The Queen’s Baton on Tuesday morning graced the shores of Guyana and began its relay journey in Georgetown starting from the front of State House on Main Street at approximately 8:00 hours led by his Excellency President David Granger.
The President accompanied by Guyana Olympic Association president K. Juman Yassin then walked with the baton to the corners of Quamina and Main Streets where it was passed to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.
The Prime Minister proceeded to the Bank of Guyana where he handed over to GDF Chief of Staff, Brigadier Patrick West who passed over to Minister of Education (ag), Nicolette Henry.
Minister Henry then made her way to the entrance of the British High Commission where she handed the baton to British High Commissioner to Guyana Greg Quinn who chose to jog to the Guyana Olympic Association Headquarters before handing over to Guyana’s lone Olympic medalist Michael Parris.
Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase-Greene hands over the baton to Commonwealth silver medalist Keevin Allicock
The relay continued with Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock being the next bearer. Minister Allicock then made his way up Quamina Street then onto Thomas Street where the baton was passed to the students of the Green Acres Primary School.
Representatives from several sports association including Keevin Allicock of the Guyana Boxing Association and Chelsea Edghill and Kaysan Ninvalle of the Guyana Table Tennis Association were on hand to carry the baton.
Today the baton will leave Georgetown and head to the Kaieteur Falls in Region Eight. From there it will make travel to Surama, then to Annai in Region Nine before leaving for the Falkland Islands.
The Queen’s Baton carries a message from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II that calls for the Commonwealth’s athletes to come together in peaceful and friendly competition. The Commonwealth Games 2018 Relay will be the longest and the most accessible ever, not just passing through, but spending quality time in each community it visits.
Its journey around the world began on 13th March 2017 at Buckingham Palace and the Baton is on a 388-day journey through all nations and territories of the Commonwealth.
The Queen’s Baton will arrive on the Gold Coast for the XXI Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony on 4th April 2018, where Her Majesty, or a representative, will remove the message from the Baton and read it aloud to officially open the Games.
