Honor Guyana Heritage Ceremony

Senate Resolution No. 5680 BY: Senator PARKER COMMENDING Guyana Tri-State Alliance, Inc. upon the occasion of hosting its 52nd Anniversary of the Independence of Guyana Awards Ceremony "Leaders of Tomorrow" on June 15, 2018 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 commend Guyana Tri-State Alliance, Inc. upon the occasion of hosting its 52nd Anniversary of the Independence of Guyana Awards Ceremony "Leaders of Tomorrow" on Friday, June 15, 2018, at Brooklyn Borough Hall in Brooklyn, New York; and WHEREAS, In addition, the Golden Arrowhead Award of Achievement and Distinction will be presented to students and young adults, who will also be inducted into the Golden Arrowhead GTSA Honor Society; 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 52nd 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 commend Guyana Tri-State Alliance, Inc. upon the occasion of hosting the 52nd Anniversary of the Independence of Guyana Award Ceremony "Leaders of Tomorrow" on June 15, 2018; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Guyana Tri-State Alliance, Inc.