Interviews by Zoisa Fraser and photos by Iana Seales
Are you following the preparations for Carifesta and do you plan to get involved in any way? We asked the man/woman in the street these questions and this is what they said:
Adityanand Ganpat, teacher – `No I have not been following Carifesta preparations. I do know about the festival but I don’t have the time to follow the preparations. I am excited because this is the first time that I will be a part of it. I will probably be involved since I am a part of the Rotaract Club of Georgetown Central as a volunteer. I am looking forward to the festival because it looks interesting.’
Sorojini Hariprasad, teacher – `I have heard the ads but generally I don’t know the details of the programme. I am looking forward to Carifesta. I have heard the minister talking about the activities from the different religious groups and that sounds interesting. I am interested in learning about the cultures of the other countries that will be taking part. I will just be attending activities.’
Jacinda Hinds, secondary school student – `I have not been following the preparations for Carifesta. I do not look at TV often so I have not seen the ads but I am excited for the event because I have never experienced it before. I am not planning to play a part in the festivities; I might just attend a few activities.’
George Grimes, private sector employee – `I live in Festival City, so I have a connection to Carifesta. I have not been fully following the preparations. I do see a few ads on TV but I don’t pay much interest in them. I am over 60 years old so I was alive during the first ever Carifesta. I don’t have the same feeling now like I did then. Carifesta came under Burnham but whoever is handling it now is trying to downplay the part he played in it and that is annoying. I am still looking forward to it though. I will go and see a few programmes. For me it will be interesting and enlightening so I have to pick a few and see how they are presented. I hope that this would be a Guyanese thing and not based on one race alone.’
Germaine Broomes, chef/designer – `Yes I have followed the preparation because I am supposed to be a part of Carifesta this year. It is good that the festival is coming back home. It will give the young people a chance to see what it is about. I will be doing something but I am not sure what that is yet. I am interested in the cultural aspect of it and I am excited. This is my first Carifesta in Guyana but I have seen it in Suriname and years ago in Trinidad.’
Shawkir Milton, self-employed – `Yes I have been following our Carifesta preparations. My children would usually take part in cultural events so I have an interest in those types of events. I think that we should have Carifesta every year because it is a culture-based event. It is for both the young and the old. I will go to activities. I believe that my children will take part through their school and I am happy about that. I am looking forward to Carifesta.’
Suzanne Chin-A-Loy, businesswoman – `I was around for the first Carifesta and it was good. If this year’s Carifesta is as good as that then we are in for a real treat. I am a hotel manager, so I am involved. I am looking forward to the guests I will be having from overseas. I like the cultural events. The National Cultural Centre was built for cultural activities and we need to revitalize there and places like the Umana Yana and the Theatre Guild. We also need to utilize these places.’
Hubert Edwards, writer/ illustrator – `It started here. It was organized right and I took part in it. I was at the Burrowes School of Arts so I will take part in Carifesta this year with the books I have and some paintings. Because of the situation in the country, one can hardly have an inner glow about the event. It’s good to have it here but I would miss Wordsworth Mc Andrew, who died recently. I would be most interested in the fine arts aspect of Carifesta.’
Tiffany Alves, secondary school student – `I don’t follow the preparations because I don’t know much about the festival. I have seen the ads. I think that the public needs to be educated more on what Carifesta is. I would like to see the designs, the costumes and the dances. I would also like to learn about the cultures of the other Caribbean countries.’
Angel De Freitas, supervisor – `I am happy that it is coming back. I don’t follow the preparation though and I don’t know if I will be going to any of the activities. It is not being advertised a lot and I don’t have a programme of the event.
Once I see that then I will know what I am going to do. The first Carifesta happened right here in Guyana and now it is being brought back. That goes to show that Guyana is not just a dot on the map. At least we are being advertised more.’
