Do the right thing!

Apr 24, 2026 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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(Kaieteur News) – For years, we have called May 5, “Arrival Day.”  It is a name that sounds inclusive but, in reality, obscures more than it reveals. It is time to end the confusion and call the day what it was always intended to be: Indian Arrival Day.

In 2003, during the tenure of the PPPC administration, a resolution was passed in the National Assembly which stated: “That this National Assembly approves of the establishment of a Special Select Committee to review the public holidays appointed by the Public Holidays Act, Chapter 19:07, with a view to including as public holidays, the following days, namely – Independence Day, that is to say, the 26’s May, or, if that day is a Sunday, the following day, and Arrival Day, that is to say, the 5^th May, or, if that day is a Sunday, the following day.”

At first glance, this appears neutral. But context matters. The resolution was introduced in the 165th anniversary year of the arrival of East Indians to British Guiana. That timing was not accidental. It reflected a long-standing demand, stretching back decades, for recognition of Indian Arrival as a defining national moment.

The Special Select Committee’s own findings remove any lingering doubt about intent. In considering May 5, the Committee noted: “the call to designate 5^th May as a National Holiday was made over 40 years ago with increased support over time; Indians constitute the majority of the population of Guyana; they have made significant contribution towards the development of Guyana; while there were different assessments as to the nature of or meaning of Indian Arrival all respondents accepted its landmark status as a seminal event that had permanent consequences for all Guyana.”

This is not the language of a generic, catch-all “arrival.” It is clearly, unmistakably about Indian Arrival. The Committee did not frame May 5 as a day to commemorate the Portuguese or Chinese arrivals. The focus, in this instance, was on the arrival of East Indians as indentured immigrants and the profound transformation that followed.

Yet, despite this clarity, the PPPC administration chose a softer, less precise label. Instead of affirming Indian Arrival Day directly, it adopted the broader term “Arrival Day,” and over time has promoted the idea that May 5, commemorates the arrivals of Indians, Portuguese, and Chinese alike. This is not historical accuracy; it is political hesitation.

There is nothing wrong with recognizing the contributions of all groups who came to these shores. Guyana is richer because of the Portuguese, the Chinese, the Africans, the Europeans, and others who helped to shape this society. But recognition must be honest. Each story deserves its own space, not a blurred merging that diminishes specific histories.

A more sensible path was later demonstrated during the Presidency of David Granger. This is a man who deserves far more credit than he is given. While retaining the label “Arrival Day,” separate observances were designated—May 3 for Portuguese Arrival and January 12 for Chinese Arrival. Granger did not designate these as national holidays – that would have overburdened the public holidays list – but they acknowledge distinct historical moments. Importantly, May 5 has continued, in practice, to focus heavily on Indian Arrival. That reality itself is an admission that the day already functions as Indian Arrival Day, even if the name refuses to say so plainly.

So why maintain the fiction?

Calling May 5 “Arrival Day” does not create unity; it creates confusion. It suggests a shared event that never actually occurred on that date. The Portuguese did not arrive on May 5. The Chinese did not arrive on May 5. To bundle all arrivals into a single label tied to one specific date is historically inaccurate and intellectually unsatisfactory.

More importantly, it does a disservice to the descendants of Indian indentured labourers whose arrival on May 5, 1838, marked a turning point in Guyana’s development. Their story of displacement, hardship, resilience, and eventual contribution is not a generic narrative. It is a specific chapter in our national history, one that deserves to be named without hesitation.

There is no shame in clarity. Recognizing Indian Arrival Day does not exclude others; it simply tells the truth. Other groups can and should continue to observe their own arrival days, as has already been established. In fact, such an approach strengthens national unity by respecting each community’s history rather than forcing them into an artificial sameness.

It is therefore time to end the charade. Let May 5 become officially what it was always intended to be: Indian Arrival Day, a national holiday. Let May 3 remain Portuguese Arrival Day, and January 12 Chinese Arrival Day, observed with dignity but not necessarily as public holidays.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper

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• Arrival Day, Peeping Tom, PPPC, Public Holidays

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