East Indian

Contributors, Credits and Special Thanks

Chevon Lim

Dowarka Persaud

Guyana Chronicle

Guyana Tourism Authority

Indian Commemoration Trust

L’Evate Studio

Printed by Guyana Chronicle in Association with L’Evate Studio

DR CHEDDI JAGAN

Cheddi Berret Jagan (22 March 1918 – 6 March 1997) was a Guyanese politician and dentist who was first elected Chief Minister in 1953 and later Premier of British Guiana from 1961 to 1964. Considered the ‘ father of the Nation” he later served as President of Guyana from 1992 to his death in 1997 .

Mrs Janet Jagan

Janet Rosenberg Jagan OE (née Rosenberg; 20 October 1920 – 28 March 2009) was an American-born Guyanese politician who served as the President of Guyana, serving from December 19, 1997, to August 11, 1999. She was the first female president of Guyana.

Presidents of Guyana East Indian

His Excellency, President Dr Irfaan Ali

His Excellency, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, was sworn in as Guyana’s Ninth Executive President on August 2, 2020. Dr Ali is the holder of a Doctorate in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of the West Indies, a Master of Arts Degree in Manpower Planning, a Post Graduate Diploma in International Business, a Post- Graduate Certificate in Finance from Anglia Ruskin University, an LLM Degree in International Commercial Law at the University of Salford and a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Hons.) in Business Management from the University of Sunderland. He previously served as Project Manager of the Caribbean Development Bank’s Project Implementation Unit in the Ministry of Finance and Senior Planner in the State Planning Secretariat. He became a member of the National Assembly of Guyana in 2006 and was subsequently appointed to the portfolios of Minister of Housing and Water and Minister of Tourism Industry and Commerce.

Donald Ramotar became a member of the People’s Progressive Party in 1967 and gradually rose through its ranks. He was elected to the PPP Central Committee in 1979 and joined the Executive Committee in 1983. Ramotar acquired a welding certificate from the Government Technical Institute and was the International Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural Workers’ Union from 1988 to 1993.

Dr Bharrat Jagdeo

Dr Bharrat Jagdeo was born on January 23, 1963 in the quiet village of Unity, Mahaica, Region Four. Prior to his appointment as Vice President in the administration of President Dr. Irfaan Ali, Mr. Jagdeo held the office of the Minister of Finance before being elected to serve as the President of Guyana from August 11, 1999 to December 3, 2011. He was the first Head of State to relinquish office in accordance with the two term limits he signed into law during his presidency. Vice President Jagdeo currently serves as the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party.

Donald Ramotar

Driven by Passion: The Culinary Journey of Chef Devan Rajkumar

Guyanese-Canadian Chef Devan Rajkumar, affectionately known as Chef Dev, is a culinary maverick with a relentless drive to push the boundaries of flavor and tradition. His culinary exploration knows no bounds as he endeavors to craft dishes that reimagine the essence of East and West Indian cuisines while embracing modern culinary techniques.

“Passion is what fuels my culinary journey,” Chef Dev shares. “It’s not just about cooking; it’s about creating experiences that resonate with people.”

Whether it’s his role as the food expert on Cityline, his globetrotting adventures to expand his culinary repertoire, his appearances as a judge on Food Network Canada’s Fire Masters, his collaboration with renowned caterers like The Food Dudes, or his hosting

by his passion for food.

“I believe in pushing the boundaries,” Chef Dev explains. “I’m constantly seeking new flavors, techniques, and experiences to elevate my craft.”

For Chef Dev, food has always been more than sustenance; it’s a medium for connection, nourishment, excitement, and cultural representation.

His journey with food began in his childhood, trailing behind his mother and grandmother in the temple, his kurtas adorned with daal stains.

Reflecting on his culinary journey, Chef Dev shares, “The sights, the sounds, the aromatics. The excitement of the kitchen has just always appealed to me.

Food moves me in a certain way. I want to nurture and nourish. I’ve just always wanted to do for others.”

to the influence his early experiences had on his career path.

“My love for cooking started with my grandmother who was from Mahaica as well. And I started cooking with her on the floor of her apartment where she would take two stones, rub them together and produce coconut choka, which is really what started my love for food. From there simple things like tennis rolls, cheese and pepper sauce, and then she would make for me. I couldn’t cook at that time as a kid, but she would make me different things. Like hassar curry, gilbaka curry, chicken, curry, and roti and all these beautiful delicacies that I love so much these days. But my love for cooking really started with her. And then as I grew older, I learned

and grandmothe me through cooking and it really took off from there when I decided to go to culinary school …”

The path to culinary success wasn’t always straightforward for Chef Dev. Despite his passion, he initially pursued various academic paths before succumbing to his true calling in culinary arts.

Chef Dev’s culinary prowess extends beyond his mastery of Indo-Caribbean flavors; it embraces his South Asian heritage as well. His upbringing in a culturally rich environment exposed him to a fusion of Guyanese and East Indian cuisines, laying the foundation for his culinary identity.

Guyana holds a special place in Chef Dev’s heart, with its vibrant culture and flavors serving as a constant source of inspiration. His recent endeavors in Pakistan, including hosting the “Mad Love Pop-Up,” just a chef, but as an Indo Guyanese Canadian chef.

