Guyana Chronicle
April 13, 2001

`How would the beating of innocent people in the streets and the massive burning of business buildings in the city help the country or the people in any way?' - Andrew `Six Head' Lewis From Bina Mahabir NEW YORK - Andrew `Six Head' Lewis wants to visit his lovely homeland Guyana as early as next month, but does not want to be caught up in the turmoil of "fighting, burning down buildings and other violent acts" in Georgetown and some other parts of the country.

The anti-government protests that erupted Monday as newly elected President Bharrat Jagdeo was naming his cabinet members, have been headline stories in the mainstream New York Caribbean media and overseas-based Guyanese are aware of what is happening in their mother land.

Like `Six Head', the rest of the New York Guyanese migrant community are very concerned at the political unrest, including the burning of commercial buildings and other acts of violence.

Lewis is very aware of the latest tidings in his beloved country and during a telephone interview with the world champion from his training camp in the Poconos Mountains in Pennsylvania, he said he "wants to go visit Guyana next month".

"I want the fighting and burning to stop! I do not want to go down there and get myself beaten up."

Calling on his fellow Guyanese "to stop this stupid fighting, burning down of buildings and beating up of innocent people on the streets of Georgetown", his message to them is, "such negative acts would get us nowhere in this world".

"People are looking down on us. We are behaving as if we have no manners, no culture, no nothing", the concerned boxer stressed.

"We should concentrate our time and efforts on positive activities, like doing things that will help to build the country, not destroy it. The fighting and burning will only hamper the country's growth and development and in the end we suffer", he said.

"In the final analysis, when you come down to the heart of the matter, we are destroying our own assets; things that belong to all of us. Guyana is our country and her wealth is there for all of us to share. We should treat it with more respect and dignity."

While the Guyanese world boxing champion sends "hearty congratulations and best wishes to President Bharrat Jagdeo on his recent elections victory" and wishes his fellow Guyanese all the best in life, he is humbly appealing to the rest of the population to accept the elections results.

"All the political parties and the people should accept the elections results and stop the fighting and burning down of the commercial buildings, because you see, we are destroying what is rightfully ours and we will suffer."

`Six Head' won the World Boxing Association (WBA) Welterweight crown when, in a magnificent performance, he knocked out American James Page in one minute 13 seconds of the seventh round of the world title bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on February 17.

The 30-year-old fighter created history for his homeland Guyana, when he landed a crushing right to his opponent's temple, a blow that caused the American boxer to hop once before he hit the canvas at the jam-packed MGM Grand.

Lewis, who hails from Albouystown, Georgetown, became the first Guyanese boxer to win a world boxing title for his country. He is also the first Caribbean national to win a world bout in 2001.

Guyana's stature in the world-boxing arena skyrocketed when Lewis was crowned the new WBA Welterweight Champion.

And he is training very hard to have Guyana stay right there on the map

`Six Head' believes in unity and has issued a challenge for his counterparts in Guyana to embrace unity, as it is the "only way for the country to move forward", in peace, progress and prosperity.

"Unity in diversity is the only way forward for Guyana and since we are a land of six people, we have to make an attempt to unite with one and other, or else we would not go nowhere."

"We are one people and we must try to co-exist in peace and harmony, not fight with one and other", the U.S.-based Guyanese boxer said.

"One asks oneself, what is to be gained from such violence as is happening in Georgetown right now?

"How would the beating of innocent people in the streets and the massive burning of business buildings in the city help the country or the people in any way?"

He said Guyanese should use their brains in a constructive manner to do positive things that will benefit the people and country, "do things that will increase the country's development for the younger generation".

He noted, "here I am trying to put Guyana on the world map so that it could garner respect from other countries around the world and sadly, a handful of people are bent on destroying the image on the land".

"It is wrong to engage in such nefarious acts; it is wrong in God's sight as well. We should really desist from doing such violent activities", admonished the world champion.

"It is so hard to build something; you know it takes time, effort, energy, resilience, determination, fortitude, real hard work and not to mention money".

"And yet it is so very easy to break that same thing; in a split second and your life work could go up in smoke. I feel really sorry for those businessmen who have suffered so much losses during the burning in Georgetown", he said.

"Those people should stop their the fighting and burning and get on with the serious task of nation building. That will be the right way to channel their time and energy", he appealed, reiterating, "it is not right in God's eyes to do wrong things".

Reaffirming his commitment to unity, Lewis said, "in unity there is strength, but divided we will fail."

He called on Guyanese "to desist from their violent actions".

"People should also abide by the laws of the land and not do their own things", or else chaos will be the order of the day, he related, adding, "that we will have to try and stop".

"Look, I love my country Guyana...I really do. No one knows how hard I am training for it to retain the number one spot in the boxing world and that is why it saddens me so much to see some people are so bent on its destruction."

"Guyana means a lot to me. I can never forget the country I was born and grew up in...I can never forget from where I have come".

"It is difficult for me to understand why some people don't give or care about the repercussion of their violent actions", he said.

He questioned the logic of those causing the destruction of the country.

"Listen to this, there they are, living in the country, sharing the country's beauty and riches and want to destroy it as well".

"That is so wrong", he said.

"I want to see all my folks back home happy and smiling and I want them to realise that it is time for them to start doing good things".

"Guyana belongs to all of us, we should do things that will make the country proud", related Lewis.

"Right now, I am training very hard for my fight later this month. I feel happy when my fellow Guyanese share in my success and I also work very hard towards achieving my goals in life."

`Six Head' who has come under the spotlight, has been recognised in many quarters of the migrant Guyanese community in the U.S. for his glorious victory over Page.

He was presented with a plaque from the Guyana Consulate in New York and the Guyana Tristate Alliance Organisation at a simple but impressive ceremony at the Guyana Consulate at the UN Plaza in New York last month. The event was organised by the Guyana Consulate in New York and the Guyana Tristate Alliance Organisation in his honour.

Dr. Rudy Insanally, Guyana's Permanent Representative at the United Nations, in delivering his keynote address to the gathering remarked, "maybe `Six Head' represents the six races in Guyana" to loud cheering from the lively gathering at the event.

Lewis also received a proclamation from the city of Mt. Vermont by the Comptroller of the city, Ms. Maureen Walker, a Guyanese-American, at the same function.

`Six Head' is based at the Fernwood Resort in the Poconos Mountains where he is "training very hard in the mountain amidst the snow and all" for his title defence against American boxer, Larry Marks, billed for April 28.

The fight, which will be televised by the HBO network, is to be held at the Hammerstein Ball Room, opposite Madison Square Gardens in New York.

"I am confident that I will win this fight. I am training very hard for it."

" I do not take any fighter or match lightly", he confessed.

He ended with a call for the folks back home "to stop the fighting and the burning down of buildings.

"I want to come home to visit next month and I don't want to see any fighting amongst our people".