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THE EDITOR: I wish to set the record straight and dispel the confusion, misconception and misinformation with respect to the saga which ended in the declaration of May 30 as a public holiday to be known as Indian Arrival Day.
The relevant motion was originally filed by me in 1989 in the House of Representatives when the NAR government was in office. The following is a text of the motion:
“Whereas the first group of indentured workers from India arrived in this country on May 30, 1845;
"And whereas the above date heralded the commencement of a long period of immigration from India involving thousands of indentured workers who came to these shores;
"And whereas the vast majority of these indentured workers settled in this country and their descendants today comprise a very large and substantial portion of the population;
"And whereas the above date is of outstanding significance in the historical evolution of this country as a multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious society;
"And whereas the above date is today widely commemorated as a day of great national historical importance;
"Be it resolved that this House recommend to the Government that May 30 be declared a national public holiday to be known as Indian Arrival Day.”
When the motion was debated in the House, the contributions of members made reference to a number of subjects including the country’s history, its status as a colony, the sugar plantation system as the mainstay of the economy, the various waves of migration, the system of indenture, land tenure and settlement, the evolving society in its many dimensions including racial and cultural diversity, class distinctions, exploitative group relationships, the requirements of nationalism and patriotism, and the struggle for equality and national recognition.
The debate on the motion was not concluded and it lapsed after the end of that Parliament. It was reintroduced by me in 1992 and came up on the Order Paper of the House in October 1994. After it was again presented and the arguments for the declaration reiterated by me, a few other contributions followed. Thereafter, the then prime minister, Patrick Manning, moved the following amendment:
“Delete the resolution and substitute the following:
“And whereas it is desirable that the rationalisation of national holidays in Trinidad and Tobago be examined;
"be it resolved that the whole question of the rationalisation of public holidays be referred to a Joint Select Committee of Parliament.”
The report of the joint select committee was presented to the House in May 1995. It recommended a one-off holiday on May 30 of that year to be known as Arrival Day in oblique reference to the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the first group of indentured workers from India. The UNC Government in 1996 then added the word “Indian” to the name of the holiday and declared it to be a permanent annual event.

TREVOR SUDAMA

San Fernando
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