After the British slave trade was abolished in the early 19th century, indentured servants and workers were brought to the Caribbean to labor on British, Dutch, and French plantations. In 1838, the first ships from India arrived in Guyana, bringing a common thread in language and culture that evolved over generations. Even the name of the holiday, Phagwah, as many in the Indo-Cribbean community refer to it, comes from a regional language in the state of Bihar.
Today we observe the first arrival of indentured labourers from India into Guyana
- British West Indies to work in the sugar plantations after slavery was abolished.
Arrival Day is of tremendous significance. It is a day when we appreciate, recognize, and honor the arrival and contribution of all our ancestors from all parts of the world. In the face of numerous adversities, they were able to preserve their cultures, traditions, and values.
These indentured labourers, fill the void created by the exodus of ex-slaves from plantation labors, following the abolition of the despicable system of slavery in 1834. On May 5th 1838, 396 Indian immigrants popularly known as the ‘Gladstone Coolies’ landed at Highbury, Berbice in British Guiana (Guyana) from Calcutta, India aboard steam vessels the Whitby and Hesperus . The "Gladstone Coolies" were brought over by the plantation owner John Gladstone. By the time the indentured system ended in 1920, British Guiana had received 238,909 workers from India. Today their descendants comprise 44% of Guyana's population of over 750,000.
Most of the immigrants spoke a dialect of Hindi and came from the provinces of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madras (today known as Tamil Nadu). Within a decade, Indian immigration was largely responsible for changing the fortunes of the sugar industry, the mainstay of the economy, from the predicted ‘ruin’ to prosperity.
Let us remember the varied ways in which our ancestors collectively endured and prevailed to create joint endeavors for enhanced lifestyles and upward social mobility.
Map of Guyana
Hear National Anthem
"Dear Land of Guyana,
of Rivers and Plains"
Text of National Anthem
Adopted 1966
Constitution
(6 Oct 1980)
Capital: Georgetown
(Stabroek 1784 - 5 May 1812)
Currency: Guyanese Dollar
(GYD)
National Holiday: 23 Feb (1970)
Republic Day Population: 770,794 (2008) GDP: $3.01 billion (2008)
Exports: $736 million (2008)
Imports: $1.62 billion (2008) Ethnic groups: East Indian 43.5%, black (African) 30.2%, mixed 16.7%, Amerindian 9.1%, other 0.5% (2002)
Total Active Armed Forces: 1,100 (2006)
Merchant marine: 8 ships (2008)
Religions: Hindu 28.4%, Pentecostal 16.9%, Roman Catholic 8.1%, Anglican 6.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 5%, Methodist 1.7%, Jehovah Witness 1.1%, other Christian 17.7%, Muslim 7.2%,
other 4.3%, none 4.3% (2002) International Organizations/Treaties: ACP, ACS, ACTO, AOSIS, APM, BTWC (signatory), C, Caricom, CDB, CTBT, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISA, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, KP, LAES, MIGA, NAM, NPT, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Guyana Index <p>Chronology</p> <p> </p>
1499 Discovered by Alonzo de Ojeda and Amerigo
Vespucci.
1595 Explored by English under Sir Walter Raleigh.
1598 First known Dutch expedition to coast of Guyana
by Capt. A. Cabeliau.
1620 - 1620 English settlement at Oyapock.
1616 Dutch settlement of Essequibo.
1657 Dutch settlement at Pomeroon.
1666 Dutch settlement at Berbice.
1750 Dutch settlement of Demerara (subordinate
to Essequibo).
27 Feb 1781 - Feb 1782 British occupation of Demerara, Essequibo, and
Berbice (subordinated to Barbados).
Feb 1782 - 1784 French occupation.
1784 Restored to Netherlands.
22 Apr 1796 - 27 Mar 1802 British occupation
27 Mar 1802 Restored to Batavian Republic (Netherlands).
20 Sep 1803 - 13 Aug 1814 British occupation.
13 Aug 1814 British colonies of Berbice and
Demerara-Essequibo.
20 Nov 1815 Officially ceded to Britain by the Netherlands.
21 Jul 1831 Demerara-Essequibo, and Berbice united as
British Guiana.
26 Aug 1961 Self-rule achieved.
26 May 1966 Independence from Britain (Guyana).
23 Feb 1970 Republic of Guyana (in occasional official, but
not constitutional, use: Co-operative Republic
of Guyana).
