By: Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News |
At the commissioning of the new Demerara River Bridge, President Irfaan Ali defended his government’s decision to name the landmark structure the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge, describing the gesture as a tribute to a national visionary.
“Great men deserve recognition, visionaries deserve legacies, and Guyana never forgets its giants,” President Ali declared during his remarks.
However, the decision has sparked a wave of public debate, with veteran broadcaster Bobby Vieira joining other outspoken Guyanese in questioning what he called the government’s selective approach to honouring former leaders.
“Yes, Mr. Jagdeo served as President and is deserving of recognition,” Vieira said, “but why skip over other presidents who also made significant contributions to this nation?”
Vieira noted that since independence, Guyana has had ten presidents, yet only a few have been memorialized through national infrastructure. He pointed out that Arthur Chung, Guyana’s first President, is recognized through the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. At the same time, Forbes Burnham and Cheddi Jagan are honoured through the Soesdyke–Linden Highway and Cheddi Jagan International Airport, respectively.
But others — including Desmond Hoyte, Sam Hinds, Janet Jagan, Donald Ramotar, and David Granger — remain unrecognized in similar ways.
“It shows that we’re not doing this properly when it comes to how we treat former presidents,” Vieira argued, suggesting that each president should be honoured in an equitable manner, perhaps by naming roundabouts or public spaces after them.
Vieira added,
“Mr. Jagdeo is deserving — I’ve said that before — but we must also recognize the others. Even something as simple as naming a roundabout after each president would show balance and respect.”
Supporters of the government have noted that former President Bharrat Jagdeo played a key role in securing the Chinese loan that financed the new Demerara River Bridge, describing the naming as both fitting and symbolic.
