Dear Editor,
The PNC has released a statement supporting the renaming of May 5 “Arrival Day” as “Indian Arrival Day.” Kudos to the PNC. If this is new thinking from the new PNC Leader, this bodes well for them. Now, will the PPP which has not done that in their previous 23 years of their rule, do it this time around? Or will they keep taking a large block of their supporters for granted, and not address their concerns, as usual? The PPP Government has done very little to diversify the civil service and state agencies, including GECOM; refused to accept previous offers to digitise the Indian Immigration records; did not charge all of those West Coast Berbice thugs who pulled Indians out of vehicles and brutalized them and burned their vehicles, although an abundance of video footage exists to identify the perpetrators. Indians should not be treated as collateral damage in political and ethnic conflicts.
One blogger said, “I’ve noticed the disappointment, discontentedness and displeasure expressed in these threads about the PPP’s actions or lack of it when it comes to supporting the ‘good’ of Indo-Guyanese. We want to see the PPP act swiftly and unhesitatingly when making decisions that would benefit Indians.” There is a view that the PPP do not want to be perceived as an “Indian” party. On the other hand, the PPP tends to see Indians as a large “votes farm” that they own. That’s why at election time they say silly things as “Don’t split the vote.” It’s as if they own the Indian votes, and anyone campaigning in Indian villages are “poaching.”
The PNC must be congratulated for their repentance on this issue and now supporting the call by many Indo-Guyanese in the diaspora for renaming the May 5 holiday as “Indian Arrival Day.” If the PNC continues this trend of repentance and apply it to the bad oil deal they signed that gave away the national patrimony of Guyana’s largest and most valuable natural oil resources, they can redeem themselves. Take this repentance one more step further and apologize for all the years of PNC election rigging, and you may win some crossover votes.
The PNC statement said, “Given these changed circumstances surrounding the original purpose of Arrival Day – coupled with the fact that Guyanese of African and Amerindian origin have designated days or months to celebrate their distinct heritages – the PNCR hereby joins the call for the May 5th observances to be officially recognized henceforth as Indian Arrival Day”, the party said.
The PNC party said that designating May 5th as Indian Arrival Day also respects the historic fact that the date specifically marks the arrival of the first Indian Indentured labourers to these shores. May 5th therefore should be wholly devoted to celebrating the valuable contribution that our East Indian brothers and sisters have made to the development of our country and the shaping of its rich cultural tapestry.
Indian rights activists in Guyana and abroad and a variety of groups have called over the years for May 5th, the day in 1838 when the first Indian indentured labourers arrived here, to be designated as “Indian” Arrival Day.
The PPP has traditionally balked at this and when deliberations were ongoing in parliament on the designation of May 5th as a national holiday in recognition of indentureship, the then PPP government settled for the day to be described as Arrival Day to recognise all groups that came.
We await with bated breath to see what the PPP Government will do, now that the PNC is taking a “One Guyana” approach to this “Indian Arrival Day” issue.
“Eyewitness” who said he humbly adds his voice for the holiday’s name to be changed, said, “What’s the downside risk politically when the PNC has signalled it’s for the change?” Mr. President, all Indo-Guyanese are watching to see how your Government will respond. While you are at it, please explain why your Government does not want to do annual national awards which gives you a chance to recognize Indians usually left out of the PNC’s lists, and annual Senior Counsel awards. Please explain to the nation why you have backslidden from your special address to the nation when you announced your Government will do, “Order of Democracy” awards for all those Guardians of Democracy that helped put the PPP in power.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jerry Jailall