6 Oct 1980 Co-operative Republic of Guyana
<p>Guyana</p> <p>(from 1831)</p> Oyapock (1620) Berbice (1666-1831) <p>Demerara-</p> Essequibo (1624-1831) Pomeroon (1657-1689)
Oyapock
1620 - 1620 English settlement at Oyapock (on Wiapica River in Guyana).
Governor
1620 Roger North (b. 1585 - d. 1652)
Berbice
1666 Dutch settlement of Berbice.
15 Nov 1712 Briefly occupied by French under Baron de Mouans.
Apr 1781 - Feb 1782 British occupation of Berbice
(subordinated to Barbados).
Feb 1782 - 20 Feb 1784 French occupation of Berbice.
20 Feb 1784 Restored to Netherlands.
22 Apr 1796 British occupation.
27 Mar 1802 Restored to Battalion Republic (Netherlands).
20 Sep 1803 British occupation.
13 Aug 1814 Berbice a British colony.
20 Nov 1815 Formally ceded to Britain by the Netherlands.
21 Jul 1831 United with Demerara-Essequibo as British Guiana.
Commanders
1666 - 1671 Matthijs Bergenaar
1671 - 1683 Cornelis Marinus
1683 - 1684 Gideon Bourse
1684 - 1687 Lucas Coudrie
1687 - 1712 Matthijs de Feer 1712 - 1714 Steven de Waterman
1714 - 1733 Anthony Tierens
Governors
22 Apr 1733 - 6 Apr 1740 Bernhard Waterham
6 Apr 1740 - 2 May 1749 Jan Andries Lossner
7 May 1749 - 1755 Jan Frederik Colier
5 Dec 1755 - 21 Sep 1759 Hendrik Jan van Rijswick (d. 1759)
4 Apr 1760 - 1764 Wolfert Simon van Hoogenheim (b. c.1730 - d. ....)
6 Sep 1764 - 23 Nov 1767 Johannes Heijlinger, Jr.
7 Apr 1768 - 2 Jul 1773 Stephen Hendrik de la Sabloniere (b. 1714 - d. 1773)
16 Nov 1773 - 4 Jul 1774 Johan Christoffel de Winter (d. 1774)
15 Dec 1774 - 1 Dec 1777 Isaac Kaecks (d. 1777)
19 Jun 1778 - 27 Feb 1781 Peter Hendrik Koppiers (1st time)
27 Feb 1781 - Feb 1782 Robert Kingston
9 Feb 1782 - 15 Jul 1782 Armand Guy Simon de Coëtnempren, (b. 1742 - d. 1793)
comte de Kersaint (1st time)
15 Jul 1782 - 15 Sep 1782 Louis Antoine Dazemard de Lusignan, (b. 1726 - d. 1782)
marquis de Lusignan
15 Sep 1782 - 1783 Armand Guy Simon de Coëtnempren, (s.a.)
comte de Kersaint (2nd time)
20 Jan 1783 - 20 Feb 1784 Georges Manganon de la Perrière (d. 1789)
20 Feb 1784 - 23 Sep 1789 Peter Hendrik Koppiers (2nd time)
23 Sep 1789 - 27 Mar 1802 Abraham Jacob van Imbijze van (b. 1753 - d. 1806)
Batenburg (1st time)
(acting to 28 Feb 1794)
27 Mar 1802 - 20 Sep 1803 Provisional government
- J.C.W. Herlin
- G. Kobus
(acting)
20 Sep 1803 - Oct 1803 Greenfield
1 Oct 1803 - Jun 1804 Robert Nicholson (acting) (d. 1814)
25 Jun 1804 - Dec 1806 Abraham Jacob van Imbijze van (s.a.)
Batenburg (2nd time)
Lieutenant governors
Dec 1806 - Sep 1807 Robert Nicholson (acting) (s.a.)
