[www.inewsguyana.com] – The Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce continued what has now become a yearly event, the tree-lighting ceremony to usher in the Christmas season at the Rahaman’s Park Triangle, East Bank Demerara on Sunday, November 17.
The event attracted its largest crowd ever, as parents and guardians turned out with their kids to witness the illumination of the 70- foot tree by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who was assisted by his grandsons and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce (ag) Irfaan Ali.
Prior to the tree light-up, there was a programme that featured a saxophone performance of the ‘Have yourself a Merry Christmas” by Roy Alder, who was later joined by Andrew Tyndal from the Music School for a saxophone and steel-pan combination.
There were also musical numbers by ‘The Messengers’ and ‘Brothers in Christ’ and a dance selection from a group from the National Dance School.
“This is a good occasion, we need occasions when our people come together just as citizens, with no respect to a particular place in society, and how much money we may or may not have, we just come together as a community,” Prime Minister Hinds noted.
Additionally, Minister Ali noted that Christmas for Guyanese is to reach out to each other and to work to sustain the country.
“Let us use this season to build a foundation of love and unity, one that would see all of us working together, one that would ensure that national priority, national projects are treated with national interest, one that would ensure progress and prosperity of Guyana is secure by our coming together, by our working together, by our understanding of what is essential to Guyana.”
The Minister said that the ministry has a packed Christmas agenda of activities. These, he said are “geared towards ensuring that the many visitors and the many people who come to Guyana to celebrate this season have at their disposal a variety of options that they could utilise for themselves and family.”
