TORONTO, Canada — Intermittent showers failed to dampen the spirit of the hundreds who turned out to witness last Sunday’s Guyana Festival, held to commemorate the country’s 49th Independence anniversary celebrations here.

Organised by the Guyana Consulate and members of the Guyana Festival Committee, the two-day festival featured a trade exposition, cultural show, soccer and softball cricket, with the latter two being the main attractions.
On hand to witness most of the activities and Sunday’s culmination were outgoing High Commissioner to Ottawa, Harry Narine Nawbatt and Consular General to Toronto Sattie Sawh.

At Saturday’s opening of the softball tournament, which featured four teams, two under the umbrella of the Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL) and one each from the Canadian Softball Cricket Association (CSCA) and the Canadian Round Arm League, the High Commissioner urged the players and officials to disregard who is in power in Guyana but instead to look at the event as a national one.
He also told them to use this year’s festival as a prelude to next year’s proposed big 50th anniversary celebrations. Nawbatt also declared the proceedings open.
Saturday’s games saw both OSCL sides boot out their counterparts from the CSCA and the Round Arm League in 10-over affairs, setting the stage for Sunday’s final.
The organisers were forced to play the final in consistent drizzles and at times heavy rain which never ceased. In the end, Kaieteur, under the management of Vish Jadunauth upstaged favourites Jaguars whose manager was OSCL vice-president Terry Mathura.
Set 67 for victory in their allotted 10 overs, Kaieteur reached their target with four deliveries to spare, with an astonishing 36 extras, 27 being wides. Skipper Vish Persaud was the only player to reach double figures (14) before he went via run-out.
Saturday’s contests were highlighted by a blistering undefeated 64 by Kaieteur’s Mahase Richard which earned his team an easy victory and also the Most Valuable Player award. The other MVPs were Mark Moosai and Oriin O’Neil of Jaguars and Avinash Sukhdeo of Kaieteur.
At Sunday’s presentation, OSCL president Albert Ramcharran announced that all the participating players will receive prizes at the association’s annual awards ceremony, set to be held at the end of the season. The winning team and MVPs collected trophies on Sunday.
Ramcharran praised the players for braving the inclement weather and the organisers for ensuring the success of the tournament.
Two players, Shiv Persaud and former Guyana fast bowler Trevon Garraway of Kaieteur and Jaguars respectively, won return trips to Guyana, compliments of Caribbean Airlines which also sponsored the tops for all four participating teams.
Another lucky participant at Sunday’s show was Hemraj Heralall who will also travel to and from Guyana at the expense of Caribbean Airlines while softball player Fazil Rasool won a weekend stay at Guyana’s Marriott Hotel.
In the football tournament, which was once again organised by Mark Fanfair, Ghetto Youth United (GYU) edged GT Allstars 4-3 in a cliffhanger with Randy Washington emerging as the Most Valuable Player.
Guyana’s High Commissioner to Ottawa, Nawbatt, was also on hand to kick off the game at Mother Teresa School in Scarborough.
Jamaican-born Weston Wellington, who has been playing for the GT Vets for more than 25 years and is currently the treasurer of the GT Veterans Soccer Club and has made a major contribution to Guyana soccer and the community over the years, gained a free ticket to Guyana, also from Caribbean Airlines.
Meanwhile, Consul General Sawh disclosed that plans are in train to host the Guyana Pan Am Games contingent prior to the commencement of next month’s games in Toronto. She, however, pointed out that the date for the function is still in limbo but it’s likely to be July 9.

By Frederick Halley

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