LAST August Monday, (August 4th 2014) Guyanese from across the ‘GUYASPORA’ gathered at the Wood-bridge Fair Grounds, in the Toronto area, to participate in the annual Last Lap Lime, organised by Toronto alumni associations of our leading city schools of Queens, Bishops, Saints, St Roses and St Josephs.They came mainly from Canada, the US, the UK and the Caribbean and were well treated to essential things of Guyanese heritage, from the tongue-biting cuisine, the art and crafts, our popular and folk music, the traditional dances, tales, jokes, and some of our agricultural and industrial products.
In the gathering I met or overheard conversations among the Who’s Who of the GUYASPORA. I was particularly drawn to a GT Chinese fellow, getting down on a full plate of cook-up, topped with black-pudding. Long after he cleaned up the rice, I noticed how he laboured on the black-pudding skin. In between his chewing, his mouth was flying with the other bannas. Later I passed him still chewing. I thought that maybe the runners up here are a bit tough or that he was simply having some chewing gum-like fun with the skin.
At one point during the festivities some heavy downpours tried to spoil the fun; but all they did was created some soggy conditions around the grounds, in which so many seemed so comfortable.
I ran into a Jamaican friend. She said that she does not miss a Last Lap Lime. She pointed out that the Jamaican summer festivals might have larger crowds but that the Last Lap Lime is well organised, well planned and executed. “Big up to the GT folks,” she said. Like her I find the Lime to be usually good and enjoyable. And I would be back next year, God spare life. Thanks.

WAYNE JONES,
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada