‘Emancipation transformed plantations into a nation’ – President tells Plaisance, Ithaca residents

President David Granger along with children and other residents of Ithaca, Region Five

President David Granger addresses the congregation at the Plaisance Glory Light Tabernacle

President David Granger, this morning, joined the congregation of the Plaisance Glory Light Tabernacle for a worship service as part of their annual Emancipation Service and Breakfast programme.

The Plaisance Glory Light Tabernacle presents President David Granger with a plaque in honour of his service and leadership for the restoration of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

President David Granger with donor to the ‘Five B’s’ programme,Mr. Divendra Jagroo and some of the recipients of bicycles.
Education is key to realising these goals, he said, even as he encouraged the gathering to make it their personal duty to stamp out truancy and illiteracy. The President also recalled that the United Nations in 2015 designated the International Decade for People of African Descent from 2015 until December 31, 2024, and that one of the main focuses of the observation is education; one of the pillars of the Emancipation and villages movement.

President David Granger and Minister of Social Cohesion, Ms. Amna Ally, enjoying the cultural presentation by the residents of the Ithaca village.
“Unless we work on this goal, we will not achieve full emancipation. Emancipation is not something, which has happened, Emancipation is continuous. You have to continue working to ensure that you are free. Let us look after our children,” President Granger said.
The Head of State also presented 20 bicycles to secondary school students from the region, which were donated to his “Boats, Buses, Bicycles, plus Breakfast and Books (‘Five Bs’) Programme.
Mr. Divendra Jagroo, a businessman who now resides in The Bahamas and former President of the Guyana/Bahamas Association, donated the bicycles. He said that he was inspired by the President’s initiative and given the fact that he, like the President, grew up in Bartica and knew of the struggles of getting to school, he immediately took a decision to support the programme.

Regional officials, guests and residents, who came out in their numbers at the Ithaca Basketball Court for the Emancipation day celebrations.
“I came across the initiative online and it inspired me… so I went to my group and I advocated for us to do something because it is a group for Guyanese, started by Guyanese. Our target is actually 100 but we have handed over 60. The 40 will come, if not from the group then from me personally and this is not the last time you will see me in this,” he said.

A resident of Ithaca village, Mahaica-Berbice receives a food hamper from President David Granger.
Later, President Granger presented 125 elderly and impoverished persons from the village with food hampers. He also presented a quantity of exercise books and sport gears to the community.