RELATIVES, friends and well-wishers of Litchfield resident James Barrington Layne made sure that he felt extra special on Sunday as he celebrated his 100th birthday.Talk about a milestone! During a  programme chaired by his close relative, Trade Unionist Lincoln Lewis, relatives, friends and well-wishers turned out in their numbers at the Litchfield Primary School to shower Layne with gifts and words of praise and respect.

The large gathering included Attorney General Basil Williams, Chief Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Minister of Social Protection Volda Lawrence; and his niece, Member of Parliament for Region 5, Jennifer Wade.
The celebration took place on the top floor of the Litchfield Primary School, and the guests were pleased to see the “birthday boy” climb the stairs unaided in a spritely no-nonsense manner.

There were many prayers of gratitude, as he was able to observe his 100th birthday in a healthy and lucid manner.

The speeches were many. Some of those, given by those who knew him in his younger days, provided glimpses of the past tinged with nostalgia.

Although the celebrations were over three hours long, Layne stoically acknowledged every speech, and stood up on numerous occasions to be hugged by female well-wishers and respond to firm handshakes from the men.

He credited his longevity to God’s grace, and added: “Honour your father and your mother and your days will be long on the face of this earth.”

The Guyana Chronicle joins his relatives, friends and well-wishers in extending congratulations to James Barrington Layne on achieving this rare milestone, and wishing him the best of health in his continuing years.