East Indians have a proud history of endurance-AFC

afc-keyGeorgetown: The Alliance For Change pays tribute to the East Indian people of Guyana. “Yours is a proud history of endurance, determination and diligence.”

According to a press release by the party, “Our Indian Ancestors who first came to Guyana aboard the Whitby and Hesperus decided to make Guyana their permanent home, would have encountered many hardships.”

History has shown that their lives were far from easy. But, they were not a people afraid of challenges and hard work. The very fact that they were willing to leave the land of their birth to travel to a distant place speaks of their courage.

Over the years, their descendants have demonstrated similar courage venturing into industry and commerce, politics, the arts and sciences and every sphere of endeavour. Today, the descendants of those first East Indians to Guyana have reached the pinnacle of Guyanese society.

The contributions of East Indians to Guyana are invaluable; be it in the sugar plantations, factories, as nurses and doctors in our hospitals, as educators in our classrooms, politicians, in our courtrooms or as service providers in the private sector.

Today, Guyanese of East Indian heritage are so interwoven into the fabric of what is Guyana, they are part and parcel of our heritage, our culture, and together with our other peoples, give definition to what is Guyana.

As we celebrate 175 years since the first arrival of East Indians to these shores, we do so with a sense of pride, humility and unity.