By Joe Chapman
REGION 10 (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice) last Saturday welcomed the Queen’s Baton Relay to the town of Linden as athletes, regional officials and schoolchildren graced the streets in several communities.

Some 37 stops were made outside historic sites and buildings along the route from Bamia on the Linden Highway, Mackenzie and ended at the site where the Bayroc Synthetic Track is being constructed.

It was a momentous occasion as the baton, which arrived in Guyana on Friday last from Belize, made its way to Linden the following morning at Bamia where UNICEF Deputy Representative Irfan Akhtar, in the presence of British High Commissioner Jane Miller, Assistant Director of Sport Melissa Dow-Richardson and the GOA’s Dr Karen Pilgrim and Charles Corbin, relayed the baton to Regional Chairman Deron Adams.

After receiving the baton from Adams, Mayor Waneka Arrendel made the first pass for the journey to National cycling champion Suzanne Hamilton as the trek headed to the mining town.

Among those who carried the torch were Chairman Adams, Mayor Arrendel, Member of Parliament Jermaine Figuiera, National table tennis player Ibo McNeil, National athletics coach Johnny Gravesande and former national basketball player Shanna Chester. They were accompanied by British High Commissioner Jane Miller who ran along the route; while schoolchildren and residents lined the chosen thoroughfares across the banks of Mackenzie and Wismar.

After crossing the Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge, the relay continued on Burnham Drive and the several stops included the Waterwheel at Christianburg, Blueberry Hill and the synthetic track where Chester completed the route around midday.

For over 60 years, the baton has been the forerunner to the Commonwealth Games. A message from the Monarch has been read at every game since the inaugural 1930 British Empire Games, but it was only in 1958 at Buckingham Palace that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II first placed the message into a specially-designed silver-gilt and enamel Baton for the Cardiff Games.

According to Mayor Arrendel, “today we stand at Millie’s Hide Out to begin the Guyana leg and are grateful that Linden, the talent basket of Guyana was chosen. As this baton foreshadows the Commonwealth Games, Linden, the beacon of hope for sports in Guyana, will lead the baton through.”

The mayor also paid tribute to those Linden athletes who represented Guyana, adding “I will hand this baton to Lindener Suzanne Hamilton, current female national cycling champion. But as I do, I remember some of our most dedicated athletes who could not have been with us today because they are away representing Guyana. They include Chantoba Bright, Daniel Williams, Dashana Skeete, and Compton Ceasar.

“We welcome the baton and declare that Guyana will remember where we came from and where we are now. The vision to unite as we do today with athletes in their respective fields, clubs, NGOs, CBOs, Private Sector, Government and education officials, differently able residents, and diaspora representatives, who will pass this baton until it reaches the end. This unity shared today is the unity we will sustain, and as Linden is in its 52nd year as a Town, I say, “Let’s Take It On.”

Regional Chairman Adams worked feverishly with his counterparts and made contact with all the sports associations to ensure they were on board and extended warmest congratulations on the combined performances.

“I am so happy to have been a part of the coordinating team and happy to be serving as your Regional Chairman. History was made today. I do hope that you will all continue to make us proud again and again; keep doing your great work at the various association and organisation levels. Congratulations to you all!”

Adams pointed out that he expects that coming out of this activity, that the RDC will have a better relationship with the various sports associations in Linden and Region 10.

GOA’s Charles Corbin, who was integral in the planning, gave a historical background to many of the sites and important aspects of the various communities along the route and was pleased with the general performance of the relay which he said was splendidly executed.