An overseas based organisation which seeks to increase the popularity of common interests in the international Indian community is the Indo-Caribbean Federation (ICF). Under the presidency of Guyanese Ralph Tamesh, ICF’s focus is to raise awareness of the needs of the Indo-Caribbean people residing in the U.S., while keeping their rich culture and heritage alive.
The organisation was established in 1985, and since its conception is involved in numerous projects in fulfilling its mission. It is part of many humanitarian efforts within the Guyanese community and abroad.
Speaking with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Ralph Tamesh, president of the organisation, in outlining the various humanitarian efforts, said they recently visited an orphanage in Enmore on the East Coast of Demerara where they made a donation of many goods. There are also the two main annual events of the ICF including the Indian Arrival Day celebration at Smokey Park, U.S.A., and the ICF Cricket Match (Guyana vs. Trinidad). The Indian Arrival Day celebration traditionally takes place in the month of May, and this year will be held on Sunday, May 19, 2013. The cricket match will take place late in this year.
“The Arrival Day celebration will celebrate this year’s 175 years of East Indian arrival, so the festivities will be extra special. They will include a male singing competition, female singing competition, female dancing competition, and beauty pageant. Contestants will be able to show off their talents in all of the categories and at the end of the show, winners will be announced for each categories. Along with the various categories of competition, there is a host of entertainment such as group dances, talented singers and a skit by the Nirvana Humanitarian Foundation for the crowd to enjoy,” noted Tamesh.
Tamesh has contributed significantly to keeping his Indian culture alive in the U.S. This he learnt to appreciate growing up in his homeland, Guyana. He was born in Wakenaam, but also lived in Leguan, Georgetown, Suriname and then finally migrated to the United States in 1982.
His grandfather, Ori, migrated from India to Guyana in 1889, on a ship called Forth. Tamesh was able to trace his lineage to Ori and to Ori’s father Geolal.
Tamesh attended Central High School and graduated in 1975. He worked at the Booker’s Sugar Estates as a temporary accounting clerk and was later offered a fulltime job as an accounting clerk at GuySuCo’s head office in Georgetown.
In 1980, he and his family migrated to Suriname. In 1982, with great anticipation and desires, he moved to America where he immediately began working at Aerial Machine as a machine shop operator. Under the guidance of his supervisor and then manufacturing engineer Mike Gencarelli, he quickly developed skills in manufacturing engineering and also attended La Guardia Community College during this period. His dedication led to much success in this field of work that after Mike left to venture in his own business, Tamesh was offered that position.
Tamesh was first introduced to ICF in 1989 by Ray Sundar, then the president of the organisation. Tamesh served as a committee member, but due to his enormous loyalty and dedication to the Indo-Caribbean community, was elected vice president and later treasurer.
