PIRATES, PRESIDENTS AND PERIL THE STORY OF GUYANA'S BACK TRACK ERA

For decades, the Corentyne River has been more than a border between Guyana and Suriname - it has been a highway of survival, opportunity and intrigue. Few know that story better than Mohamed “Golden Gloves” Mursaline, whose back track service carried everyone from ordinary families and traders to presidents and politicians. During years of strict import restrictions, his boats became a lifeline for thousands of Guyanese, helping to move goods that kept homes stocked and businesses alive, while fuelling an underground economy that transformed communities across Berbice and beyond. In this candid interview with the News Room’s Neil Marks, Musaline shares his extraordinary story, including a memorable encounter with late President Forbes Burnham, and the shocking discovery that some of the river’s most feared pirates were members of his own family. This is the eight episode of ‘Guyana at 60: Built by Many’, a documentary series that rests on the idea that Guyana’s greatest story is its people. This is a national storytelling project that captures the spirit of the country through the lived experiences of its people - the individuals whose daily lives have shaped the nation’s journey.