– President says at kite-distribution exercise in Berbice

PRESIDENT David Granger took his kite-distribution exercise to Corriverton and Rose Hall, Region Six; and Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, where hundreds of children came out to meet and interact with him and receives kites.

The Head-of-State was accompanied by Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally, who has been instrumental in organising the countrywide exercise that commenced last week in Orealla.

At all three locations, the President took the message of social cohesion and togetherness, which national festivals such as Easter help to foster in the Guyanese society.

“Today’s activity is part of a national festival. It doesn’t matter if you are Hindu or Muslim or Christian… In Guyana we celebrate each other’s festivals. What is happening in Guyana is that all of the religions are coming together to celebrate these ceremonies and festivals as national events. We take time off to celebrate and to recognise that we are all Guyanese, and to show each other that we are brothers and sisters and there are more things that unite us than divide us,” the President said.

Similarly, he said that the celebration of national festivals also cuts across the political divide. He told the gathering at Bath Settlement that “I don’t care where you are from, I don’t care which party you belong to, it is my duty to serve as President for all of Guyana…. Festivals like this have a way of bringing us all together,” he said.

The children were excited to receive their kites. For little Miss Tishanna Blair from West Berbice, there’s a competition between her and her cousins to see whose kite will soar higher on Easter day. She said that she is very glad that the President brought the kites in time for the big day.

Today, Guyana will join the rest of the world in the celebration of Easter, which marks the resurrection of Christ.

However, in true Guyanese fashion, the celebration will continue on Monday, popularly known in Guyana as ‘Easter Monday’, when Guyanese from all walks of life will line the seawalls and congregate at parks and other open-air spaces to take part in that unique Guyanese Easter tradition, kite-flying.  (Ministry of the Presidency)