By Francis Quamina Farrier

THE only music played at the 48th Guyana Republic Anniversary Celebration by the Guyana Embassy in Washington, DC, on the night of Friday, February 23, 2018, were the National Anthems of Guyana and the USA. However, it was a national and patriotic night to remember.

The venue was the awesome Smithsonian Castle Commons, in the heart of Washington, DC, just off the historic National Mall, and about mid-way between the White House and Capitol Hill. In attendance were a cross-section of Guyanese and friends, including the Deputy Under Secretary for Collections and Interdisciplinary Support of the Smithsonian Institute, Dr. Scott Miller, as well as some foreign diplomats.

The Smithsonian Institute which has multiple Museums in the heart of Washington, DC, has had a long and impressive relationship with Guyana. That was established by the Guyanese Artist, Archaeologist and Novelist, the late Dr. Denis Williams.
In his address to the gathering, Guyana’s Ambassador to the United States of America and the Organisation of American States, Dr. Riyad Insanally, made mention of Guyana’s “Amazing natural wonders of rich biodiversity, nurtured and nestling in one of the Earth’s most ancient and pristine geological formations.”

That observation by the Ambassador reflected one of the highlights of the evening, which was a scholarly lecture enhanced with slides, by the Smithsonian Research Scientist, Dr. Michael J. Braun. During the past 25 years, Dr. Braun visited Guyana on 14 occasions, where he did in-depth research in many hinterland areas of Guyana, including Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine.

In a 20 minute lecture which was enhanced with slides recorded in Guyana’s Hinterland, the Smithsonian scientist told the Republic Anniversary gathering of his work in collaboration with Guyanese resident in the country’s hinterland, and the success achieved, especially with the gathering of biodata, primarily of the country’s beautiful and exotic birds. It is known that “Bird Watching” is a growing aspect of Guyana’s Tourism drive, and the country possesses one of the widest range of birds; from the cute, tiny hummingbird to the awesome, giant harpy eagle which is seen mainly in the Kanuku Mountain range in the Central Rupununi.

“I am pleased to say that in just one month’s time, Guyana will host the 24th Inter-American Tourism Congress, in Georgetown, under the theme, ‘Connecting the Americas through Sustainable Tourism’,” Ambassador Insanally informed the gathering, pointing out that, “It will be a historic occasion, as the Congress will be the first-ever for an OAS ministerial meeting to be held in Guyana.”

Attending that Tourism Congress in Guyana later this month, will be the hemisphere’s tourism ministers and other high-level authorities.
In his address, Ambassador Insanally also made mention of Guyana’s future with Oil and Gas extraction, as well as Guyana’s border controversy with Venezuela, which he referred to as, “that country’s spurious claim to our Essequibo region”.

Guyana’s 48th Republic Anniversary Reception in Washington, DC, was jointly sponsored by the Embassy of Guyana and the Smithsonian Institute, with sterling support by a number of Guyanese Corporate Citizens, including Aubrey Stephenson, AA, CEO of Federal Management Systems, who Ambassador Insanally referred to as, “A longtime friend of the Embassy and a highly regarded federal contractor.”

Other Guyanese sponsors which the Ambassador mentioned, were Roy Spooner and Vaughn Williams of DC Yellow Cabs, Patrick Weithers of Nu-Pulse Technologies and Michael Benons and Amsterdam Construction, all very successful Guyanese in Washington, DC, the Capital of the United States of America. The ambassador also had words of praise for the staffers at the Embassy, especially Deputy Chief of Mission, Lesley Dowridge-Collins.

I have to add, that the team of young people serving the drinks and snacks at the reception, by their efficiency and charm, reminded me of being at similar receptions in Guyana, where I have had the pleasure of being served by the efficient students of the Carnegie School of Home economics.