A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Member of Parliament (MP), Vincent Henry has called for September 10 to be declared a national holiday to pay tribute to Stephen Campbell, the first Indigenous person in Guyana’s history to become a Parliamentarian. He made this call during the budget debate in the House today at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
“As a recognition of the First People who settled and remain in Guyana, I ask that we remember the contributions made by the Honorable Stephen Campbell – the first Indigenous person who became a Parliamentarian. We request that the day he entered Parliament – the 10th of September – be declared a national holiday,” Henry said.
The call comes a little over year after former President, David Granger commissioned the Stephen Campbell House located at Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Bourda, Georgetown.
The Stephen Campbell House was the home of the then Department of Citizenship under the Ministry of the Presidency.
It is recorded that in 1919, Stephen Campbell dedicated his time to developing literacy among the Wapisiana tribe in the Rupununi and founded the first school in the village of Sawariwau. He lived in various locations in the Barima-Waini Region; in Pomeroon – Supenaam (Region Two); Cuyuni-Mazaruni (Region Seven) and in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region (Region Nine).
Stephen Campbell became the first Amerindian to contest the General Elections in British Guiana. He served as a member of the Legislative Council from September 10, 1957 until May 1961.