Assembly Resolution No. 513

BY: M. of A. Weprin

COMMEMORATING the 51st Anniversary of the
Independence of Guyana

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
pay just tribute to the cultural heritage of the ethnic groups which
comprise and contribute to the richness and diversity of the community
of the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 51st Anniversary of the Independence of Guyana; and

WHEREAS, The people of this great State, Nation and Guyana enjoy a
deep and abiding relationship rooted in kinship and culture; and

WHEREAS, Independence Day is a significant public holiday in Guyana;
it is celebrated on May 26th every year and it is the day when the
country attained its independence in 1966, when British Dominion over
Guyana ended; and

WHEREAS, Guyana, officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a
sovereign state on the Caribbean coast of South America; although Guyana
is part of the Anglophone Caribbean, it is one of the few Caribbean
countries that are part of South America; and

WHEREAS, The European voyagers discovered Guyana in 1498; as a
result, the history of the country dates back to over 500 years; its
history is interrupted by combats wrestled and triumphed, through
properties lost and recovered since the French, Spanish, Dutch and
British settlers battled for hundreds of years to occupy this territory;
and

WHEREAS, The British Empire ultimately was able to take control of
Guyana in 1814; the country attained its well-deserved independence from
the British rulers on May 26, 1966; and

WHEREAS, In gaining her independence, Guyana today is a nation of
800,000 people that is the only English-speaking nation in South
America; its citizens trace their roots across the Caribbean and India;
and

WHEREAS, Historically, the region known as Guiana or Guyana
comprised the large shield landmass north of the Amazon River and east
of the Orinoco River known as the Land of Many Waters; and

WHEREAS, More than 80% of Guyana is still covered by forests,
ranging from dry evergreen and seasonal forests to montane and lowland
evergreen rainforests; these forests are home to more than a thousand
species of trees; and

WHEREAS, Guyana's tropical climate, unique geology, and relatively
pristine ecosystems support extensive areas of species-rich rainforests
and natural habitats with high levels of endemism; approximately 8,000

species of plants occur in Guyana, half of which are found nowhere else;
and

WHEREAS, Guyana has one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the
world, and with 1,168 vertebrate species and 814 bird species, boasts
one of the richest mammalian fauna assemblages of any comparably sized
area in the world; and

WHEREAS, The Guyana Shield region is little known and extremely rich
biologically; unlike other areas of South America, over 70% of the
natural habitat remains pristine; and

WHEREAS, Some notable landmarks to be found in Guyana include:
Kaieteur Falls, the world's largest single-drop waterfall by volume, and
St. George's Anglican Cathedral, one of the tallest wooden church
structures in the world and the second tallest wooden house of worship
after the Today Temple in Japan; and

WHEREAS, Currently, approximately 140,000 Guyanese immigrants live
in New York City, making them the fifth-largest foreign-born population
in the city; and

WHEREAS, Many Afro-Guyanese immigrants have settled among other
Afro-Caribbean immigrants in places like Canarsie and Flatbush in
Brooklyn; Guyanese of South Asian descent are concentrated in large
numbers in Richmond Hill and neighboring Ozone Park; and

WHEREAS, The 51st Anniversary of Guyana's Independence provides an
opportunity to recognize the significance of their contributions to the
quality and character of life, and, through events and activities, for
all people to gain a greater appreciation of Guyanese history and
traditions, and of the role Guyanese have played, and will continue to
play, in our society; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is pleased to have this opportunity
to recognize such events of significance which foster ethnic pride and
exemplify the cultural diversity that represents and strengthens the
fabric of the people and the State of New York; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 51st Anniversary of the Independence of Guyana.