Persons attending Guyana’s 42nd Independence celebrations on Monday will be treated to performances by some of the country’s best steel band players, debuting a new 56-piece steel pan set.
A press release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said the audience at the midnight ceremony at the National Park will hear steel band players make music with the US$20,000 investment. The steel pan set was obtained from Trinidad and Tobago.
According to GINA, the setting up of a local steel band for Independence was the brainchild of Minister Dr Frank Anthony. “His desire to see the art form resuscitated and his practical input towards its resuscitation has been praised by (the) beneficiaries,” GINA said. The audience at the launch of Carifesta X was treated to the music by some of the country’s talented pan players.
Currently the steel pan performers are planning to form a national steel orchestra to debut at the festival in August. President Bharrat Jagdeo said $30M would be set aside to revive the art locally. He said too duty-free concessions would be granted to musicians bringing instruments into the country during Carifesta.
Meanwhile, the Joint Services Coordinating Council has been tasked with organising a 100-piece steel band for Carifesta. Advertisements have been published for interested persons to submit their applications to Chairman of the Joint Services Cultural Committee Assistant Commissioner Cecil Bovell at the Guyana Police Force Band Police Headquarters at Eve Leary. Currently students from St Joseph High School, Dolphin Secondary and Lodge Community High are benefiting from training and tutoring sessions as part of the effort to revive the pan in schools.
