Dear Editor,
There is vehement protest by some after the Indian High Commissioner proposal to name a street in Guyana. Well, that call will fall on deaf ears with this present-day Government. His Excellency and other Indians like him do not realise that the PPP does not favour the Indians in Guyana even though we put them there. Case in point, til today, May 5th, the day when the first Indian literally stepped on these lands and the PPP Govt cannot bring themselves to dedicate it specifically to the Indians in Guyana. It is ARRIVAL DAY and not INDIAN ARRIVAL DAY. For His Excellency edification, one of the promises that Reepu Daman Persaud made to his followers every May 5th, is that the day he(Reepu) gets in power, he will declare May 5th, Indian Immigration Day. We know today where that and many more empty promises went.
His Excellency should also be aware that the National Cultural Centre was constructed with money belonging to the Indian Immigration Fund. Dictator Burnham wanted to show off to the World when he hosted CARIFESTA. He purloined the money of the Indian Immigrants and built that place. To add insult to injury, he put it in a place where Indians do not live and till today there is not a syllable in that building to pay tribute to the people whose money was stolen to make it. I have proposed already and am now making a direct appeal to His Excellency…please end this disrespect to the Indians in Guyana. Please ensure that
The NCC is renamed to honour the people whose money was stolen to build it. I suggest The National; Indian Heritage Cultural Centre, or The Jahaji Cultural Center, or even The Indian Memorial Cultural Center.
Make part of the building, a museum to the Indians who came here. Place suitable paintings and even statues in the foyer downstairs. Have the Indian Govt donate a suitable monument to be place in front of the building that will depict the people who came from India.
No one should dare to object to this request as this is just reclaiming and demanding what is our right as Indians in Guyana. I am praying that this High Commissioner from India will see to it that this disrespect to the Indians in Guyana be corrected.
Yours sincerely,
Nanda Sahadeo
