(Address by Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Godwin Friday, at an event held by the Indian Heritage Foundation in Calder Village)
Thank you for inviting me again to take part in this important celebration. Make no mistake about it, Indian Arrival Day, including the related activities, is a national event.
Naturally, it is special for people of East Indian descent. But it is more than just a celebration for East Indians; it is for all of us. It is part of all of us. To think otherwise would be to disregard history on the one hand and, on the other, to fail or refuse to embrace fully the possibilities of the present and the future.
We are a young nation made up of all races and many cultures. This is a cause not for worry but for celebration, for now diversity means not division, but strength. Under colonialism, it was not so. During that time, our ethnic and racial differences were seen as fissures in the social structure to exploit for political gain.
They were exploited by British colonialism and wedges were deliberately driven between us to divide and conquer our people. Today, having survived that process, we must always reject it. We must now use our diversity for its more natural purpose. That is, to give us strength, vitality, and enriched beauty.
The tapestry of nation every day grows more vivid, more and more displaying all its beautiful parts and wonderful textures with increasing detail and historical accuracy. We embrace that process with confidence and accept that we must play our small part in it. Generation after generation, we must advance that project. It is our generations’ turn. So, count me in.
We understand why we are here today. We are here not only for history but also for the future. We come together to commemorate the arrival of East Indians on our shores. As lowly labourers they came, but with hopes and dreams transcending their immediate circumstances.
The hard work, intelligence and skills of the generations that followed brought those hopes and dreams to reality. Through their energy and fortitude, they worked to build a better future for themselves and their descendants. They built businesses, they established communities, and made amazing contributions to our society.
Today, the accomplishments of persons of East Indian descent and the contributions they have made to nation building are many and far-reaching. This is a day to acknowledge and honour those personal accomplishments, for collectively they have helped to build our country.
The history of the Arrival, the economic forces that drove it, and the hardships encountered by those who made the journey and those who, for one reason or another, stayed after their indentureship is becoming increasingly familiar to us, thanks to the work of historians like Dr. Fraser and Dr. Thomas and the loving dedication of members of the Indian Heritage Foundation to ensuring that the right stories are told and the significant events and contributions are acknowledged and remembered.
So, I wish once more to commend the SVG Indian Heritage Foundation for continuing to do the important work of reclaiming and rebuilding Indian culture in SVG. The future must be brighter that the past. I value greatly what you do and will in whatever way I can assist in your plans and your projects.
My friends, we must always embrace our diversity. Further, we must continue to appreciate the profound contribution of the Indian community to creating a country that promises to deliver a good quality of life for everyone living here.
We come together from different backgrounds, with different voices, and different perspectives and embrace the opportunity to build a brighter future together. We know or ought to know that bridges are vital and effective in this ongoing work of nation-building and working together with our different backgrounds we can achieve great things.
The Indian community, the Garifuna, peoples of African descent, European and middle eastern ethnic groups all contribute in important ways to the vibrant multicultural society that is now SVG.
We all share a simple precious hope: that of a better, brighter future for ourselves and our children. We can achieve it by hoping together by working together and by sharing together what we make of this country.
I am filled with hope because I see the bright possibilities in you and in the work you do, in our young people all over and in our resilient and beautiful Vincy people. In other words, all around us, there is good reason for hope. It is only for us to harness it and transform it with action. So, let’s get it done!
Our Top 5 Priorities
We are clear on our top five (5) priorities. They are to: create more and better paid jobs, build a better economy that provides opportunity for all; make our country safe again, provide healthcare you can trust and improve our roads and infrastructure.
Vincentians need a government that is defined by action not talk, and one that takes responsibility for its action. Under a New Democratic Party (NDP) government, you will see the tangible progress that we will make day by day, week by week and year by year.
Over the coming weeks, we will discuss in detail each of these priorities. Our aim is to be clear with you, the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines, as to what and how the NDP will deliver real and lasting progress on these key issues.
We have a tremendous opportunity to become a country that delivers for all our people, regardless of political affiliation and provides opportunities for young people, and allows our wonderful ambitious people to achieve their dreams here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
