Forbes Burnham's Inaugural Speech 1964 Guyana

Historical Diary of the PNC/Reform

1942

Mr. Forbes Burnham at 19 won the British Guiana Scholarship; 

Entered University of London in 1945: LLB Degree in 1947 -Gray's Inn, 

London, England.

 

1947

Mr. Forbes Burnham is elected President of the West Indian Student 

Union (London). Mr. Burnham won the Best Speaker’s Cup (London).

 

1949

Mr. Forbes Burnham, Esq. return to British Guiana and is called to the 

Bar at the age of 25.

 

January 1, 1950

Mr. Forbes Burnham, Esq. co-founded the People’s Progressive Party and 

is elected Chairman, while Dr. Cheddi Jagan is appointed leader.

 

1952

Mr. Forbes Burnham, Esq., 29, is elected to the Georgetown City Council.

 

March 24, 1953

Mr. Forbes Burnham, Esq. 30, elected to the Legislative Council with 

an overwhelming majority - no other PPP Candidate came close to match 

his election success. In his victory speech after the election, 

Mr. Forbes Burnham, declared that “a new era had dawned for British 

Guiana and we shall walk the road together to peace, progress and 

porsperity beneath the banner of the People’s Progressive Party!”

 

May 30, 1953

The opening of the new Legislative Council for the 1953-57 Term and the 

inauguration of the Government. Mr. Forbes Burnham, Esq., 30, is 

elected by the Council as Minister of Education.

 

October 9, 1953

The British Government suspended the Constitution, Legislative Council 

and callout the troops to quell the disturbances by the PPP and the GIWU.

 

1955

Open public split between Marxist-Communist (Jaganites) and Moderate 

Guyanese (Burnhmites) factions in the PPP.   J.P. Lachmansingh, 

supported Hon. Mr. Forbes Burnham for the leadership of the PPP.  

Hon. Mr. Burnham argued that by proclaiming the adherence to Marxist 

Leninist, Dr. Jagan was building obstacles in the road for Guiana’s 

independence.

 

1957

General Elections are held, under the Revised constitution, returning the 

PPP to Government. Dr. Cheddi Jagan declared that the People’s 

Progressive Party and the Government will be led by the principles of 

Marxist Leninist (i.e. Josef Stalin, Mao Tse-tung and Fidel Castro). 

Dr. Jagan declared that all private owned businesses and assets would 

be nationalized for the good of the party.

 

During the 1957 elections and onwards the PPP leadership promoted 

the slogan “ apan-jaat ”(vote for your race).

 

Hon. Mr. Forbes Burnham is elected Leader of the Opposition and 

President of the Guyana Bar Association.

 

1957

The Official Birth Date of the People’s National Congress.  

Hon. Mr. Forbes Burnham is elected Parliamentary Leader; 

J.P. Latchmansingh elected Chairman; Eusi Kwayana (Sidney King) 

elected First Vice Chairman; F.A. DeSilva elected as Second Vice 

Chairman; Jai Nrine Singh elected General Secretary with Jessie 

Burnham as Assistant General Secretary. PPP Burnhamite faction 

win seats in the House of Assembly.

 

1959-64

Hon. Mr. Forbes Burnham is elected Mayor of Georgetown

 

1961

The People’s National Congress is elected to the Legislative Council.

 

December 12, 1964

The People’s National Congress joined with the United Force Party to 

establish a coalition government. Hon. Mr. Forbes Burnham is elected 

Premier.

 

The People’s Progressive Party launches a terror campaign with the help 

of Marxist guerrillas from Cuba, Venezuela and the Soviet Union against 

the Guyanese people.

 

1965 - 1968

The People's Progressive Party suffered mass defections of members 

and leaders to the People’s National Congress

 

May 26, 1966

Guyana becomes independent. His Excellency, the Right Honourable 

Mr. Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, S.C., O.E,  the Leader of the 

People’s National Congress becomes the country’s 1st Prime Minister 

and Founding Father.

 

October 1966

Venezuelan Armed Forces occupied the Guyana’s portion of Ankoko 

Island at the confluence of the Cuyuni and Wenamu Rivers.

 

December 1967

Suriname Armed Forces tried to occupy the New River Triangle. 

The Party and Guyana Defense Force acted decisively and secured 

the entire area.

 

December 1968

The People’s National Congress is return to Office with a majority.

 

January of 1969

Ranchers in Rupununi Region rebel again the Guyanese Nation. 

