GUYANA’S leg of the Queen’s Baton Relay garnered massive support from the Government as well as the various associations affiliated the Guyana Olympic Association and the public in general.

The Baton, which arrived in Guyana on Thursday, accompanied by vice-president of the Commonwealth Games Committee John Hosteins, Lt. General of the Indian Army Raj Kadyan, and committee members Di Henry, Subie Issacs and Captain Baldev Singh, was handed over to President Bharrat Jagdeo at 08:00 h yesterday morning at State House on Main Street by Guyana Olympic Association president K. Juman-Yassin and from there President Jagdeo, bearing the Baton, jogged to Middle Street accompanied by a number of ministers including Minister of Works Robeson Benn, Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud along with Presidential Adviser Odinga Lumumba and Attorney General Charles Ramson before handing the Baton over to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony who looked relaxed and jogged with it to the Cenotaph before passing it on to another participant.

During the relay, a number of local sporting organisations participated in the relay which will conclude today. Among the sports associations that participated in the Relay were the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association, the Guyana Karate Association, the Guyana Cycling Federation, the Guyana Football Federation and the Guyana Squash Association.

There were also a number of schools that were represented including Bishops’ High, Queen’s College, North Georgetown Secondary and Mae’s Secondary.

Apart from the schools and sports associations, political parties were also involved, including the ruling PPP/Civic, main opposition PNC/R and AFC.
After leaving State House, the Baton was passed on to other bearers including Speaker of the House, Ralph Ramkarran, who took it from Parliament Building to the Stabroek Market area where it was handed over to amateur boxing champion Stefan Gouveia.

The Queen’s Baton continued its journey yesterday, not only across the Commonwealth but also across the spectrum of society’s barriers of stratification, a journey which began with the Queen of England, the monarch of an entire nation, and made its way down through the echelons of each of its destinations to President Jagdeo, who led the local fixture of the international relay.

Kiev Chesney, a student of the University of Guyana, concluded the Georgetown leg.
The purpose behind such an event was quite evident yesterday as the atmosphere that the baton inspired as it made its way through city streets was tantamount to nothing less than invigorating.

This was more evident when the Paralympic Committee collected the baton for their stretch of the relay, as it passed among the individuals a one-legged man relinquished his crutches and began to hop as he proudly held the baton high in the air.
The Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) which is the oldest ground in Guyana was one of the historical stops that the baton made along its trek through the nation’s capital yesterday.

As the winded contingent was afforded a few minutes to visit and refresh themselves in the sports club a bit of the lore of the facility was expounded upon as the various boards and walls of fame displayed the history of cricket’s greatest achievers.

Indian High Commissioner Subit Mandal represented the host city Delhi.

Apart from the schools and sporting fraternities, non-Governmental Organisations also played their part.

The Guyana Cycling Federation after completing their leg followed the baton all the way to its final destination and the Regional Director of the Commonwealth Youth Programme, Henry Charles was among the dignitaries who came out in support.