The building which houses the Department of Citizenship has been renamed the ‘Stephen Campbell Building’ after first 1957 indigenous elected member of the Legislative Council of British Guiana, Stephen Joseph Campbell.
His Excellency President David Granger, in honouring the Indigenous stalwart shared Campbell’s vision for Guyana
“It is fitting that this building should be dedicated to the memory of Stephen Campbell, one of Guyana’s iconic Indigenous leaders, Stephen Campbell was an ardent advocate for protecting indigenous citizenship,” the President stated.
Campbell pushed for Indigenous land rights to be guaranteed in the independence constitution. He also spearheaded a historic change in bringing to the fore the vital and rightful place of the Indigenous peoples in the mainstream of life in Guyana and its future development. The path that he carved out for Guyana’s First People, plays a vital role in modern-day Guyana.
In his remarks Minister of Citizenship, Honourable Winston Felix noted some of Campbell’s outstanding achievements.
“His greatest achievements were the crafting of the Amerindian Act, the development of better health facilities, implementation of postal services and the development of agriculture in the North West District,”the Minister noted.
