Approaching Guyana's 31st year as a Republic
by Mildred Lowe
ACCORDING to the Webster's Dictionary, the word legacy means "gift that is given by ancestry or behest".
This is the month when Guyana celebrates its Republican status. This is our 31st. We therefore need to look at the legacy we have received from our foreparents.
Some legacies come as complete packages, as in the instance of money, where you're given a stated amount with no strings attached, so you're free to spend as quickly as you can; some come with a holding string, which says wait until you're grown up, then when you're mature enough you may spend in a particular way.
Other legacies come with a challenge, where you're told that you've been given this gift, which you cannot see, but which if invested wisely is sure to bring you much gain. This is the enduring kind of legacy. It may consist of education, a good character,the experience to understand what is your role in this life and the enthusiasm for life itself.
Guyana has been given many legacies many of which we have developed, some we have discarded and others we have plain wasted.
Our benefactors have been in every field of endeavour from education, to business, to religion, to politics, to law, to agriculture. You name it we have or had it.
During this month of celebrating we should copy from our neighbours in the north who dedicate a specific month to some of their benefactors. For Guyana in the field of education, I can think of R.C.G. Potter, F.E. Pollard, E. De Weever Dolphin and his children, Lynette and Celeste. In the field of business, Peter D'Aguiar, J.P. Santos, Bettencourt- Gomes, in the field of culture and politics, J.B. Singh and his family just to name a few.
Who were these people and what legacy did they leave us. Is it still useful today? We can begin the process of collecting the information on these people from their families, from our old newspapers and journals and ensure that it is made available to every citizen of this country for examination and learning.
We have been shown the way, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. That takes a lot of time and we may not get it to move after all the work is over.
Here is my wish list for Republic this year; somebody should put on display the works of Guyanese who have given us our history and sense of self. I remember doing research on some noteworthy Americans as part of my studies while abroad. I had no idea who they were, and why anyone would bother to design an exhibition specifically for them, but since, it was a requirement of my English class some enthusiasm was engendered.
When I had sifted through the facts, I learnt a great deal about the sigmoid curve, Andrew Salk and his thoughts on what will become of the people of the world in time to come. This exhibition was sponsored by one of the large oil and gas producing companies of America. It doesn't matter about race, or colour or creed, what finally counts is what you have to add to the legacy, since it is only through everyone's contribution that we will grow as a people who understand the worth of each other and the fact that it is by our very differences that we will achieve much.
It is certainly not too early to wish each other Happy Republic Anniversary and a Joyful Mashramani.
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