Dear Editor,
At the special forum in New Delhi for People of Indian Origin, the Indian government has responded positively to requests made by the Guyanese contingent and other PIOs. Ashok Ramsaran, a Berbician who is the Secretary General of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin, and a group of Guyanese hosted a dinner last November in New York for Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, Vayalar Ravi. They urged the Minister to consider pursuing closer relations between India and Guyana, establishing the University for PIOs, and promoting investments by Indian businessmen in Guyana. Apparently, the government of India has taken the requests seriously as both the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, an Oxford University scholar, and Minister Ravi responded positively. In New Delhi, both have promised to establish the university and to promote trade and investment that would benefit India and the countries (like Guyana) where PIOs are settled.
Speaking at the Fifth annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on Sunday, Prime Minister Singh said closer relations with the diaspora and the university are vital inputs to the critical process of enlarging the country’s developmental options. He also thanked the PIO communities around the world for their role in strengthening the economy of India as well as in their domestic countries.
He assured that the Government is examining a proposal to establish an Indian Overseas Facilitation Centre that would offer investment advisory services for investors. “This he said is being done on the understanding that an Indian entity, independent of the Government – though supported by it – could be an effective instrument to liaise with members of the India diaspora on matters related to investment”. He also said Indians are ready to provide skilled manpower to the world.
On enhancing educational opportunities for persons of Indian origin for study in India, the Prime Minister said he wanted the Indian universities to be more open to the children of overseas Indians. Referring to the proposal to establish a University for Persons of Indian Origin, announced by him last year, Dr. Singh said “the Government envisaged the proposed university as oriented to meet the needs of the overseas Indian community in the most sought after disciplines, including engineering and management. Our aspiration would be to impart quality education at the new university at par with the best universities in the world. The challenge now is to create the requisite enabling framework that will adequately meet these aspirations. We hope to do this in the coming months.”
Minister Ravi supported the Prime Minister’s initiatives. Ravi said: “there is urgent need for India to extend high quality and economical educational facilities to people of Indian origin (PIOs), Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Valayar Ravi said Sunday. Scholarships offered to needy NRI students for the purpose was not enough”.
The Guyanese group is scheduled to meet with the President, Abdul Kalam, this evening for private reception. They are also scheduled to meet with representatives of the Indian Confederation of Industry and Trade to pursue joint investment in Guyana and the Caribbean.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
