MAKING the 183rd anniversary since the arrival of Indian indentured servants here, Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr KJ Srinivasa and Minister within the Ministry of Local Governance, Anand Persaud, visited and offered floral tributes at the Indian Arrival Monument at Palmyra Village, Region Six.
Accompanying the High Commissioner and Minister Persaud on Wednesday were Region Six Chairman, David Armogan; Region Six Regional Executive Officer (REO), Narindra Persaud and Sohan Persaud, President of Berbice India Cultural Committee.

According to a release, it was in Plantation Highbury that the first set of East Indian Indentured labourers landed on May 5, 1838. On that day, two ships, Whitby and Hesperus, landed in the then British colony (Guiana) with approximately 396 East Indians.
Signifying the importance of the Indian Arrival Day and the standing of the Indian Diaspora in Guyana, the Government of India donated the Indian Arrival Monument, consisting of six bronze statues which, was installed at Palmyra Village in Berbice during the Indian Arrival Day celebrations on May 5, 2019.
The six bronze statues depict a Hindu man, a Muslim man, a drum boy, a woman with bundle, a woman with tawa and cahary and a man with cutlass and rice plant.

The dignitaries thereafter addressed the press and lauded the contributions of East Indians to the development of Guyana. The High Commissioner briefed on the latest developments in the India-Guyana bilateral relations and updated on the various collaboration projects under execution as part of Indian development assistance to Guyana. The ongoing projects and proposals under process include in the sectors of infrastructure, transportation, drainage and irrigation, healthcare, education, training and skill development and agriculture, among others. Thereafter, the dignitaries planted a palm tree in the garden around the monument.

High Commissioner and the other dignitaries proceeded to the Highbury Monument where the first East Indian group set their foot on the land of Guyana and offered flowers at the monument. The dignitaries then addressed the gathering and remembered the contributions of East Indians in several fields, since their arrival. The High Commissioner then visited the Lonsdale Shree Rama Krishna Mandir, the first temple constructed in Guyana in 1846, and gifted a set of musical instruments, tabla and a few religious and children books to the temple for the benefit of devotees visiting the temple.

India is celebrating its 75th anniversary of Independence Day on 15 August 2022. In the run up to the celebration of this historic occasion, Government of India is organising a number of events across the world. As a part of these celebrations, High Commission of India in Guyana is organising a series of events with effect from March, 2021. These include an Essay Writing Competition conducted in March, 2021 and a virtual symposium on “India-Guyana Relations from 1838 to 2021” organised in association with University of Guyana in April 2021. In continuation of these events, the High Commission, in collaboration with prominent Indian Diaspora Organisations in Guyana, is also celebrating Arrival Day. “In observance of Arrival Day in Guyana on May 5, on behalf of the Government and people of India, the High Commission of India in Guyana extend best wishes to all Guyanese brothers and sisters. Long live India-Guyana friendship,” the release from the Indian High Commission in Georgetown said.