Joint Services rehearse for 55th Independence Anniversary ceremony
Members of the Joint Services today held a full-dress rehearsal at the Umana Yana Square, Kingston, ahead of Guyana’s 55th Independence Anniversary.
The three-hour-long session comes ahead of the Independence flag-raising ceremony, scheduled for Tuesday, May 25, at the same location.
Members of the joint services participating in the march-past were fully masked and socially distanced, keeping with measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Event Coordinator Mr. Lennox Canterbury said the venue was agreed upon by the various stakeholders in light of the pandemic.
He said the programme would be conducted in two phases. The ceremonial observance will be held first, followed by a cultural and entertainment session.
“From the arrival of His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the programme will go through up to the hoisting of the national flag, and when that is finished, then we will go into the celebratory aspect of the commemoration ceremony. This will be followed by fireworks,” he explained.
The programme is scheduled to begin at 7 pm and completed by 9.45 pm. The celebration will be complemented by the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force’s band corps.
Other practice sessions will occur leading up to the official event.
Guyana gained Independence on 26 May 1966 and joined the Commonwealth that same month.
