ARRIVAL Day (May 5th) has emerged as a major calendar event and a national holiday in Guyana.
The day was initially observed as ‘Indian Arrival Day’ by the Indo-Guyanese community to commemorate the arrival of the first batch of Indian indentured labourers on board the SS Whitby on May 5, 1838.
Within recent years, the meaning of the day has certainly broadened, both in context and scope, to fittingly include all ethnic groups who came as indentured labourers, ostensibly to fill the void created by the exodus of ex-slaves from plantation labour, following the abolition of the despicable system of slavery in 1834.
After all, it was the planters’ woes of a labour shortage that led to the importation of indentured labourers in this crucial period of ‘crisis, change and experimentation’ in Guyana’s history.

In the initial post-Emancipation years, a small number of European immigrants, including those of English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, German and Maltese nationalities, were brought, but these failed to make an impact on the plantations.
As early as May 1835, Portuguese indentured labourers were introduced from Madeira. This scheme lasted until 1882, by which time approximately 32,000 Portuguese immigrants had arrived here. Many of them eventually ended up in various commercial activities.
The British Government encouraged immigration of Liberated Africans, and between 1841 and 1863, a total of 14,060 of them, mostly from Sierra Leone and St Helena, came to colonial Guyana. Creole immigrants were also tried, and a steady stream of Barbadians, numbering 40,656, were introduced between 1835 and 1893. This type of labour had ‘qualitative advantages,’ as it provided a relatively cheap source of experienced labourers.

Chinese immigration was another experiment. Between 1853 and 1879, the colony was the recipient of 14,002 contract labourers, and a further 1,718 Chinese came as free immigrants during the 1880-1913 period. The importation of Indian indentured labourers from the Indian sub-continent was part of the continuing search to meet the labour needs of the powerful plantocracy. It ended up being the largest scheme, and lasted from 1838-1917, during which time a total of 238,909 immigrants landed in Guyana. Undoubtedly, all ethnic groups and their descendants have persisted to make their unique and sterling contribution to the overall development of this nation. Arrival Day is of tremendous significance. It is a day when we appreciate, recognise and honour the arrival and contribution of all our ancestors from all parts of the world. In the face of numerous adversities, they were able to preserve their cultures, traditions and values.

Arrival Day embodies the richness of diversity in the context of the pluralistic and multi-cultural mosaic it creates. Through the struggle, trials and tribulations of our foreparents, we today live in a free, democratic society governed by the rule of law.
Their unyielding sacrifices have paved the way for us to live in an age of greater enlightenment, with greater tolerance, understanding and appreciation of a common history of struggle towards a unified nation and a common destiny.
Let us remember the varied ways in which our ancestors collectively endured and prevailed to create joint endeavours for enhanced lifestyles and upward social mobility. Let us give true meaning to our country’s motto of ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny.’