First Peoples happy for one-off holiday

The announcement was made by Rowley on Thursday night at the Divali function hosted by the People’s National Movement at Constantine Park, Macoya. He said, “we must not ignore those who claim the status of First Peoples in this country” and that “as owners of this land before we came, they ask and say to us, very humbly—as we acknowledge those who came as Hindus, Muslims (and) Christians, as we acknowledge them every year with a holiday—to put aside one day, not every year, but just one day as the day of recognition of our First Peoples”.

Back in May 2014, when the Santa Rosa First Peoples Community celebrated their 24th anniversary of recognition, Bharath-Hernandez had requested that Government grant the nation’s First Peoples a one-off public holiday on October 14. The call has been repeated a number of times since and most recently earlier this month by Bharath-Hernandez at First Peoples Heritage Week. Yesterday, he said, “we are of course very happy to get the holiday” and pointed out that they had been asking for it for “quite a few years”.

“It brings us closer to the recognition we have been seeking for so long,” he added.

Bharath-Hernandez predicted there will be official communication from Government to the First Peoples about the holiday.

He said the announcement was “welcome news” and he had received calls from within the First Peoples community, and outside as well, expressing a sense of relief that it will be finally granted.

On the date of October 14, which was the Day of Recognition as granted by the Basdeo Panday administration, Bharath-Hernandez pointed out that next year it will fall on a Saturday but he would prefer a holiday during the week.

He explained that on a Saturday or Sunday it is like a “semi-holiday” but he wanted a day where students could be fully embedded in the activity.