Guyana Chronicle
May 17, 2001

WORLD Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight champion, Andrew `Six' Lewis, should finally touch home soil today for the first time since giving Guyana the country's first world title.

Lewis will deplane at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on North American Airways jet at 15:35 hrs, an estimated arrival time, and will be accorded a hero's welcome, complete with a steel band in attendance at the airport.

The champion will travel to the city in a motorcade, with schoolchildren being encouraged to line the route from the airport.

A civic reception will be hosted by the Mayor & City Council at City Hall where Mayor Hamilton Green will present the key to the city.

Lewis was originally due to arrive yesterday on Guyana Airways 2000, but that carrier suspended flights from Monday and arrangements were eventually made with North American Airways.

Because of the delay, the high-powered planning committee had to revise the itinerary for a grand 11-day welcome home for the world champion.

Originally Lewis was scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Bharrat Jagdeo who would have hosted a reception for the world famous boxer.

According to an official of the Ministry Culture, Youth & Sports, President Jagdeo will be out of the country, thus Lewis will meet the Head-of-State on Tuesday. The day for the presidential reception will be decided on when the President returns home.

Tomorrow, Lewis will meet the media at GTV studios on Homestretch Avenue from 09:00 hrs and in the afternoon from 16:00 hours, Friends Of Andrew Lewis (FOAL) will host a homecoming in Albouystown, the birthplace of the champion.

When `Sixhead' Lewis accomplished his historic feat of becoming the country's first world champion on February 17, the government pledged a house and land for him.

On Saturday, the hero will visit house lots at 10:00 hrs, after which he will visit a gym in Albouystown at 12:00 hrs.

In the evening at 19:00 hrs, the Guyana Boxing Board of Control, the country's governing body for professional boxing, will host a reception for the boxer at a venue to be named.

FOAL has organised a Children's walk and treat for Sunday at 08:00 hrs and in the afternoon, the world champion will be chatting with sportspersons at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall from 18:00 hrs.

On Monday, Lewis will pay a courtesy call on Minister of Culture, Youth & Sport, Gail Teixeira, at the ministry on Main Street from 14:00 hrs. He will next visit the exhibition and fair at the National Museum at 15:30 hrs.

The champion will visit two resorts, Baracara and Shanklands, and the interior town of Bartica on Wednesday.

An Ancient County tour is listed for Thursday when the boxing star will visit Rose Hall, Corentyne, New Amsterdam and West Coast Berbice.

`Sixhead' Lewis will attend the Flag-Raising ceremony at the National Park from 22:00 hrs. On Independence Day, he will be at a concert in the Botanical Gardens.

The official programme wraps up next week Sunday when two world famous figures meet, and Sixhead visits the Kaieteur Fall.

Lewis will have a private day on the Monday before he returns to the United States of America on Tuesday, May 29.