The University of Guyana hosted a virtual seminar on Indian Arrival on the late afternoon of May 4, 2022. The seminar included presentations or remarks of by several prominent figures : Vice Chancellor Dr Paloma Mohamed, Dr. Somdath Mohabir, Cliff Rajkumar, Dr Baytoram Ramharack, Alim Hosein, Dr Kumar Mahabir, Charmaine Bissessar, Dr. Seeta Roath, Andrew Kendal, Indian Ambassador (High Commissioner) to Guyana Dr. Srinivas, among others. Drs. Paloma and Srinivas gave welcoming remarks. Hosein and Bissessar served as co-chairs. Dr. Mahabir gave concluding remarks and moved a vote of thanks.
There were very positive remarks about the seminar. Below are a few:
“If anything we (presenters) have all shown that Indians can hold their own and be social thinkers like anyone else. As I have always said – who better to articulate our history – than us. From what I am hearing, Dr. Somdat ruffled a lot more feathers because he ran the gamut of things that needed to be fixed – army, police, curriculum, data, etc. I think we are in a better place to effectuate change today. Imagine, UG does not even offer a single course on indentureship or Indian history”. — Dr. BR
“Dear Dr. Ramharack and Dr. Mahabir,
It was a great and rare privilege for me to be on the same stage as you esteemed academics.
A lesson for me to see and experience the poise and grace of two seasoned stalwarts.
Most notable, however, was the fact that both of you had the courage and unabashed fortitude to use this forum to highlight some very alarming and concerning issues that lingers like a dark shadow over the heads of Indo-Guyanese.
The relevant issues of the huge disparities that exists in the Police Force, the Army and even in the UG staffing and student-body on account of systemic discriminations – since the Burnham era – speaks to the fractured equity and distrust that still exists between the two major races. It is really disconcerting to see the myopic thinking, on matters of practical policy, that still dominates the mindset of the current leadership base.
I do believe that if more forward-thinking people, like both of you, could show such representative bravery and publicize, at every opportunity, the societal dangers that such imbalances could trigger; we may be able to see some movement to address these systemic incongruities with a more pragmatic approach to neutralize any untoward potential outcomes. Both of you were impressively outstanding.
With appreciation!” — CR
By Dr. Vishnu Bisram
