"Brothers and sisters, on the 164th Anniversary of the arrival of East Indian indentured labourers to the shores of Trinidad and Tobago, the nation as a whole must reflect on the contribution of this community to the development of this country.
"Two hundred and twenty-five men, women and children made the first voyage in 1845 and over 147,000 traveled the 14,000-mile trip across the Kala Pani huddled inside wooden ships for 103 days, over the 70-year span of the Indentureship system.
"They came fleeing poverty and the social injustice bred by the discriminatory caste system, and hoping to do more than just survive but to liberate and empower the generations to come. They expected a paradise and instead found a version of hell where they were exploited, abused and deprived of their freedom and dignity.
"The success story of every Indo-Trinidadian is filled with chapters of endurance, perseverance and sacrifice. Indeed, this nation and the region would not be what it is today without the contribution of our forefathers since they were brought to the West Indies to save the economic engine of the Commonwealth – the sugar plantations.
"Throughout the region and around the world, the Indian Diaspora continues to make its contribution – in commerce, law, medicine, politics, arts, technology and every other field.
"That is why it is an injustice to treat the children of the Indentured as bastards and second class citizens, and that is why discrimination and contempt in any form must be rejected and stamped out.
"Every creed and race must be allowed an equal place. Every citizen must be treated as First Class. There must be equal access and equitable distribution of the resources of the State. No one must be made to suffer indignity.
"Brothers and sisters, the legacy of our ancestors is betrayed every time an act of humiliation, disrespect or oppression is accepted, condoned or brushed aside. Their sacrifice and toil is sent down the drain.
"Did they endure all of that for us to lie down and let others force us out of that which is rightfully ours – our place in this land?
"My advice on this occasion is that every citizen must evaluate their place in this society, recognize that every citizen is a sibling and an equal owner and partner in ensuring that this country returns to being a place where all are happy, safe and prosperous, and take a stand to ensure that this happens."
Basdeo Panday, Leader of the Opposition
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