Fellow citizens,

On 30 May, 1845, the first Indian indentured labourers stepped off of the Fatel Razack and unto dry land at the Port of Spain harbour. Their arrival marked one of the most significant developments in our nation’s history.

179 years later, Trinidad and Tobago looks back with profound gratitude for their arrival. We have inherited not only the cultural products of music, dance, food and festivals which the indentured labourers brought with them, but also the values and principles which fortified and sustained them during times of difficulty and uncertainty.

Even as we celebrate the immeasurable impact of their contributions, we also reflect on the hardships they suffered as they navigated the realities of indentureship in a foreign land. And, as we reflect on those hardships, we marvel, pay tribute, and we are filled with gratitude for the things that allowed them not just to survive those hardships, but to thrive in spite of them. We marvel at the example of their resilience, courage, and hope in the midst of adversity. We pay tribute to the sacrifices they made to carve a life for themselves and a future for their offspring. And we are grateful for their determination to hold on to their cultural traditions and values which have enriched the beautiful mosaic that is Trinidad and Tobago.

On Indian Arrival Day 2024, what better way is there to honour our forefathers’ contributions, than to commit to ensuring that their efforts towards forging a resilient society do not go to waste? What greater tribute can we pay, than to commit to building upon the foundation that they created and do our part in strengthening the nation for which they gave their blood, their sweat and their tears?

Indian Arrival Day provides us with the opportunity to express our appreciation for the work of nation-building undertaken by our forefathers, and it is important that we do so. But it is equally important that we do our part to strengthen and deepen the bonds that sustain us as a nation, and that we forge a common path forward, so that the invaluable work done by our ancestors is not in vain.

This Indian Arrival Day, let us therefore band together, as did the indentured labourers – both on the perilous journey across the kali pani, and thereafter, in facing the challenges and adversities of life in a new land – and recommit to working together to overcome the adversities and challenges of modern-day life. Let us resist and reject the division and strife which sometimes afflict other nations, and which, if allowed to fester here, will only ultimately weaken us and diminish the impact of the sacrifices made by our forebears.

Our strength as a nation lies in the unity that we enjoy in the midst of our beautiful diversity. It is that unique and priceless marriage of contrasts that makes us Trinidad and Tobago. Let us honour our Indian ancestors, and our country, by committing never to put asunder, that which they gave their lives to bring together.

I wish the national community a joyous and peaceful Indian Arrival Day.