Assembly Resolution No. 537

BY: M. of A. Rajkumar

COMMEMORATING Indian Arrival Day in Guyana to be
celebrated May 5, 2023

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
pay just tribute to the cultural heritage of the ethnic groups which
comprise and contribute to the richness and diversity of the community
of the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in keeping with its
time-honored traditions, it is the intent of this Legislative Body to
commemorate Indian Arrival Day in Guyana to be celebrated May 5, 2023;
and

WHEREAS, A public holiday in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana,
Indian Arrival Day celebrates the rich history, cultural importance, and
incredible contributions of the Indo-Guyanese; and

WHEREAS, The day marks the anniversary of the arrival of the first
Indians at what was then the colony of British Guiana on May 5, 1838,
when two ships, the Whitby and the Hesperus, landed carrying 396 Indians
from Calcutta to work on the sugar plantations as indentured laborers;
and

WHEREAS, The Indian population continued to grow, with about 240,000
people coming from the Indian subcontinent to British Guiana by 1917;
and

WHEREAS, The Indian population flourished and now contributes to all
facets of life in Guyana, constituting almost 40 percent of the
population and the largest ethnic group in the country; and

WHEREAS, New York City is home to the largest Guyanese expatriate
community in the world, with a population of over 140,000, comprising
one of the largest international-born populations in the city, and
living predominantly in Queens, with a large concentration of
Indo-Guyanese residing in Richmond Hill and Ozone Park; and

WHEREAS, In addition to Guyana, numerous nations in the Americas,
Oceania, and Africa celebrate their own versions of Indian Arrival Day,
demonstrating the worldwide reverence for the outstanding contributions
of the global Indian diaspora; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is pleased to have this opportunity
to recognize such events of significance which foster ethnic pride and
exemplify the cultural diversity that represents and strengthens the
fabric of the people and the State of New York; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate Indian Arrival Day in Guyana to be celebrated May 5, 2023;
and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Consuls General of India and Guyana, and various
Indian and Guyanese organizations in the State of New York.