Dear Editor,
Spending time in London, Trinidad, Guyana, and Suriname over the last several days found eagerness and excitement among the diaspora (Indian or People of Indian Origin, in particular) on PM’s Modi visit to the Caribbean. Guyanese and PIOs in the region are exhilarated that Modi is visiting the region. The PM comes to Guyana for a two day visit during which he will chair a joint India-CARICOM summit, the second during his tenure as PM. And the PM will also address the diaspora and visit several historic places or monuments tied to the diaspora experience in Guyana.
This is Modi’s second visit to Guyana, the first being in August 2000 when he was General Secretary of the ruling BJP. He came to Trinidad to attend a Hindu conference and extended his trip to Guyana to engage the diaspora. The following year, Modi was elevated to the Chief Ministership of his home state of Gujarat. And in 2014, he became the PM candidate of the opposition BJP and after becoming the PM the de facto leader of the ruling party. Modi led the BJP to three successive victories, the last one being last June when he was sworn in for the third consecutive time as PM, becoming only the second person to do so after Nehru.
In traveling around India a couple weeks ago, upon learning that I was from Guyana, people made reference to PM Modi going (coning) to Guyana. And during a stopover in London, Guyanese who I engaged expressed pride and excitement that the Indian PM is going to their (former) homeland. They offered various recommendations, suggestions, ideas, advice for India-Guyana relations; some of which I won’t want to mention for fear of politicians coming after me. Guyanese are very pleased and proud about the developmental (infrastructure) progress of their homeland but are very concerned about allegations of corruption. The same sentiment was echoed in encounters with Guyanese in New York, Trinidad and Suriname.
In Trinidad and Suriname, Guyanese wished if they could be home when the PM visits but for varied reasons are unable to do so. “Say hello to Modi for me, please”, they pleaded. Many among the Indian diaspora from USA and Canada (Guyanese as well as Indian nationals or NRIs or South Asian Indians) are coming to Guyana to see the PM and hope to meet and engage him. Excitement is in the air throughout the Indian Guyanese diaspora and in Guyana. This is only the second visit of an Indian PM to Guyana with the last being PM Indira Gandhi in 1967. They are confident that the PM will announce a package of goodies for Guyana and the region on top of the large amount of financial assistance India is already providing.
Sincerely,
Vishnu Bisram