The Guyana Police Force and Guyana Defense Force restore order 

after the Ranchers murder a number of local officials and police officers.

 

February 23, 1970

Guyana becomes a Co-operative Republic with the Honourable

Mr. Justice Arthur Chung (March 1970 to October 1980) elected by

the National Assembly as the First Guyanese Head of State.

 

February 23^rd is proclaimed Republic Day to coincide with the

anniversary of the Berbice Slave Revolt of 1763. The Berbice Revolt was

led by Cuffy, who was also proclaimed National Hero of the Co-operative

Republic.

 

July 10, 1973

The People’s National Congress is return to Government with a two-thirds

majority.

 

1975

The PPP ended its boycott of parliament and arm resistance against the

Guyanese people.  Instead the People's Progressive Party offered critical

support to the PNC led administration.

 

Ranji Chandisingh and Vincent Teekah, senior members of the PPP’s

Central and Executive Committee joins the PNC.  Ranji Chandisingh is

appointed the General Secretary of the PNC and Deputy Prime Minister,

while Vincent Teekah became Minister of Education.

 

July 1978

National referendum on Constitutional Reforms is overwhelming approved

by the Guyanese electorate. 

 

1979

The National Assembly by a two-third majority approved reforms to

the Constitution.

  

October 1979

Minister of Education Vincent Teekah and former raising star of the

PPP was allegedly murdered.

 

December 15, 1980

Prime Minister Forbes Burnham, S.C., O.E. is elected Guyana’s First

Executive President.

 

June 8, 1985

President Forbes Burnham, S.C., O.E. dies in office.

 

July 8, 1985

Prime Minister Hugh Desmond Hoyte, S.C. succeeds President Forbes

Burnham, S.C., O.E., as Leader of the Party and second Executive

President of Guyana.

 

December 1985

The PNC returns to Government under the leadership of His Excellency,

the Right Honourable Mr. Hugh Desmond Hoyte, S.C. who becomes

the Second PNC member to hold the reins of the Presidency of Guyana

  

November 11, 1988

President Desmond Hoyte, S.C., launch the Government's Economic

Recovery Program (ERP).

 

October 5, 1992

The Party narrowly loses a General Election for the first time and goes

into Opposition.  Former President Hoyte, S.C., becomes Leader of the

Opposition.

 

July 1994

Former President Desmond Hoyte, re-elected Leader of the People’s

National Congress.

 

August 1997

President Hugh Desmond Hoyte, S.C., is elected the party’s Presidential

Candidate by the party’s Biennial Congress.

 

December 15, 1997

The People’s Progressive Party Regime rigged the elections and gave

itself over 55 percent of the votes. Guyanese in massive peaceful protest

took to the street against the regged elections by the PPP.

 

January 17, 1998

The PPP signed the Herdmanston Accord and the St. Lucia Agreement,

which called for an audit of the elections and political reforms. 

Mr. Judge Cross, head of the CARICOM Audit team, found no fraudulent

ballot boxes, but declared that the Audit Team cannot declared the PPP

the winners of the 1997 Elections.  The Elections Court Case brought

by an elector against the Elections Commission and the PPP have

uncovered massive election fraud.

 

January 1999

Constitution Reform Commission swears in and submits a draft Constitution

to the National Assembly on July 17, 1999.

 

March 1999

Former President Desmond Hoyte, S.C., Leader of the People’s National

Congress and Maurice King, QC, Caricom Facilitator met with Janet Jagan,

PPP executive member to discussed pace of constitutional and political

reform.

  

July 1999

The Constitution Reform Commission submit a draft Constitution to the

Special Select Committee of the National Assembly.

  

April 19, 2000

PNC leader, Desmond Hoyte, S.C. is elected Leader of the Opposition

 

August 25-27, 2000

Former President Desmond Hoyte, re-elected Leader of the People’s

National Congress Reform.

August 16th - 18th, 2002

Former President Desmond Hoyte, re-elected Leader of the People’s

National Congress Reform.

December 22, 2002

His Excellency, Honourable Mr. Hugh Desmond Hoyte, S.C. M.P., dies.

December 2002

Due to the sudden death of Mr. Hugh Desmond Hoyte, SC, MP, Leader of the PNCR 

and Leader of the Opposition on 22 December 2002 and in accordance with the provisions of the Party’s constitution, Attorney-at-law, Mr. Robert Herman Orlando Corbin, MP, hasassumed the functions of Leader.

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