Looking back at it, so many years later after it came into being, that was the name, The Base, most commonly used to refer to Guyana’s international airport, Atkinson Field, which had been created during World War Two, as the jumping-off point from North America for US Air Force planes headed for the Far East and Europe. When the War ended, although the Americans continued to operate there for some time, the Base became a kind of weekend retreat for Guyanese, particularly those living in Georgetown and villages to the east. There was a modern wooden guest-house, operated by the Cossou family, along with the many 2-bedroom buildings, in what Guyanese called the “cottage area”, then fully occupied by workers and general staff for the airport servicing the many flights coming and going. In recreation, it was also the site of several volleyball courts, and tennis courts, and a sprawling cricket field, used by resident Guyanese and their friends.