Sep 1807 - Mar 1809 James Montgomery
Mar 1809 - Jan 1810 William Woodley (d. 1810)
Jan 1810 - Dec 1810 Samuel Dalrymple (acting) (b. 1760 - d. 1832)
Dec 1810 - Jun 1812 Robert Gordon (1st time)
Jun 1812 - Feb 1813 John Murray (1st time)(acting)
Feb 1813 - 13 Dec 1813 Robert Gordon (2nd time)
13 Dec 1813 - Jan 1814 Grant (2nd time)(acting)
Jan 1814 - Nov 1820 Henry William Bentinck (b. 1765 - d. 1820)
Nov 1820 - Jan 1821 Thistlewayte (acting)
Jan 1821 - Mar 1821 Sir John Cameron (acting) (b. 1773 - d. 1844)
Mar 1821 - Mar 1825 Henry Beard (1st time)
Mar 1825 - Jul 1826
Sir Benjamin D'Urban (acting) (b. 1777 - d. 1849)
Jul 1826 - 21 Jul 1831 Henry Beard (2nd time)
Demerara-Essequibo
1616 Dutch settlement of Essequibo.
1665 - 1666 Brief English occupation.
1750 Dutch settlement of Demerara (subordinate to Essequibo).
3 Mar 1781 - 9 Feb 1782 British occupation of Demerara and Essequibo
(subordinated to Barbados).
9 Feb 1782 - 6 Mar 1784 French occupation of Demerara-Essequibo (subordinate Berbice).
6 Mar 1784 Restored to Netherlands (Essequibo subordinated to Demerara).
22 Apr 1796 - 27 Mar 1802 British occupation of Deemerara-Essequibo.
27 Mar 1802 Restored to Batavian Republic (Netherlands).
20 Sep 1803 British occupy Demerara-Essequibo.
13 Aug 1814 Demerara-Essequibo a British colony.
20 Nov 1815 Formally ceded to Britain by the Netherlands.
21 Jul 1831 United with Berbice as British Guiana.
Governors of Essequibo
1616 - 1624 Adriaen Groenewegen
1624 - 1627 Jacob Conijn
1627 - 1638 Jan van der Goes
1638 - 1641 Cornelis Pieterszoon Hose
1641 - 1644 Adriaen van der Woestijne
1644 - 16.. Andriaen Janszoon
1657 - 19 Aug 1664 Aert "Amos" Adriaenssen
(b. 1581 - d. 1664)
Groenewegen
1665 - 1666 John Scott
1666 Abraham Crijnssen
(d. 1669)
1666 Adriaen Groenewegen, Jr.
1667 - 1670 Baerland
17 Jul 1670 - 31 Mar 1676 Hendrik Rol (Roll) (d. 1676)
31 Mar 1676 - 1678 Jacob Hars
25 Jul 1678 - 30 Oct 1690 Abraham Beekman
1690 J.P. de Jonge
9 Dec 1690 - 10 Dec 1707 Samuel Beekman (d. 1707)
10 Dec 1707 - 24 Jul 1719 Peter van der Heyden Resen
24 Jul 1719 - 12 Oct 1729 Laurens de Heere (d. 1729)
12 Oct 1729 - Apr 1742 Hermanus Gelskerke (d. 1742)
Apr 1742 - 15 Aug 1750 Laurens Storm van 's Gravesande (d. 1775)
(acting to 13 Apr 1743)
Directors-general
15 Aug 1750 - 2 Nov 1772 Laurens Storm van 's Gravesande (s.a.)
2 Nov 1772 - Mar 1781 George Hendrik Trotz (d. 1804)
Commanders of Demerara
15 Aug 1750 - 1761 Jonathan Samuel Storm van 's (d. 1761)
Gravesende
1761 - 12 May 1764 Laurens Lodewijk van Bergeijk (d. 1764)
19 Aug 1765 - 24 Dec 1770 Jan Cornelis van den Heuvel (b. 1742 - d. 1826)
1 Jul 1772 - Mar 1781 Paulus van Schuylenburgh
Governor of Essequibo
3 Mar 1781 - 1782 Robert Nicholson (d. 1814)
Governor of Demerara
3 Mar 1781 - 1782 Robert Kingston
Governors
9 Feb 1782 - 15 Jul 1782 Armand Guy Simon de Coëtnempren, (b. 1742 - d. 1793)
comte de Kersaint (1st time)
15 Jul 1782 - 15 Sep 1782 Louis Antoine Dazemard de Lusignan, (b. 1726 - d. 1782)
marquis de Lusignan
15 Sep 1782 - 1783 Armand Guy Simon de Coëtnempren, (s.a.)
comte de Kersaint (2nd time)
20 Jan 1783 - Mar 1784 Georges Manganon de la Perrière (d. 1789)
Directors-general
7 Mar 1784 - Feb 1785 Joseph Bourda (acting) (d. 1798)
Feb 1785 - 18 Aug 1789 Jan L'Éspinasse
18 Aug 1789 - 31 Mar 1793 Albertus Backer (d. 1816)
31 Mar 1793 - 6 May 1795 Johan Willem August van Sirtema, (b. 1764 - d. 1833)
baron van Grovestins
6 May 1795 - 29 Jun 1795 Provisional government
- ....
