…as China commits to strengthen bilateral relations
Guyana celebrated Chinese Arrival Day on Saturday, commemorating 166 years since the arrival of Chinese to these shores.
To commemorate this event a ceremony was held at the Windsor Forest Primary School on the West Coast of Demerara. Windsor Forest was the first Chinese settlement in Guyana.
Delivering brief remarks, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo underscored the importance of the contribution of the Chinese towards national development.
During his brief remarks Ambassador Jianchun said, “social cohesion, unity is really important for us to transform Guyana’s economy and empower the people to build a sustainable community for the better life.”
The Chinese Ambassador remarked that Guyana and China have broader prospects for exchange and cooperation. He said that there is potential development by the two countries in various sectors. He explained that while Guyana is expecting oil in less than two years, it is important to have a “diversified economy”.
Ambassador Jianchun, according to the Department of Public Information (DPI), disclosed that under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Chinese Government and its people are willing to work with the Government of Guyana to develop a joint action plan.
Meanwhile, Charge d’ Affairs at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Guyana, Chen Xilai, committed his Government’s participation in the strengthening of bilateral relations with Guyana.
During the ceremony, the General Secretary of the Chinese Association, Jason Wang spoke of the contribution made by the enterprise to the school.
“We have a track record of doing work at the school and that will continue as part of our duty. In 2013, we fixed the playground by doing some landfilling and we also built the two bleachers. We have maintained the bleachers and this year we rebuilt the fence and recapped the tarmac. Next year, we plan to do more to benefit the students and teachers. Last year, we donated some sports gears among other things.”
Wang underscored that the village has a rich history for them, as the first Chinese President of this beautiful country – Arthur Chung – was from this village.
“The Association of Chinese Enterprise here in Guyana has built a new school fence and recapped the school’s tarmac at an estimated cost of G$3 million. Additionally, the organisation has donated several decorative plants to enhance the aesthetics of the school and repaired the school’s playground bleachers,” Jason Wang said.
The Monument at Windsor Forest Primary School was erected in 1986 by the Guyana-China Friendship Society to commemorate the coming of the first Chinese immigrants to Guyana on the Glentanner from Amoy in China.
They were all assigned to work on the West Coast of Demerara; 105 at Windsor Forest, 103 at Pouderoyen and 1 at Union. Nine died on the journey to Guyana. From 1853-1879, a total of 13,541 Chinese, which comprised a diverse group of persons who hailed from different regions; spoke different dialects and embraced different religious and cultural beliefs, were scattered across the counties of Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo. They were among the smallest group of indentured labourers brought to Guyana, and initially comprised only men.
Later, a small number of Chinese women were brought to serve as indentured labourers. On completion of their indentureship, many of them returned to China or emigrated to different parts of the Caribbean. Of the lot that remained, several of them became astute business operators and engaged in commercial pursuits, including becoming barbers and tradesmen.
Over the years, the strong, comprehensive programme of bilateral cooperation has resulted in Guyana benefiting from the services of the Chinese medical doctors and technicians, the donation of equipment to the health sector, the educational work of the Confucius Institute, the support given to the Bertram Collins College of the Public Service, the donation of scientific equipment to the tune of G$50 million to the Cyril Potter College of Education, infrastructural support for the expansion and renovation of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the widening of the East Coast Demerara Public Road, and the donation of vehicles and other equipment to the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force.
Chinese indentured immigrants arrived in British Guiana aboard the ship Glentanner on January 12, 1853. The first 262 were joined five days later by an additional 85 indentured immigrants who disembarked from another ship, the ‘Lord Elgin’.
