GUYANA – Although Guyana has celebrated 58 years of Independence, the country is still proverbially in shackles as the outsiders are calling the shots behind the scenes, so said Co-founder of the non-profit organization, Greenheart Movement, Sherlina Nageer.

She made the comment during an oil spill forum last week in observance of World Environment Day. Nageer in welcoming attendees to the forum, hosted at Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown said, “Guyana just celebrated its 58th Independence sometimes if you look around at the state of affairs and ask if we are actually independent, because it seems as if we still have masters, we are still shackled with the chains, it may not be obvious or made of iron, it seems as if the outsiders are pulling the shots and pulling the strings behind the scenes.

She reminded persons at the forum of Quamina Gladstone, who fought in the Demerara Revolt of 1823 and encouraged over 10,000 enslave persons to rise up to demand their rights. Nageer urged Let’s remember also the incredible resilience of the Indigenous people, who are the first people of this land, who are still here and still resisting and safeguarding the natural worlds despite of all the genocide that their ancestors endure.

The activist charged attendees to not only reflect but remember the struggles of their ancestors and moreover to ask themselves “what kind of ancestors, do we want to be and what kind of ancestors we would be for the generations now coming up She was keen to note, “Just like the decisions our fore parents made to resist to maintain their culture, to stand against depression, so too with the decision we make now will affect the future of the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Nageer’s comments come at a time when the government of Guyana has been accused of dancing to the tunes of the oil and gas companies operating in Guyana. (kaieteur News)…[+]