Burnham, Forbes (1923-1985), a Guyanese political leader, served as the first prime minister of the independent state of Guyana from 1966 to 1980. Following an amendment to Guyana’s constitution, he then served as the country’s president from 1980 until his death.
Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham was born in Kitty, Guyana, which was then the United Kingdom colony of British Guiana. He traveled to England as a student and, in 1947, obtained a law degree from the University of London. Returning home, Burnham helped found the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) with the left-wing labor leader Cheddi Jagan. Burnham was chairman of the party from 1949 to 1955.
After falling out with Jagan, Burnham left the PPP to form the more moderate People’s National Congress (PNC), which he led from 1957 to 1964. In 1964, the PNC formed a coalition government with another party, the United Force. As prime minister, Burnham supervised the colony’s transition to the independent nation of Guyana in 1966.
From 1966 to 1970, Burnham followed moderate policies aimed at attracting foreign investment. However, in 1970, the Burnham administration suddenly adopted an extreme socialist stance. Burnham announced that Guyana was now a “co-operative socialist republic,” and his government opened diplomatic links with Cuba and the Soviet Union. It also began a wide-ranging program of nationalization, putting under state control most industries, especially the foreign-owned bauxite mines and sugar plantations and refineries.
Burnham’s PNC developed a tight grip on Guyana’s government, and Burnham was widely accused of rigging the results of elections and referendums held during the period. In 1980, the government changed the constitution to replace the office of prime minister with the more powerful one of president. Burnham won the presidential election of 1980, which was again alleged to have been rigged. Under Burnham’s continuing socialist policies, Guyana’s economy suffered because it could not export enough sugar and minerals to pay for the importing of essential goods. Burnham died in 1985 during throat surgery in Georgetown, Guyana.
See also Guyana .
