GUYANA is known, among other things, for its rich cultural diversity. Several attempts in the past to divide us politically and ethnically as a nation have failed. It is no exaggeration to say that despite our ethnic and cultural diversity, we are by and large a peaceful and cohesive society. In some important respects, our multiculturalism has been recognised by many as a model for others with similar levels of pluralism.
This speaks well of our sense of nationhood and collective identity. This fact has found expression in several religious and national festivities such as Mashramani, Christmas, Diwali and Eid-ul-Fitr, where Guyanese of all religious, political and ethnic stock participate in the respective celebrations.

This sense of “oneness” was all the more apparent during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) matches currently being played in Guyana at the Providence Stadium. The support for the Guyana Amazon Warriors has been nothing short of spectacular and from the performances of the team so far, the “home” advantage, as it were, may have provided a psychological boost to the Warriors.
This support was further enhanced by the presence of President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and other senior government functionaries including Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Philips, and Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, all of whom interacted with fans and joined in the jubilation. It was in fact President Ali who issued a challenge for the Warriors to bring home the trophy this year after several unsuccessful attempts at the finals in previous tournaments.

Despite some initial setbacks in the earlier matches, there is no loss of love for the Warriors. As noted by President Ali, “the people of this country support this franchise. They come out every time, commit and make lots of sacrifices and I think the players themselves must know how much they’re loved in Guyana and it’s much more than a game for us; it’s part of who we are as a nation.”
Cricket indeed is much more than a game. It is an integral part of our nationhood. This is why the PPP/C administration has been putting so much emphasis on sports and culture. As pointed out by President Ali, sports are a very important part of the transformation that the country is experiencing; this necessitates investment in young people and sporting facilities. Towards that end, several multi-purpose sport facilities are earmarked for construction in several regions including Regions Two, Six and 10. Emphasis, according to President Ali, “will be placed on developing sports from the grassroots level, while simultaneously rekindling the powerful tool of sports on the minds of young people, starting at the level of the school.”

This year’s CPL tournament in Guyana will see a fusion of sports and carnival, a significant hallmark of Guyana’s hosting of the semi-finals and finals for the first time since the commencement of the games. It is to the credit of the host country, Guyana, that it has been chosen to host the CPL finals through 2024. This is indeed an honour for Guyana and moreso for President Ali, who has been championing the cause of cricket not only in Guyana, but in the region as a whole. Cricket, in the words of President Ali, is much more than a game for us in
Guyana. It is a passion, part of our culture and a unifying force, especially in the context of our embrace of the One Guyana vision.

Guyana has over the years been making enormous strides in the direction of nationhood, which is a state of being an indivisible, unitary nation, characterised by our sense of shared values and aspirations. And this, despite the efforts of a misguided few who seem hell bent on sowing the seeds of discord in this wonderful country of ours.

With Guyana now undergoing a process of modernisation and change, the mood of the society is also changing to higher levels of optimism and confidence. The recent performance of the Warriors has lifted the spirits of the Guyanese people. The whole of Guyana is behind the Warriors as they seek to emerge victorious in future games. In the final analysis, however, it is the spirit of the games that really matters and not winners or losers.