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Guyana – 10th Anniversary of Independence
1976 FM Proof Silver 5 Dollars 42mm (37.30 grams) 0.500 Silver (0.5996 oz. ASW)
Reference: KM# 43a, Schön# 43a | Engraver: William Shoyer
Certification: NGC PF 68 ULTRA CAMEO 2863159-014
OUR PEOPLE-OUR MOST PRECIOUS ASSET ONE PEOPLE ONE NATION ONE DESTINY FM Bank of Guyana · ·, Coat of arms of Guyana.
COLLECTIVE WORK 5 DOLLARS CRITCHLOW, Head Labour Union founder Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow facing.
You are bidding on the exact item pictured, provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime Guarantee of Authenticity.
Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow (18 December 1884 – 14 May 1958) is notable as the founder of the modern trade union movement in Guyana.
Critchlow was born in Georgetown, Guyana. Little is known of his early childhood but in his late teens, after leaving school, he was a dock worker. At the age of 21, he began his struggle for the interest of waterfront workers’ wage negotiations and rights. His struggle continued into 1917 when he founded the British Guiana Labour Union (BGLU). The BGLU is officially the first trade union in the Caribbean.
Often referred to as ‘The father of Trade Unions’, Critchlow was the first man in British Guiana to formalize labour negotiations. He died in Georgetown in 1958.
On 2 December 1964 then premier of Guyana, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, unveiled a bronze statue of Critchlow in the compound of the Parliament Building.
Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow devoted his life to changing the harsh conditions under which men were forced to work in those days. His work is especially remembered on 1 May, which is designated as:
- Labour Day
- Workers’ Day
- May Day.
On this day, wreaths are laid at the base of Critchlow’s statue by leaders of the government and prominent trades unionists. Workers parade through the streets of the township dressed in red and white. They march under the banner of their particular trade union in a show of solidarity for workers’ rights.
  Guyana (pronounced /ɡaɪˈɑːnə/ or /ɡaɪˈænə/), officially the Co‑operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. It is considered part of the Caribbean region because of its strong cultural, historical, and political ties with other Caribbean countries and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Guyana is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Brazil to the south and southwest, Venezuela to the west, and Suriname to the east. With 215,000 square kilometres (83,000 sq mi), Guyana is the third-smallest sovereign state on mainland South America after Uruguay and Suriname.
The region known as “the Guianas” consists of the large shield landmass north of the Amazon River and east of the Orinoco River known as the “land of many waters”. There are nine indigenous tribes residing in Guyana: the Wai Wai, Macushi, Patamona, Lokono, Kalina, Wapishana, Pemon, Akawaio and Warao. Historically dominated by the Lokono and Kalina tribes, Guyana was colonised by the Dutch before coming under British control  in the late 18th century. It was governed as British Guiana, with a mostly plantation-style economy until the 1950s. It gained independence in 1966, and officially became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. The legacy of British rule is reflected in the country’s political administration and diverse population, which includes Indian, African, Amerindian, Chinese, Portuguese, other European, and various multiracial groups. In 2017, 41% of the population of Guyana lived below the poverty line.
Guyana is the only South American nation in which English is the official language. The majority of the population, however, speak Guyanese Creole, an English-based creole language, as a first language. Guyana is part of the Anglophone Caribbean. CARICOM is headquartered in Guyana’s capital and largest city, Georgetown. In 2008, the country joined the Union of South American Nations as a founding member.
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