Guyana’s Consulate General in New York, in collaboration with Guyana’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, hosted a flag raising ceremony and reception in Queens in observance of Guyana’s 60th Independence Anniversary (Golden Jubilee). The flag hoisting took place in front of the Queens Borough building on Queens Boulevard, followed by a formal event with speeches by Guyanese and Caricom officials. The variety program and reception took place inside the Borough Hall at the Helen Marshall Cultural Center, named after the late Helen Marshall, a former Queens Borough President with Guyanese origin. The event was well attended by a capacity crowd of over 200 persons.
Delivering welcome remarks on the occasion were the Deputy Borough President Ebony Young, followed by Helen Arteaga Landaverde, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Service. A representative of Diplomatic and Caribbean Consular Corps in New York congratulated the Guyanese people on the occasion of the 60th independence anniversary.
Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, expressed the progress Guyana has made since its independence in 1966. Consul General Ambassador Michael E. Brotherson thanked Guyanese in the diaspora for their contributions to Guyana’s successes at home and abroad.
The program began outdoors with religious invocations, a march past, national pledge, anthems, and hoisting of the American and Guyana flags.
In the Helen Marshall Cultural Center, Ambassadors Birkett and Brotherson commended the role being played by the large diaspora in New York. It was pointed out the speakers from the Borough and the City that Guyanese are the fifth largest immigrant group in New York. Almost a million Guyanese and their descendants are in America. Hundreds of thousands are in the greater New York area with Queens having the largest concentration. Because of their dominance in Richmond Hill, the extended area is called “Little Guyana”, which over a hundred thousand Guyanese call home. The deputy Boro President and the deputy Mayor extolled the contributions made by Guyanese in New York.
Both Ambassadors Birkett and Brothers made reference to the struggle waged for nationhood, the national determination to resolve the border dispute with Venezuela and to America’s celebration of its 250th anniversary of independence.
There were dance performances: Native Amerindian, Indian and Afro-Guyanese. Tassa and African drumming as well as a steel band and a cutting of the 60th anniversary cake followed by a musical interlude by Rick Dalgetty. This was followed by the reception of drinks and snacks. Guests were treated to a Guyana stamped white cream colored bag when they made their way to auditorium. The reception included a variety of items related to Guyana as well as fresh coconut as well as bottled coconut water from Guyana, Guyanese juices, and a hot meal of traditional Guyanese dishes.
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