Government and opposition representatives on Tuesday offered differing perspectives on Guyana’s progress in ethnic relations as the ERC marked the country’s 60th anniversary of independence.
Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh argued that the government’s “One Guyana” agenda is ensuring all citizens benefit from the country’s economic transformation, while Opposition Chief Whip Tabitha Sarabo-Halley cautioned that the legacies of slavery, indentureship and colonial “divide and rule” continue to shape trust between communities.
The comments were made at the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC’s) national symposium, “Guyana at 60: Unity, Diversity and the Path Forward,” held on Tuesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. It brought together government and opposition representatives, diplomats, academics, civil society organisations, faith leaders, youth representatives and members of the private sector to examine the country’s progress in race relations and national cohesion over the past six decades.
Delivering remarks, Singh, according to a statement from his office, said President Irfaan Ali’s “One Guyana” initiative was intended to ensure that every citizen participates in and benefits from the country’s economic expansion.
Singh argued that Guyana’s diversity remain one of its greatest strengths and added that the country’s various ethnic and religious groups continue to live together “very cohesively and very harmoniously.”
Referring to the country’s economic performance since 2020, he said unemployment had fallen from 12.8 per cent to 6.8 per cent by 2024, with more than 104,000 jobs created.
“Those jobs went to Guyanese of every single background, and in every single region of our country,” Singh said.
He also said youth unemployment had fallen from 30.2 per cent in 2020 to 12.1 per cent in 2024 and maintained that government programmes, including the National Cash Grant, the Because We Care education grant and skills training initiatives, were deliberately designed to apply universally rather than be subject to income or other eligibility tests.
According to Singh, the government’s planned Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank would provide another avenue for economic empowerment across all regions and ethnic groups.
While acknowledging that challenges remain, he said political leaders had a responsibility to promote cohesion rather than deepen divisions.
“That is not to say that there isn’t work to be done, and where there is, we are committed to doing it. But as responsible political leaders, we also have a duty in all that we do, not to foster and promote suspicion, but instead to reduce suspicion, and to promote cohesiveness,” he said.
How far
Meanwhile, a statement from the ERC quoted Opposition Chief Whip Sarabo-Halley, as saying that Guyanese should honestly assess the country’s progress after six decades of independence.
“As we celebrate sixty years of independence, it is fitting that we ask ourselves a simple but uncomfortable question: How far have we truly come?” she questioned.
The statement said that Sarabo-Halley acknowledged advances made since independence but argued that the legacies of slavery, indentureship and colonial “divide and rule” policies continue to influence trust between communities, making the pursuit of fairness and inclusion an ongoing task.
Meanwhile, the ERC said its Chairman Shaikh Moeenul Hack posited that while Guyana had made meaningful progress in fostering ethnic harmony, the work of building unity required sustained effort.
“Harmony, and the every-day tolerance that sustains it, cannot be manufactured in a vacuum,” Hack said, adding that it required “active, deliberate work.”
He told participants that national unity “is not a monument built once, but a garden that must be tended in every generation,” while stressing that the discussions and recommendations from the symposium should help shape future policy and national discourse.
United Nations Resident Coordinator Jean Kamau, delivering the feature address, placed Guyana’s experience within the broader global effort to build peaceful and inclusive societies.
She said unity and diversity were “essential ingredients” in building resilient societies and described nation-building as an ongoing process requiring dialogue, understanding and a willingness to embrace differences while working towards common goals.
The symposium also featured the unveiling and recitation of a Unity Pledge, panel discussions examining race and ethnic relations over the past 60 years, and discussions on national identity.
Panelists included former foreign affairs minister Carl Greenidge, former president Donald Ramotar, MPs Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, Keoma Griffith and Amanza Walton-Desir, as well as Kit Nascimento, Stanley Ming and Indranie Chandarpal.
Representatives of the ERC’s African, Indian, Indigenous, religious, labour, women’s, youth and private sector constituencies also presented recommendations on strengthening national cohesion.
The ERC said participants completed structured questionnaires during the symposium, the results of which will form part of a report, ERC’s Reflections on 60 Years, which is expected to be presented to the National Assembly.
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