation’s cohesion and progress.