The British High Commissioner, Greg Quinn on Thursday noted that Prince Harry “will have the opportunity to see life in Guyana from various perspectives, including not only Georgetown but also the hinterland – most notably the villages of Surama and FairView, as well as the spectacular Kaieteur Falls and the Iwokrama reserve. It will, I can confidently predict, be a visit that HRH will not forget.”
The Prince will undertake an official visit to the Caribbean on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen, between November 20 and December 4. His Royal Highness will carry out 14 days of official engagements in Her Majesty’s Realms where The Queen is Sovereign, in addition to Guyana – a member of the Commonwealth. The visit will mark the occasion of the 35th Anniversary of Independence in Antigua and Barbuda, and the 50th Anniversary of Independence in Barbados and Guyana.
According to a statement from Communications Secretary to Prince Harry, ahead of His Royal Highness’s visit to the Caribbean, “the Prince will arrive at Eugene F. Correia airport in Georgetown, the Capital of Guyana on December 02…His Royal Highness will make his way to the centre of the capital, stopping to call on President David Granger. He will travel on to lay a wreath at the Independence Monument, before arriving at Camp Ayanganna, the Headquarters of the Guyana Defence Force. Here His Royal Highness will meet with groups of officer cadets, serving officers and veterans, who will take The Prince on a tour of the Base.
Before returning to his hotel, Prince Harry will lay a wreath at Georgetown’s Commonwealth War Graves, in honour of those who lost their lives during the two World Wars and the pre-independence period.”
In the evening, Prince Harry will attend a reception hosted by the British High Commissioner Greg Quinn.
On December 03, the Prince will visit Surama village where he will hear more about traditional village life, and take a short trip to the village’s Eco Lodge to see how the community is embracing eco-tourism.
His Royal Highness will then fly to the Iwokrama International Centre, which has a close link to Prince Harry since his father, The Prince of Wales, has been the organisation’s Patron since 2000.
A meeting will be hosted with rangers to learn about the forest, and the steps being taken to protect this important reserve, and the broader conservation efforts of the Amazon. Before arriving at the reserve, Prince Harry will briefly call into Fairview Village and pay his respects to the village Elders, as well as visiting the local school.
The final stop of the day will be Kaieteur Falls; the single largest freefall waterfall in the world.
The last day of Prince Harry’s Caribbean tour will finish with a visit to Joshua House Children’s Centre, in the centre of Georgetown. The charity, established in 1977, is currently home to more than 70 children, both girls and boys, typically aged between 5 and 12. The mission of the home is to rescue children who find themselves in unfortunate circumstances and whilst living here, have access to computers and libraries, daily meals and can learn skills like how to prepare those same meals, or even grow the ingredients used to create them. Prince Harry will hear of this first-hand from the children living there, and the staff and volunteers who together make it all possible.
That afternoon, Prince Harry will return to Eugene F. Correia airport, where he will inspect the final guard of the tour before departing for London.
The Prince will be visiting seven countries between November 20, 2016, and December 04, 2016. He will be participating in official anniversary ceremonies and meeting with inspiring conservationists and young leaders. He will also be engaging with well-known cultural figures and national sporting stars, to seeing the impressive work of a number of important local organisations and charities.
His Royal Highness will pay special attention to issues which are common throughout the region and will learn how each country and the local community is responding to these challenges.
