On Indian Arrival anniversary…
PEOPLE’S Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, Mr. Donald Ramotar said, Sunday, that Guyanese must use their strength and culture to unite and ensure this country realises its potential. He issued the exhortation at the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC) 2010 grand cultural mela in the National Park, Georgetown, to celebrate the 172nd anniversary of the arrival of East Indians here.
Extending best wishes, for the important occasion, to all Guyanese on behalf of the ruling party, he said: “One hundred and seventy-two years ago, when our ancestors came to this land, Guyana was in a terrible state and they were brought here to toil and labour to enrich other people, so that they could enrich their own country.”
Ramotar reminded that British Guiana was then a colony of Britain and noted that, as the ancestors laboured, the wealth they produced was sent abroad to develop another country.
But he acknowledged that the Indian community in this country has made a very important contribution to development all round.
“We have made a big contribution to the development of our national culture and Guyana is a very multicultural country,” Ramotar stated.
He said the peoples who came here and the natives have all contributed their culture to develop a strong Guyanese society.
“I am proud to be a Guyanese and I have every confidence that our country will grow from strength to strength because, if you look at our world and you look at the countries that are the most developed in the world, you will see that one of the factors is the multiculturalism that they have,” Ramotar asserted.
He went on: “Therefore, from that point of view, we have a very, very strong foundation for development.”
Ramotar said the Indian culture that was brought here by the ancestors is now part and parcel of a totality.
“And the Indian history of those who arrived is now part of the history of Guyana, as all the other peoples who arrived here and brought their cultures here, have now interwoven and we are building one Guyanese culture with several strands,” he posited.
Ramotar said, today, there are a lot of challenges and pointed out: “Now we are independent and we are free. We must use our strength, use culture to unite and, for us to unite, not only in cultural life but in production and other aspects of Guyanese life.”
“We have the opportunity now to labour and to toil not for any other country but to build Guyana for ourselves, for our children and for the future generations that are to come,” he maintained.
In this regard, Ramotar said young people must make a commitment to study. “We must develop cultural aspects of our lives to keep them away from some of the negative influences like drug abuse and things like that. We must use all our strength to ensure that Guyana realises its potential and become, as it is definitely becoming, one of the most developed countries in the region and where the beauty of our country will shine through.”
Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Subit Kumar Mandal, in his remarks, said: “It is a pleasure this evening to be here and celebrate with you the Indian Arrival Day.”
He took the opportunity to convey the greetings of the Government and People of India to Guyanese.
“It is an amazing experience to be here with you to recall that, 172 years ago, our ancestors, your ancestors came here and started a journey that brought you here today. We, in India, rejoice in your successes as a part of our success and we feel proud that you are so successful,” the diplomat offered.
He noted that, despite all the difficulties faced by their ancestors, the culture they brought from India is still striving.
“Today, we have seen an amazing expression of those amazing talents of the people who expressed different forms of that culture and it will continue to be so,” Mandal insisted.