President Dr Irfaan Ali on Monday opened the Kowsilla Community Park and the Sakina Mohammed Computer lab at Leonora, West Coast Demerara, in honor of these two iconic figures of Guyana’s history.
Kowsilla was murdered on March 6, 1994 when she was run over by a tractor while standing her ground along with striking sugar workers who were protesting against being denied work and restrictions from choosing a union to represent their interest.
Sakina Mohammed was a hard-working member of the Women’s Progressive Organization as well as a leader, a teacher, a coordinator and the grandmother of President Ali.
Both of these women hailed from Leonora.
In remarks during the opening ceremonies, President Ali, who is also from Leonora, explained that even though these two women were born in an era that probably posed more challenges, they still managed to stand for what was right.
“These two women came up in a different era, they came up when they were greater challenges surrounding women, women were not just contributors to society they were bearing the brunt of the hardship in the society…Whilst all of this was going on, these two women Kowsilla and Sakina Mohammed still found the time to dedicate to political and social life because they understood even then. how important political education and social consciousness was to the upliftment of women, the upliftment of our communities and the upliftment of our country,” the Head of State posited.
He noted too that the park and computer lab will not only benefit the members of the community, but will also represent the legacy of what Kowsilla and Sakina stood for.
“Tonight, the life of Kowsilla is a life that has left a legendary mark not only here in Leonora but all across our country. Her life and her work is living on and will continue to live on once freedom is celebrated, because her sacrifice, her life, was given towards the achievement of freedom, a union fighting for a free right to represent the workers.”
“Very fittingly Sakina Mohammed was tasked with educating the masses using the arts…today science and technology has changed things a bit so we have in this park a small computer hub, with computers connected to the internet so that children can go there to do their homework, young people can go there to do research and women, and other persons who want to learn how to use the computers, can also go there so the legacy of teaching and learning will continue, at that facility in honour of Sakina Mohammed, right here in Leonora,” President Ali said.
