Another hit- from Guyana: Land of Six Peoples

Rain fails to dampen ceremony for Guyana's 33rd year

by Linda Rutherford
Guyana Chronicle
May 27, 1999

COMMANDER-in-Chief President Janet Jagan takes the salute at the march-past of the Joint Services in the vicinity of the Umana Yana, Kingston on Tuesday night. The event, which took the form of a Torchlight Parade, was one item of a programme to observe the 33rd anniversary of Guyana's Independence. Other officials in picture are Director General (Ag) of the Guyana National Service, Colonel Leroy Benn; Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; and Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Major General Joe Singh. (Pictures by Mike Norville)

FIREWORKS to celebrate Guyana's 33rd anniversary of Independence are executed by the Guyana Defence Force at Fort Groyne.

THE Golden Arrowhead is raised on the stroke of midnight by GDF Second Lieutenant Kester Craig.

TOASTING the achievement of 33 years of independence are from left, Foreign Minister Mr Clement Rohee, President Janet Jagan, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Cuban Ambassador Mr Ricardo Garcia Diaz, Prime Minister Mr Samuel Hinds and Mrs Yvonne Hinds. The occasion was a cocktail reception hosted yesterday by the Prime Minister, at the Umana Yana, High Street, Kingston. (Picture by Mike Norville)

PRESIDENT Janet Jagan mingling with guests at the Independence anniversary reception yesterday at the Umana Yana. (Picture by Mike Norville)

PART of the Joint Services torchlight parade on its way to the flag-raising ceremony on Tuesday night at the Umana Yana. (Winston Oudkerk)

THE guard-of-honour at Tuesday night's flag-raising ceremony in the compound of the Umana Yana to mark the anniversary of Independence this year. (Picture by Mike Norville)

A SCENE from the cultural presentation, 'Reflections', hosted Tuesday Night by the Ministry of Culture as part of Independence celebrations this year, at the National Cultural Centre. The scene depicts a typical Hindu ceremony. (Picture by Cullen Bess Nelson)

ANOTHER scene, this time African in origin, from the cultural presentation, 'Reflections', staged at the National Cultural Centre Tuesday night in commemoration of Guyana's 33rd year of Independence. (Picture by Cullen Bess Nelson)

UNITED States Ambassador Mr James Mack (left), PNC Parliamentarian, Mrs Clarissa Riehl, and Mrs Mack exchange pleasantries at yesterday's function at the Umana Yana.(Picture by Mike Norville)

RAIN may not have washed out Tuesday night's flag-raising ceremony in commemoration of Guyana's 33 years of Independence, but it did send prominent Government ministers scurrying for shelter in the most unusual of places - under the eaves of the Umana Yana.

Unfortunately, the facility was cleaned, decorated in readiness for yesterday's cocktail reception hosted by Prime Minister Mr Samuel Hinds, and so officials were able to seek shelter from the sudden deluge which came shortly after 22:00 hrs.

But the rain did not have much effect on the Joint Services Torchlight Parade, which was still an impressive sight in spite of wet fatigues and several unlit flambeaus. The military men and women, led by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Band, marched in disciplined ranks along High Street on the last leg of their route exercise around the City.

Among Government ministers who witnessed the brief midnight flag-raising ceremony, held this year on the grounds of the Umana Yana, upper High Street, were: Finance Minister, Mr Bharrat Jagdeo; Public Service Minister, Mr George Fung-On; Agriculture Minister, Mr Reepu Daman Persaud; Culture Minister, Ms Gail Teixeira; Junior Local Government Minister, Mr Clinton Collymore; Fisheries, Crops and Livestock Minister, Mr Satyadeow Sawh; Home Affairs Minister, Mr Ronald Gajraj; and Foreign Minister, Mr Clement Rohee.

A reasonable crowd, including curious guests from the nearby Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel, also braved the rains to gather on the bits of pavement and parapet outside the Umana Yana compound to usher in another year of Independence.

At precisely 23:55 hrs, President Janet Jagan arrived and got the show on the road. She was preceded by some five minutes by Prime Minister Mr Samuel Hinds. Both were roundly heckled by some elements in the crowd from the time they arrived until they left.

The national standard, the `Golden Arrowhead' made its slow ascent to the roll of drums to the top of the flagpole where it fluttered in wild abandon at the stroke of midnight.

The young GDF officer accorded the privilege of hoisting the flag in Georgetown this year was Second Lieutenant Kester Craig.

Simultaneously at Mt Ayanganna, in the famous Pakaraimas near the Venezuela/Brazil border, the team raising the flag there, as has been the tradition since gaining Independence on May 26, 1966, comprised Captain Heyliger, Lieutenant Pieters and Second Lieutenant Glasgow.

An unusual occurrence was the rendering in harmony of the National Anthem by the all-female Joint Services Choir. Unusual too, it is said, was the all-female Guard of Honour.

The occasion came to an official close as the sky burst into a kaleidoscope of colours from the hail of fireworks set off this year from Fort Groyne.

