PRESS RELEASE

Prakash Ramjattan has dealt a devastating and irrevocable blow to the government
which he is part of.
From all indications, Ramjattan was picked by the APNU to make this unpopular
decision to bring the AFC and its principal leaders into disrepute and to make the
AFC unpopular among Indo-Guyanese in general, the Hindu community is
particular.
Amna Ally, Minister of Social Cohesion, is either cheering Ramjattan or shedding
crocodile tears.
Her platitudinous exhortations about social cohesion has been shattered as a result
of the feral blast fired by Ramjattan unto the Hindu community.
Speaking recently at the activity at Anna Catherina last Monday. Ally said;
She hoped that one day all Guyanese will unite and that no geography, race
or border will limit the potential of a socially cohesive society.
I am hopeful that we can all unite under the banner of humanity she
declared.
Ally then went to Lethem with her social cohesion crusade stating;
The government is interested in national unity. The time has come for all
Guyanese to work to achieve national unity and togetherness.
Ramjattan blew all this to smithereens with his wooden-headed intervention and
unwise decision to de-recognise November 11 as the day for the observance of
Deepavali/Diwali.
This was clearly a political act on the part of the APNU+AFC by inserting them1

selves in the long-held religious and cultural traditions of our country.

Why now with a change of government should there be change in the date when
this particular holiday is to be observed?
It is to be noted that before the beginning of each calendar year the Minister of
Home Affairs is provided with a list of holiday dates to be observed throughout the
country for the incoming year. Long before the May 2015 elections the former
Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, had signed off on the following dates as
national holidays;
1st

New Years Day

May:

26th

Independence Day

4th

*Youman Nabi

July :

6th

Caricom Day

February:

23rd

Republic Day

August:

1st

Emancipation Day

March:

6th

Phagwah

September 24th

*Eid-ul-Adha

April:

3rd

Good Friday

November 11th

Deepavali/Diwali

6th

Easter Monday

December

1st
5th

January:

May

24th

*Youman Nabi

Labour Day

25th

Christmas Day

Arrival Day

26th

Boxing Day

January 4, September 14 and December 24 were flagged as tentative dates.

These dates are reflected in all the calendars issued in December 2014 for the year
2015 in Guyana.
Up to Eid-ul-Adha all the national holidays have been observed without division
nor disharmony in our society, save for dates for the observance of Deepavali/
Diwali which has since been contested by the APNU+AFC.
The PPP supports unequivocally the call of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha that
November 11, 2015 be the date for celebration of Deepavali/Diwali in Guyana and
demands an end to political interference in religious affairs. Further, the Party
demands the political date given as a national holiday be withdrawn forthwith and
that November 11, 2015 be declared the national holiday as agreed and reflected in
all calendars issued in the national territory of Guyana.
October 23, 2015
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