- ....
(acting)
29 Jun 1795 - 22 Apr 1796 Antony Beaujon (interim) (b. c.1763 - d. 1805)
Commanders of Essequibo
Feb 1784 - Oct 1784 Albert Siraut des Touches (acting)
7 Oct 1784 - 1787 Johannes Cornelis Bert (b. 1757 - d. 1800)
1787 - 18 Aug 1789 Albertus Backer (1st time) (s.a.)
18 Aug 1789 - Apr 1791 Gustaaf Eduard Meijerhelm (interim)
Apr 1791 - 31 Mar 1793 Matthijs Thierens (interim)
31 Mar 1793 - 22 Apr 1796 Albertus Backer (2nd time) (s.a.)
Governor of Essequibo
22 Apr 1796 - 27 Mar 1802 Abraham Jacob van Imbijze van (b. 1753 - d. 1806)
Batenburg
Commander of Demerara
22 Apr 1796 - 27 Mar 1802 Antony Beaujon (s.a.)
Director-general
27 Mar 1802 - 20 Sep 1803 Antony Meertens (b. 1753 - d. 1815)
Commander of Essequibo
27 Mar 1802 - 20 Sep 1803 George Hendrik Trotz (s.a.)
Lieutenant governors
Sep 1803 - 18 Aug 1804 Robert Nicholson (1st time) (s.a.)
18 Aug 1804 - 19 Oct 1805 Antony Beaujon (s.a.)
19 Oct 1805 - 8 May 1806 James Montgomery (1st time)(acting)
8 May 1806 - 9 Mar 1807 Henry William Bentinck (1st time) (b. 1765 - d. 1820)
9 May 1807 - 19 Sep 1807 James Montgomery (2nd time)(acting)
19 Sep 1807 - 25 Jun 1808 Robert Nicholson (2nd time)(acting) (s.a.)
25 Jun 1808 - 8 Apr 1809 Andrew Ross (acting) (d. 1816)
8 Apr 1809 - 20 May 1809 Samuel Dalrymple (acting) (b. 1760 - d. 1832)
20 May 1809 - Feb 1812 Henry William Bentinck (2nd time) (s.a.)
Feb 1812 - 12 May 1813 Hugh Lyle Carmichael (acting) (b. 1764 - d. 1813)
12 May 1813 - 17 May 1813 Edward Codd (1st time)(acting)
17 May 1813 - 28 Aug 1813 John Murray (1st time)(acting)
28 Aug 1813 - 18 Dec 1813 Edward Codd (2nd time)(acting)
18 Dec 1813 - 26 Jul 1815 John Murray (2nd time)
26 Jul 1815 - 3 Oct 1815 Edward Codd (3rd time)(acting)
3 Oct 1815 - 26 Apr 1824 John Murray (3rd time) 26 Apr 1824 - 21 Jul 1831 Sir Benjamin D'Urban (b. 1777 - d. 1849) Pomeroon
Aug 1658 Pomeroon settlement; subordinated to Essequibo.
1666 - 1667 English occupation
1689 Incorporated into Essequibo.
Commanders
1658 - 1661 Cornelis Goliat (d. 1661)
1661 - 1666 François de Fijne
1666 - 1667 John Scott 1667 - 1670 Sael
1670 - 1676 Hendrik Rol (Roll) (d. 1676)
1676 - 1678 Jacob Hars
1678 - 1686 Abraham Beekman
5 Apr 1686 - Apr 1689 Jacob Pieterszoon de Jonge
Guyana
21 Jul 1831 Colonies of Demerara-Essequibo and Berbice
united as British Guiana.