“Guyana is hugely impactful for me,” he shared, having visited his parents’ homeland frequently. “As soon as that door opens [at the airport], you smell Guyana. You smell the sugarcane burning from rum factories. I have all these wonderful sights, sounds, smells and flavors from those trips.” His sentiments for India are

Chef Dev’s culinary journey exemplifies the

transformative power of passion, authenticity, and perseverance. Through his dedication to his craft and his unwavering commitment to cultural representation, Chef Dev continues to leave an indelible mark on the culinary world. His cookbook - Mad Love, Big Flavors Made to Share, from South Asia to the West Indies–A Cookbook, contains more than 100 inventive recipes that reimagine traditional East and West Indian dishes and challenge you to expand your palate, Mad Love celebrates bringing people and cultures together with cooking that comes from the heart

Guyanese-Canadian Chef Devan Rajkumar

Rooster's Grill provides a wide variety of delicious meals such as fried rice, chowmein, chicken, prawns at affordable prices! Delight in every bite! check us out at Giftland Mall, first floor

A New Frontier: ‘Legacy of the Gladstone Coolies’

Dev Seitaram

Indian Investment Flourishing in Guyana’s Booming Economy

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd. emphasised the government’s firm commitment to fostering private sector development through policy initiatives frameworks designed to attract investment.

He highlighted the

creation of a conducive business environment over the past three years as a testament to this commitment.

Minister Todd’s remarks came during the inaugural Cocktail Event of the India- Guyana Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) held in Georgetown. The

event celebrated the growing partnerships and progress between the two countries since the Chamber’s establishment in April 2023.

Lauding the IGCC’s role, Minister Todd encouraged the Chamber to become a driving force in Guyana’s business landscape. He

urged members to actively participate, build strategic alliances, and contribute to the organisation’s success, emphasising that a strong private sector hinges on effective collaboration.

“The sky is the limit. Get involved. Be part and parcel of this organistion . Engage, build partnerships, strategic

alliances. Make it work because if we can make it work as policymakers, the task is now yours,” he charged.

Underscoring the strong business ties between Guyana and India , Chief Investment Officer at GoInvest, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop, revealed that over 45 Indian companies currently operate within the Guyanese economy. He attributed this growth to the government’s policy frameworks, and active engagement with Indian businesses.

Dr. Ramsaroop cited examples of successful partnerships, including Texila

University’s proposal to expand its educational offerings in Guyana and an Indian mining company actively contributing to the country’s infrastructure

development. The First Secretary at the High Commission of Guyana, Manoj Kumar, highlighted the existing partnerships, but also identified room for further growth in trade, which currently stands at $6 million annually. He emphasised the need for concerted efforts from both sideso expand trade opportunities.

The IGCC’s cocktail event witnessed the pesentation of certificates and membership badges o member companies . This thriving Chamber, lead by President Ramnaresh Sarwan and First Vice President Kalamazad Ibrahim, serves as a key platform for fostering trade, investment, and cultural ties between Guyana and India.

https://dpi.gov.gy/ guyanese-diaspora-digest61st-edition/

Guyana Launches World- Class Oil and Gas Training Facility

As experiencesGuyana rapid growth in its oil and gas sector, the government is taking action to ensure Guyanese citizens benefit from the boom. A key part of this strategy is the development of a skilled workforce, and recently, a significant step was taken with the commissioning of a $13 million oil and gas Facility Simulator (Factor) at Port Mourant.

This first-of-its-kind facility in the region is part of the wider Guyana Technical Training College Inc (GTTCI), a collaboration between thegovernment and Block

Stabroek Coventurers (ExxonMobil Guyana, Hess Corporation, and CNOOC). The FacTor provides practical training on simulated FPSO equipment , enabling trainees to prepare for realworld scenarios.

President Ali at the launch noted that the project reflects the government’commitment empowering its people and building a skilled workforce. “We want to create world-class C facilities that will not a only train and equip our human resources with the skill set butalso give them

world- class certification that they will get anywhere else inthe world. That is critical...When these young men and women leave this facility they can be hired anywhere in the world,” the President affirmed.

“We are making investments… these that tell you about our philosophy in which our government believes in the people, believes in empowering people, believes in building capacity,” he added.

The FacTor training site consists of classrooms, workshops and the FacTor module. It is a fully functional plant that

mirrors the operations of the real offshore platform, designed to accommodate at any one time, a cohort of 24 trainees, across four disciplines - mechanical instrumentation, electrical, and production.The first batch of trainees are already reaping the benefits of this hands-on learning experience.

Shannon Tungcap, a mechanical technician trainee, envisions a future where Guyanese dominate the industry. “I see myself moving up the chain of command within the oil and gas sector, to a position where Í can advise and train other persons in similar ways,” he said.

Arantra English, an electrical technician trainee, emphasised the facility’s contribution to local content development and its role in inspiring young girls to pursue careers in oil and gas. “This is important because it means we have our facility in Guyana, instead of having to depend

on other places, and we can expand within our country.

As a female within this industry, it is important for me to be a role model for younger girls who would like to join the industry, and to help them develop their skills within the industry,” she said. Priya Singh, another trainee, highlights opportunities offered by the facility. “It is of extreme significance to the Guyanese people provides them with the opportunity to be trained in various trades. If they have a passion for the engineering field especially, I would say this is the right path to go on,” Singh said Joshua Gouveia expressed his gratitude for the investment in worldclass bringing training to Guyana. “As a young Guyanese, this is an amazing feeling, especially to be the first batch here. it is something that words cannot express enough. It should be appreciated by Guyanese because it is

great to have young people being trained within the sector,” he emphasised. These young voices represent the future workforce, empowered by the FacTor to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development.

Regional Chairman David Armagon applauded the facility’s location in Berbice, recognising the revitalisation of the Region and the immense training opportunities it presents. He encouraged young people to seizethese opportunities, emphasizing the importance of preparing for the future .

“We have to prepare our people for the next ten, fifteen years. Now this kind of skills development here …we have many opportunities for training for young people to get ahead in this country,” he said.