A © page from: Guyana: Land of Six Peoples

Rain fails to dampen ceremony for Guyana's 33rd year by Linda Rutherford Guyana Chronicle May 27, 1999
	COMMANDER-in-Chief President Janet Jagan takes the salute at the march-past of the Joint Services in the vicinity of the Umana Yana, Kingston on Tuesday night. The event, which took the form of a Torchlight Parade, was one item of a programme to observe the 33rd anniversary of Guyana's Independence. Other officials in picture are Director General (Ag) of the Guyana National Service, Colonel Leroy Benn; Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; and Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Major General Joe Singh. (Pictures by Mike Norville)
FIREWORKS to celebrate Guyana's 33rd anniversary of Independence are executed by the Guyana Defence Force at Fort Groyne.	THE Golden Arrowhead is raised on the stroke of midnight by GDF Second Lieutenant Kester Craig.
	TOASTING the achievement of 33 years of independence are from left, Foreign Minister Mr Clement Rohee, President Janet Jagan, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Cuban Ambassador Mr Ricardo Garcia Diaz, Prime Minister Mr Samuel Hinds and Mrs Yvonne Hinds. The occasion was a cocktail reception hosted yesterday by the Prime Minister, at the Umana Yana, High Street, Kingston. (Picture by Mike Norville)
PRESIDENT Janet Jagan mingling with guests at the Independence anniversary reception yesterday at the Umana Yana. (Picture by Mike Norville)
PART of the Joint Services torchlight parade on its way to the flag-raising ceremony on Tuesday night at the Umana Yana. (Winston Oudkerk)	THE guard-of-honour at Tuesday night's flag-raising ceremony in the compound of the Umana Yana to mark the anniversary of Independence this year. (Picture by Mike Norville)
A SCENE from the cultural presentation, 'Reflections', hosted Tuesday Night by the Ministry of Culture as part of Independence celebrations this year, at the National Cultural Centre. The scene depicts a typical Hindu ceremony. (Picture by Cullen Bess Nelson)	ANOTHER scene, this time African in origin, from the cultural presentation, 'Reflections', staged at the National Cultural Centre Tuesday night in commemoration of Guyana's 33rd year of Independence. (Picture by Cullen Bess Nelson)
	UNITED States Ambassador Mr James Mack (left), PNC Parliamentarian, Mrs Clarissa Riehl, and Mrs Mack exchange pleasantries at yesterday's function at the Umana Yana.(Picture by Mike Norville)
RAIN may not have washed out Tuesday night's flag-raising ceremony in commemoration of Guyana's 33 years of Independence, but it did send prominent Government ministers scurrying for shelter in the most unusual of places - under the eaves of the Umana Yana. Unfortunately, the facility was cleaned, decorated in readiness for yesterday's cocktail reception hosted by Prime Minister Mr Samuel Hinds, and so officials were able to seek shelter from the sudden deluge which came shortly after 22:00 hrs. But the rain did not have much effect on the Joint Services Torchlight Parade, which was still an impressive sight in spite of wet fatigues and several unlit flambeaus. The military men and women, led by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Band, marched in disciplined ranks along High Street on the last leg of their route exercise around the City. Among Government ministers who witnessed the brief midnight flag-raising ceremony, held this year on the grounds of the Umana Yana, upper High Street, were: Finance Minister, Mr Bharrat Jagdeo; Public Service Minister, Mr George Fung-On; Agriculture Minister, Mr Reepu Daman Persaud; Culture Minister, Ms Gail Teixeira; Junior Local Government Minister, Mr Clinton Collymore; Fisheries, Crops and Livestock Minister, Mr Satyadeow Sawh; Home Affairs Minister, Mr Ronald Gajraj; and Foreign Minister, Mr Clement Rohee. A reasonable crowd, including curious guests from the nearby Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel, also braved the rains to gather on the bits of pavement and parapet outside the Umana Yana compound to usher in another year of Independence. At precisely 23:55 hrs, President Janet Jagan arrived and got the show on the road. She was preceded by some five minutes by Prime Minister Mr Samuel Hinds. Both were roundly heckled by some elements in the crowd from the time they arrived until they left. The national standard, the `Golden Arrowhead' made its slow ascent to the roll of drums to the top of the flagpole where it fluttered in wild abandon at the stroke of midnight. The young GDF officer accorded the privilege of hoisting the flag in Georgetown this year was Second Lieutenant Kester Craig. Simultaneously at Mt Ayanganna, in the famous Pakaraimas near the Venezuela/Brazil border, the team raising the flag there, as has been the tradition since gaining Independence on May 26, 1966, comprised Captain Heyliger, Lieutenant Pieters and Second Lieutenant Glasgow. An unusual occurrence was the rendering in harmony of the National Anthem by the all-female Joint Services Choir. Unusual too, it is said, was the all-female Guard of Honour. The occasion came to an official close as the sky burst into a kaleidoscope of colours from the hail of fireworks set off this year from Fort Groyne.