26 Aug 1961 Self-rule.
26 May 1966 Independence from Britain (Guyana).
23 Feb 1970 Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
Governors
21 Jul 1831 - 26 Jun 1833 Sir Benjamin D'Urban (b. 1777 - d. 1849)
26 Jun 1833 - 4 Mar 1838 Sir James Carmichael Smyth (b. 1779 - d. 1838)
7 Mar 1838 - 9 Mar 1838 W.N. Orange (acting)
9 Mar 1838 - 28 Jun 1838
Thomas Bunbury (acting) (b. 1783 - d. 1857)
28 Jun 1838 - 19 May 1848 Henry Light (b. 1783 - d. 1870)
19 May 1848 - 12 Feb 1849 William Walker (1st time) (acting)
12 Feb 1849 - 11 May 1853 Henry Barkly (b. 1815 - d. 1898)
11 May 1853 - 23 May 1854 William Walker (2nd time) (acting)
23 May 1854 - 7 Jan 1862 Philip Edmond Wodehouse (b. 1811 - d. 1887)
7 Jan 1862 - 25 Jan 1869 Francis Hincks (b. 1807 - d. 1885)
25 Jan 1869 - 26 Dec 1873 Sir John Scott (b. 1814 - d. 1898)
27 Dec 1873 - 10 Mar 1874 E.E. Rushworth (acting)
10 Mar 1874 - 8 Mar 1877 James Robert Longden (b. 1827 - d. 1891)
(from 18 Mar 1876, Sir James Robert Longden)
8 Mar 1877 - 3 Aug 1877 William A.G. Young (1st time)
(acting)
3 Aug 1877 - 13 Dec 1881 Cornelius Hendricksen Kortright (b. 1817 - d. 1899)
13 Dec 1881 - 4 May 1882 William A.G. Young (2nd time)
(acting)
4 May 1882 - 1887 Sir Henry Turner Irving (b. 1833 - d. 1923)
26 Apr 1884 - 1884 W.F. Haynes-Smith (acting for Irving)
1887 - 1888 Charles Bruce (1st time) (acting) (b. 1836 - d. 1920)
1888 - 23 Mar 1893 Jenico William Joseph Preston,
Viscount Gormanston (b. 1837 - d. 1907)
Apr 1891 - 15 Oct 1891 Sir Charles Bruce (2nd time) (s.a.)
(acting for Gormanston)
23 Mar 1893 - 5 Jul 1893 Sir Charles Bruce (3rd time) (s.a.)
(acting)
5 Jul 1893 - Sep 1895 Sir Charles Cameron Lees (b. 1831 - d. 1898)
15 Dec 1894 - 29 Jan 1895 Cavendish Boyle (1st time) (b. 1849 - d. 1916)
(acting for Lees)
Sep 1895 - Mar 1896 Cavendish Boyle (acting)(2nd time) (s.a.)
Mar 1896 - 27 Mar 1898 Sir Augustus William Lawson Hemming (b. 1842 - d. 1907)
1 Oct 1896 - 18 Nov 1896 Cavendish Boyle (3rd time) (s.a.)
(acting for Hemming)
27 May 1897 - 28 Jul 1897 Cavendish Boyle (4th time) (s.a.)
(acting for Hemming)
27 Mar 1898 - 25 Dec 1901 Sir Walter Joseph Sendall (b. 1832 - d. 1904)
25 Dec 1901 - 26 Sep 1904 Sir James Alexander Swettenham (b. 1846 - d. 1933)
26 Sep 1904 - 5 Jul 1912 Sir Frederick Mitchell Hodgson (b. 1851 - d. 1925)
5 Jul 1912 - 15 Apr 1917 Sir Walter Egerton (b. 1858 - d. 1947)
15 Apr 1917 - 4 Apr 1923 Sir Wilfred Collet (b. 1856 - d. 1929)
4 Apr 1923 - 31 Aug 1925 Sir Graeme Thomson (b. 1875 - d. 1933)
31 Aug 1925 - 7 Nov 1928 Sir Cecil Hunter-Rodwell (b. 1874 - d. 1953)
7 Nov 1928 - 9 Jun 1930 Sir Frederick Gordon Guggisberg (b. 1869 - d. 1930)
9 Jun 1930 - 26 Mar 1935 Sir Edward Brandis Denham (b. 1876 - d. 1938)
26 Mar 1935 - 1937 Sir Geoffrey Alexander Stafford (b. 1881 - d. 1948)
Northcote (acting from 1936)
1937 - 19 Nov 1937 .... (acting)
19 Nov 1937 - 7 Nov 1941 Sir Wilfrid Edward Francis Jackson (b. 1883 - d. 1971)
7 Nov 1941 - 1946 Sir Gordon James Lethem (b. 1886 - d. 1962)
1946 - 12 Apr 1947 William Leslie Heape (acting) (b. 1896 - d. 1972)
12 Apr 1947 - 14 Apr 1953 Sir Charles Campbell Woolley (b. 1893 - d. 1981)
14 Apr 1953 - 25 Oct 1955 Sir Alfred William Lungley Savage (b. 1903 - d. 1980)
25 Oct 1955 - 22 Dec 1958 Sir Patrick Muir Renison (b. 1911 - d. 1965)
22 Dec 1958 - 7 Mar 1964 Sir Ralph Francis Alnwick Grey (b. 1910 - d. 1999)
7 Mar 1964 - 26 May 1966 Sir Richard Edmonds Luyt (b. 1915 - d. 1994)
Queen¹
26 May 1966 - 23 Feb 1970 the Queen of the United Kingdom
Governors-general (representing the British monarch as head of state)
