The IAC, in a statement, said it has also sent letters to General Secretary of the governing People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Mr. Donald Ramotar; Leader of the main Opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), Mr. Robert Corbin; Leader of The United Force, and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manzoor Nadir; Member of the Guyana Action Party-Working People’s Alliance (GAP-WPA), Ms. Sheila Holder; Leader of the Rise Organise and Rebuild (ROAR) movement, Mr. Ravindra Dev; and Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Hari Narayen Ramkarran, requesting their support of the IAC’s call for Indian Arrival Day to be declared a national holiday.

The IAC noted that it has written President Jagdeo a letter to this effect.

The following is the text of that letter which the IAC sent to President Jagdeo:

“May 5, 2003 will mark the 165th anniversary of the arrival of Bharatiyas (Indians) in Guyana. There is great significance attached to the date for the Indo-Guyanese community and the IAC feels strongly that the time has come for Indian Arrival Day to be declared a public holiday.

“Over the past 165 years, people originating from pre-Independence India and their descendants have brought about enduring economic, demographic and cultural changes in Guyana.

“Guyana is a pluralistic society and, thus, the need exists constantly for members of each group to learn about, understand and, in doing so, not diminish the contributions of others in the quest for national unity. It follows, therefore, that raising Indian Arrival Day to the status of a national holiday must serve to heighten the awareness of the contribution of Indians to Guyana’s rich cultural mosaic.

“The IAC encourages all Indo-Guyanese as well as recent emigrants from Bharat (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal) and other states to which Indians had emigrated (such as Trinidad and Suriname) to continue to work for the development of the nation and to work with all other Guyanese towards national unity.

“Almost three years ago, Your Excellency tasked Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Reepu Daman Persaud to establish a special committee of the National Assembly to examine the calendar of national holidays with a view of incorporating Indian Arrival Day. The IAC strongly feels that enough time has been given for this special committee to have come to a decision regarding the declaration of Indian Arrival Day as a public holiday.