By Donovan Matthews
Guyana Chronicle
May 15, 2001
A number of wide-ranging activities have been planned to honour Guyana's world welterweight boxing champion Andrew `Sixhead' Lewis who is due home tomorrow for an 11-day visit.
Lewis, who created history by becoming the first Guyanese, fighting under the Golden Arrowhead to win a world title, will be making his first trip home since stopping American James Page for the WBA title in February.
At a press briefing yesterday at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, it was revealed that a planning committee was set up to conduct activities ranging from a motorcade on arrival to a courtesy call on President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Keith Booker told reporters that the committee - comprising the President, representatives of the Ministry, the Guyana Boxing Board of Control, the Mayor and City Council, the Guyana Police Force, the Ministry of Tourism and Friends of Andrew Lewis - put together a programme which will allow Lewis to visit different parts of Guyana, meet a wide cross-section of the Guyanese community and also interact with his family, friends and colleagues with whom he lived for most of his years.
Lewis is expected to touch down at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, at 14:30 hrs where he will be met by the Committee. Booker said there will also be a steelband welcome while schoolchildren are expected to line the route to the city.
The man also dubbed the `Albouystown Cyclone' will then attend a civic reception at City Hall, hosted by the Mayor and City Council from 16:00 hrs. He will also receive the symbolic Key to the City.
Lewis then pays a courtesy call on President Jagdeo and at 19:30 hrs will attend a Presidential reception at the Umana Yana.
On Thursday the champion attends a press briefing at GTV from 10:00 hrs, before attending a Community Welcome in Albouystown at 16:00 hrs.
Friday sees Lewis visiting the Baracara and Shanklands resorts before paying a courtesy call on the Regional Chairman of Region 7 at Bartica, and meeting the community.
On Saturday Lewis is expected to visit three areas with a view to selecting the house lot promised by the Government. He will also visit several boxing gyms in Albouystown before attending a Guyana Boxing Board of Control-hosted reception at 19:00 hrs.
A children's walk through the City, from Albouystown to the National Park where they will receive a treat, is planned for Sunday at 08:00 hrs while Lewis will chat with sportsmen and women at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall from 15:00 hrs.
On Monday the champion pays a courtesy call on the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Ms Gail Teixeira, at 14:00 hrs. He then visits the exhibition and fair at the National Museum.
The champion travels to Linden on Tuesday to meet that Town's Mayor, Regional Chairman of Region 10, and the Culture, Youth and Sports Officer.
May 23 is a free day, but on the 24th he travels to Berbice. While in the Ancient County, Lewis will visit Rose Hall Town where he is expected to meet the Mayor and visit the boxing gym in the area. He then travels to New Amsterdam to have lunch with the Regional Chairman, after which he will collect the key to the town of New Amsterdam at a civic reception at the Town Hall.
Before leaving the eastern county, the champion will visit the Sapodilla Learning Institute at West Coast Berbice, to meet members of the community.
Lewis's next engagement is on May 25 when he attends the Flag-Raising Ceremony at the National Park. On Independence Day he visits the Botanical Gardens for a concert at 17:00 hrs before returning to the USA on the morning of May 27.
According to Fiesal Ali, who is manager of the Lewis entourage, the champion's contingent consists of 14 persons - including the State Senator of New York.
Also present at yesterday's briefing were GBBC's public relations officer (PRO) Sammy Abdool and treasurer Andrew Thorne.