Replace the Harpy Eagle at the Mandela Avenue roundabout with a more realistic, natural looking iteration

Jan 10, 2024 Letters

Dear Editor,

I have deliberately refrained from penning this letter earlier to avoid impartiality and reason being lost in the initial maelstrom of criticisms and overflowing emotions; also to avoid the risk of it being tagged as spurious or partisan.

I further delayed penning this missive out of respect for a series of events and occurrences which I considered to be of greater solemnity and national importance.

However, now that the storms have calmed somewhat, I would like to respectfully ask the powers that be to strongly consider replacing the current representation of our majestic Harpy Eagle at the Mandela Avenue roundabout with a more realistic, natural looking iteration.

I fully respect the artist’s creativity and bold flair portrayed by the current creation but I do think in keeping with the more lifelike statues of the Jaguar and the Anteater at the other two roundabouts on that stretch of highway, a similar representation of the Harpy would auger well. There is a really good example of one which can be used as a model, that I saw about a year ago, outside the NDC office at Windsor Forest, on the West Coast of Demerara.

I must also congratulate the powers that be on showcasing our unique and spectacular flora and fauna in this way. It is a great initiative and a tangible way to bring some of what Guyana’s vast interior has to offer to many of our citizens and visitors who have never had the privilege of visiting the natural habitat of these amazing creatures.

I therefore look forward to seeing more of our natural giants like the tapir, capybara, anaconda, black caiman, giant otter, arapaima, lau-lau, giant river turtle, black piranha, electric eel, manatee, jabiru stork, hoatzin, bird eating spider and the Victoria amazonica lily in conspicuous locations around our beautiful country.

Thank you for allowing me the time and space to share my views and I also take the opportunity to wish All Guyanese a blessed 2024.

Yours sincerely,

Nicholas C. A. Waldron

Harpy Eagle, Mandela Avenue, natural, Nicholas C. A. Waldron, realistic

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