AMID criticisms about the move by the APNU+AFC coalition government to have this year’s Independence Anniversary flag-raising activity held at Independence Park (Parade Ground), Minister of State Joseph Harmon made it clear that the country has several national venues that can be used at any time.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday during a post-cabinet press briefing, the minister made it clear that the D’ Urban Park venue constructed by the government last year, just in time for the country’s jubilee anniversary is not a ‘White Elephant.’ He took umbrage to the statement and made it clear that the facility is used daily by citizens.
Government spent some $1B to develop the area in which D’ Urban Park is situated. “Since the D’ Urban Park was built, I can say to you at least once per month or more, that various organisations in this country have been using the park for various activities…every afternoon, you can go there, you just walk there and take your cameras, you see people are exercising, they are using the place, you see children playing, so it is not as is portrayed in your article,” Harmon said in response to a question by the Stabroek News.
Stressing that the facility was built by the people for the people, Harmon noted that D’ Urban Park is not the only national facility available for use and said, “We have got D’ Urban Park, National Park, Public Buildings, Stadium, all of these are venues which can be utilised.”
He noted that a ‘white elephant’ represents something that was built, but has not been used. He criticised a national publication for describing D’ Urban Park as a ‘white elephant,’ noting that on the same day the article was published, there was “a massive undertaking by churches in this country (there). The Ministry of Education’s Department of Culture had announced that the flag-raising ceremony for the upcoming 51st Independence Anniversary would be held at the Stabroek Market Square however, shortly after this was made public, it was announced that Parade Ground would be used instead.
