Henry Light

[4] From July to August 1837, the Legislative Council stayed proceedings in response to him forbidding Special Magistrates to lash men to exert labor or as punishment.

Prefacing his 10-year-long term, Light stated:[6] A combination of labor, capital, and one directing head are necessary to make this colony flourish, without these, it will become a swamp, and the population retrograde to their original state of nature.His initial observation was that the two estates were capable of producing more sugar than Nevis and Montserrat; he believed Berbice could obtain higher production than the Leeward and Windward Islands combined if provided adequate labor.

In late August, he informed Secretary of State for War and the Colonies Charles Grant, 1st Baron Glenelg that Berbice plantations resumed operation after a short period of inactivity.

He argued against plantation owners and entrepreneurs' claims that the new freedom hampered productivity, retorting that there was bad season, and harsh treatment led freedmen away.

He justified his position by bringing up a return from April 1839; shown were output comparisons between 6 July to 10 October 1839 with 1831 to 1833: sugar had decreased by 7,259 hogsheads, rum by 2,014 puncheons, and coffee by more than three-fourths in total.

Ultimately, Russell believed parliament should further aid the colonies in dealing with the effects of emancipation and agreed with Light that interconnectivity between the classes was essential for mending the issues.

[11] Since emancipation, wealthy planters such as William Ewart Gladstone had attempted to get indentured servants from British India, provoking investigation reluctantly ordered by Light.

[12] In December 1838, Light told the Court of Policy that the government were 'possessors de facto of the soil' and that Native Guyanese would have to apply their territory for grants and pay fees to prevent it from being leased.