The New Amsterdam Town Day committee began its week of activities for Town Day 2007 on Monday with Spelling Bee competitions involving six primary schools in the town.

Coordinator of the competition Ian Carter told this newspaper that Grade Six students were targeted “so as to get them prepared for the level six assessment exams next year.”

On Monday morning, the All Saints Primary School won the competition against New Amsterdam Primary while in the afternoon St Therese defeated Fraser’s Academy.

The preliminary competition concluded yesterday with Overwinning Primary emerging winners against St Aloysius Primary. The semi-finals and finals are expected to be held today and Thursday respectively.

Carter said the competition is sponsored by the Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company and has promised to reward the winning school with a computer. A TV/VCR combo is the prize for the school with the runner-up spot.

Students from those two schools would also be presented with trophies, while all the students who participated in the competition would be given dictionaries.

Meanwhile, coordinator of the Town Day activities Norma Chesney said the public is invited to the grand opening on Friday at 3 pm in front of the NA market.

Minister of Tourism Manniram Prashad is expected to take the march past and deliver the feature address at the opening, she said. An extravaganza would then be held on the lawns of the state house in NA at 8 pm.

According to Chesney, there would be an exhibition and fair at the Esplanade Park on Saturday and on Sunday the activities would conclude with a fun day at the same venue.