Dear Editor,
I am disappointed with the absence of an acknowledgment in your publication of India’s independence.
Guyana and India are important allies who share important commonalities not the least of which are freedom, ethnicity, culture, trade, and cooperation at international institutions and forums. India’s independence paved the way for Guyana’s. The method of struggle for Guyana’s freedom borrowed much from Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. Over half of Guyana’s population and her diaspora trace their roots to India. In addition, Indian culture has significant influence over Guyanese. India has maintained an Embassy in Guyana since 1966 and a cultural office before. Guyana has been a major beneficiary of India’s development, achievements, rise in global status, and largesse. Guyana conducts significant trade with India. And India has been very generous in developmental assistance, training thousands of Guyanese since 1966 for free.
Dozens of journalists spread across all four newspapers were trained in India. And India sent us hundreds of thousands of vaccines in 2021 against Covid at a time when western markets were closed to Guyana for vaccines. No country has provided more assistance to Guyana from prior to 1966 through now. Yet, apart from the Guyana Chronicle, no other newspaper has seen it fit to acknowledge India’s historic independence and to salute the emerging first world economy for her
accomplishments and her enormous contributions to our relatively young nation.
India was de-industrialized during British rule. Britain impoverished the colony transferring wealth and resources to the UK. India’s wealth helped to develop the UK while the colony experienced increasing underdevelopment. India started out at independence in 1947 as among the poorest nations in the world. Poverty, famine, underdevelopment, and high unemployment were some of the challenges. The government was able to meet all of the challenges. Today, India has become the sixth largest economy of over three trillion American dollars and on the threshold of overtaking Germany and the UK.
Measured in purchasing power parity, it is the third largest economy. Her per capita income is more than fifty times of what it was in 1947. And India has since transferred a huge amount of wealth and technology to poor countries, including Guyana and other Anglophone nations. The West has pursued alliances with India which has become the leader in a variety of areas not the least in food production (grains), education, and technology. India ought to be saluted for her achievements and her financial support to Guyana. I hope the lack of acknowledgement and commendations for India during this historic milestone is not a sign of the future.
Sincerely,
Vishnu Bisram
