The programme included classical Indian songs and dances, a display of Indian garments, a float parade and a session of Tabla drumming.

Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr. Prakash Joshi noted that since their arrival from India to these shores 164 years ago, Indians have contributed significantly to the prosperity of this country.

He complimented the Indians of this country for the tremendous achievements made by them and their forefathers over the long years of hard work and struggle.

Joshi also urged the “forging of brotherhood (Jihaji) and unity among our people” saying “the spirit of unity and brotherhood” should be the message for this and other generations to come.

Chairman of the Indian Commemoration Trust Foundation in Guyana, Mr. Yesu Persaud, said May 5 is “a very significant day in the history of the Guyanese calendar for it was on this day, 164 years ago, that our fore-parents came to this country”.

“They came as lowly indentured workers but they were able because of their dedication, determination, perseverance and their ability, to transcend all obstacles…and today we owe them a great deal,” Persaud said.

According to him, “We’re not only celebrating but we are commemorating this great event.”

“We have enriched this land in no uncertain ways - in so many ways we have contributed immensely to the development of Guyana,” he said.

“And yes, Guyana has come a long, long way because of the hard work of all you good people; your ancestors have contributed in such a way that today Guyana is a better place to live in than when they came here 164 years ago,” Persaud asserted.

He told the large gathering: “Let us not forget that we are living in a multi-cultural, multi-racial society, and we have to live with all the other peoples of this land; and we have contributed to this society which is like a rich tapestry that is made up of many, many colours…”

“…if you put it together, you have a significant bit of tapestry - like all the flowers blooming in the garden and emitting the best of fragrances. We have added to the fragrance and our fragrance is very sweet.”

“I ask all of you to dedicate yourself to the uplift of your people and also to the whole of Guyana,” Persaud urged.

He also noted that one of the ways to move out of the poverty trap is through education. And in this regard, he pleaded with persons to try to educate their children irrespective of what happens.

President Bharrat Jagdeo, in his brief address yesterday and, as he did the previous afternoon at another Indian celebration activity, endorsed the timely message of `Jihaji’ (brotherhood) in his repeated call for national unity and brotherhood to move this country forward.

Admitting to the large gathering at the Joe Vieira Park how very pleased he was to have attended the Indian anniversary celebrations, the Guyanese Head of State said: “There is a difficult road for us to travel together. The challenges and difficulties would be many. But if we stick together as one people of this country, where all the races work together and we avoid petty divisions along religious and racial lines then our country will do well in this new environment.”

The President also urged persons to beware of some religious leaders who try to “break a bond that was forged such a long time ago; a bond that we sometimes refer to as Jihaji…”

According to Mr. Jagdeo, “that bond which was forged on the ships when Indian immigrants came here where religion didn’t matter - whether you were Muslims or Hindus - or which caste did not matter; what was important is that they all came together with common problems and sharing a common history.”

“We must make sure that those bonds remain very strong and we must make sure that we should be proud to be people of Indian descent, who have a right to this country too,” he said.

“(Indians) have a right like any other race, but we must make sure that that right doesn’t lead us to feel that we have a right more than any others; we all have an equal place in this land and we have to continue the struggle of our forefathers because the battle has not been won,” the President said.

Referring to the Indian ancestors, President Jagdeo said: “We are here to celebrate their lives and sacrifices (and) we are also here to celebrate the progress that the ancestors of those people who came here under difficult circumstances, made.”

Recalling the struggles in the past for certain basic human rights and for development; President Jagdeo advised the gathering, “Now that we have won so many rights and we have seen so many things move forward in our country, today we have to make sure that we preserve those rights.”

“We should all be proud of our ancestry. We have a very good ancestry. But at the same time, we have to understand that this country belongs to us and that it is to this country that we all have full loyalty,” he added.

“We have many races here and we have to learn to live together; we have to learn to live together among ourselves because only in that way would this country progress,” Mr. Jagdeo said.

Also present at yesterday’s anniversary celebrations were Prime Minister Sam Hinds; Attorney General, Mr. Doodnauth Singh; and President of the Indian Cultural and Social Organisation, Mr. Angad Rupee.