DESCRIBING his visit to Bartica, Region 7, as a ‘homecoming’, President David Granger on Sunday joined the congregation of the St. John the Baptist Church as they celebrated their 172nd anniversary.With Sunday being Father’s Day as well, the Head of State took the time to wish all dads a Happy Father’s Day as he called on them to be better fathers.

“I must thank you all for welcoming me back. As you know my social life, my education life, my cultural life all started right here in Bartica 70 years ago. So this is homecoming for me because this is where it all started,” the President said.

President Granger also used the forum to thank the residents of Bartica and the wider Cuyuni/Mazaruni Region for their overwhelming support throughout the elections campaign and the recently concluded May 11 General and Regional Elections.

“I’ve come here to thank you for your participation in a free, open and democratic process and today, people from Bartica can say somebody from Bartica has become President of Guyana,” he said.

Meanwhile, the service was well attended by many who came from neighbouring communities for the auspicious event.

Tributes were done, in the form of speeches, songs and prayers, even as some members took the time to wish the Head of State whom they described as the “Father of the Nation” Happy Father’s Day.

Congratulations were also in order for the Head of State by members of the congregation as they wished him well in taking the country forward. The service was officiated by Reverend Alfred David.

The St John the Baptist Church had been built after a visit from the Bishop of Barbados in 1836, which was consecrated by the Bishop of Guiana in 1843.
During the mid-19th century, a monument was erected on the avenue leading to the church, in memory of a Reverend Pierce and his family who all died on the rapids of the Essequibo. (GINA)