Lenroy Thomassaid: “I am making a humble call for a Caribbean-wide entity or project that will meet the needs of Indians in the region who are researching their roots.
“Eight Indian elders who were interviewed by our organization said that there is a need to strengthen relationships among other Indians, among regional organizations, and with India.
“They feel that there must be tangible results from these relationships. The transcript of these interviews and commentaries along with a history of the Indians of St. Vincent and the Grenadines will be published in a book later this year.
“The SVG IHF was established in 2005 with the development of its online presence where forums are an integral part.
“One of the strongest desires of members of our Foundation is for information about their roots. The Foundation has been making efforts to make more complete genealogical information available, but there are limitations.
“Technical and other resources along with the corporation of governments and other entities are required to obtain and compile this information.
“If all regional Indian organizations work together with strong support from their governments, Indian embassies and other related organizations, a One-Caribbean project or entity can make this data available to the Indian community in the Caribbean and its diaspora.”
The author, Dr. Mahabir, is an anthropologist who has published 12 books on Indo-Caribbean identity. Correspondence – Dr. Kumar Mahabir, San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean. Mobile: (868) 756-4961 E-mail: dm******@gm***.com
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