Georgetown: The newly constructed and erected $20M 50th Independence Anniversary Arch located at Agricola, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was unveiled on Friday morning by the Government of Guyana and Banks DIH limited following a ceremony.
The simple but significant unveiling ceremony saw President David Granger and First Lady Sandra Granger, Ministers of Government, the Diplomatic Corps, the business community and scores of school children attending.
President Granger, while delivering the keynote address, said the arch is of great significance to Guyana, its people and its history. He said while the arch serves as a landmark for the entrance to the city’s southernmost boundary, it will not only separate the city from the outskirts but “separate the past from the future.”
The arch he said defines identity, denotes victory and is a beacon of prosperity for rural citizens. The President outlined the history of Guyana with specific reference to the city of Georgetown and said “Georgetown is set to become a safe city once again” where citizens can feel free to take a stroll with their families.
“Safety and security are essential,” said the President, who noted that never again must Georgetown be referred to as the “garbage city”.
“The city is undergoing changes…the garden city will never be known as the garbage city again,” he said.
He noted that Georgetown is becoming a clean, green city and efforts are being made to rid cases of malaria, zika and chikungunya to name a few.
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson said the unveiling of the 50th Independence Anniversary Arch is significant as not every nation is fortunate to celebrate such a milestone. He said the aim was to re-install the original independence arch but unfortunately the remains of that arch disappeared.
He said despite the fact that it is not the original site for the arch; it represents the values, perseverance, hard work and a bright future for Guyanese.
Minister Patterson disclosed that a second arch is being proposed for the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), which will represent the northern boundary. The Private Sector Commission (PSC) and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce have been approached for financing, he said.
Chairman of Banks DIH Limited, Clifford Reis said the unveiling of the arch represents another noteworthy event since Guyana attained its Independence in 1966. He said symbols of nationhood are important and since the erection of the first arch at La Penitence.
“Banks DIH took a big brother approach” to ensure that such an important symbol be maintained, the Chairman noted. He dubbed the 50th Independence Anniversary as a “new beginning; a new horizon” and he hopes that the symbol will serve as a beacon of hope.
Minister within the Ministry of Education with responsibility for culture, Nicolette Henry lauded the assistance provided by Banks DIH and noted that the country will continue to grow from strength to strength.
Banks DIH Limited received assistance from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure who contacted VSH United to assist with the engineering and fabrication of the new arch. The arch was designed by Vaniar Gutierrez of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. Errol Cush Contracting Services was responsible for the laying of the foundation and the erection of the structure.
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