26 May 1966 - 31 Oct 1966 Sir Richard Edmonds Luyt (s.a.)
1 Nov 1966 - 16 Dec 1966 Sir Kenneth Sievewright Stoby (b. 1903)
(acting)
16 Dec 1966 - 10 Nov 1969 Sir David James Gardiner Rose (b. 1923 - d. 1969)
10 Nov 1969 - 22 Feb 1970 Edward Victor Luckhoo (acting) (b. 1912 - d. 1998)
(from 1 Jan 1970, Sir Edward Victor Luckhoo)
Presidents
23 Feb 1970 - 17 Mar 1970 Sir Edward Victor Luckhoo (acting) (s.a.) Non-party
17 Mar 1970 - 6 Oct 1980 Raymond Arthur Chung (b. 1918 - d. 2008) Non-party
6 Oct 1980 - 6 Aug 1985 Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham (b. 1923 - d. 1985) PNC/R
6 Aug 1985 - 9 Oct 1992 Hugh Desmond Hoyte (b. 1929 - d. 2002) PNC/R
9 Oct 1992 - 6 Mar 1997 Cheddi Berret(sic) Jagan (b. 1918 - d. 1997) PPP/C
6 Mar 1997 - 19 Dec 1997 Samuel "Sam" Archibald (b. 1943) PPP/C
Anthony Hinds
19 Dec 1997 - 11 Aug 1999 Janet Rosenberg Jagan (f) (b. 1920 - d. 2009) PPP/C
11 Aug 1999 - 3 Dec 2011
Bharrat Jagdeo (b. 1964) PPP/C
3 Dec 2011 - Donald Ramotar (b. 1950) PPP/C
Chief minister
30 May 1953 - 9 Oct 1953 Cheddi Berret Jagan (s.a.) PPP/C
9 Oct 1953 - 5 Sep 1961 Vacant
Premiers
5 Sep 1961 - 12 Dec 1964 Cheddi Berret Jagan (s.a.) PPP/C
12 Dec 1964 - 26 May 1966 Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham (s.a.) PNC/R
Prime ministers
26 May 1966 - 6 Oct 1980 Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham (s.a.) PNC/R
6 Oct 1980 - 16 Aug 1984 Ptolemy Alexander Reid (b. 1918 - d. 2003) PNC/R
16 Aug 1984 - 6 Aug 1985 Hugh Desmond Hoyte (s.a.) PNC/R
6 Aug 1985 - 9 Oct 1992 Hamilton Green (b. 1934) PNC/R
9 Oct 1992 - 17 Mar 1997 Samuel "Sam" Archibald (s.a.) PPP/C
Anthony Hinds (1st time)
17 Mar 1997 - 22 Dec 1997 Janet Rosenberg Jagan (f) (s.a.) PPP/C
22 Dec 1997 - 9 Aug 1999 Samuel "Sam" Archibald (s.a.) PPP/C
Anthony Hinds (2nd time)
9 Aug 1999 - 11 Aug 1999 Bharrat Jagdeo (s.a.) PPP/C
11 Aug 1999 - Samuel "Sam" Archibald (s.a.) PPP/C
Anthony Hinds (3rd time)
¹
Full style:
(a) 26 May 1966 - 18 Jun 1966: "By the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith
";
(b) 18 Jun 1966 - 23 Feb 1970: "By the Grace of God, Queen of Guyana and of Her other Realms
and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth."
Territorial Disputes: Aall of the area west of the Essequibo River is claimed by Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks arbitration under provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich waters.
Party abbreviations: PNC/R = People's National Congress/Reform (socialist, populist, African-Guynanese); PPP/C = People's Progressive Party/Civic (socialist, Indian-Guyanese)