Stadium packed to capacity for inauguration, thousands more on the outside

The National Stadium at Providence on the East Bank of Demerara today reached maximum capacity with security having to close the gates as thousands from all walks of life turned out for the official inauguration ceremony of President David Granger.

However, braving the rains, thousands more crowded the stadium’s tarmac while others stood on the roadway. This scale of attendance at a national event has not been seen in many years.

The East Bank Demerara Public Road is so congested with traffic that vehicles  stretched from the intersection where the road meets Mandela Avenue to Providence.

It   would now take approximately three hours to get from Mandela Avenue to the Stadium for what would have normally been a 15-minute drive.

Additional traffic ranks were deployed with Traffic Chief Ian Amsterdam himself manning the roadway at Eccles.

Roars of jubilation greeted the arrival at the stadium close to 5 pm of President David Granger and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.

The crowd locked out of the stadium
The crowd locked out of the stadium