President David Granger: I’m glad to be here because this is where I flew my first kite 70 years ago. So I’m back here today, but I wouldn’t fly any kite; I will let you do the flying.
But I have come here for several reasons- one: because I love Bartica that’s the best reason of all but also because it is Easter and at Easter time we in Guyana have a special ritual; one of them is Bartica Regatta and I have just come from the Regatta where we have speed boat racing and the other one is the rodeo at Lethem and Minister [Joseph] Harmon was riding some horses there but he ran out of horses there so he came to Bartica so if you see anybody riding a horse, it’s the Minister of State.
But the biggest reason of course, is to be with you to celebrate this sacred festival of Easter. As you know, those of you who are Christians, we are living in a multi-religious society; if you go around you will see some mandirs because that is where the Hindus worship; you will see some masjids because that’s where the Muslims worship and you will see some churches where Christians worship.
Well for Christians this is the most important festival in the entire calendar because after a period of suffering called Lent. Forty days and forty nights Jesus suffered and at the end of that suffering he had his trial and crucifixion which were commemorated on Good Friday and then he was in the tomb for three days and on the third day he rose, that is when we celebrate his resurrection on Easter Sunday; that is the day.
So many children fly kites because they believe that that is a sign of Jesus’s resurrection, but I wouldn’t give you the long story. Well, when you go to school I will come and tell you the story of the kites, but what I do know is that this is an important ritual, a festival for children and over the last two weeks I have been in Region Two in the Pomeroon River at Anna Regina and up the Pomeroon River- Friendship. I have been in Region Three at Parika. I have been in Region Four at Lusignan. I have been in Region Ten at Muritaro and here I am in Region Seven at Bartica where it all started so let’s get the show on the road. The children are here to get kites so let’s give the children kites.
Okay, thank you very much and may God bless you all.
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