Dear Editor,
This year Guyana will be celebrating forty-seven years as an independent nation. As I look at the way things are going in my beloved country I ask myself how independent are we when on a daily basis we are experiencing so many negatives in society.
At present we are ushering in forty-three years of Republican status and at this time all Guyanese are showcasing their numerous cultural talents in the form of music, poetry, dance and drama. But what I have observed is that we are not patriotic as an independent nation.
This time we should be showcasing Guyana and things Guyanese. On a daily basis on our radio stations we are treated to foreign music, when we should be showcasing and promoting our own local talent. I know for sure there are hundreds of recordings of Guyanese music made over the years which can be played to complete an entire programme on any given day. Fair enough, we do hear some played on the programmes, but not enough at a time like this. We have music from way back in the sixties to the present, which I am sure our listeners would appreciate listening to.
In Trinidad the radio stations start playing their native music as soon as the Chrismas season has finished and this will be played right into carnival and beyond. We can do the same. We have music that can compete with any grammy awardee, in every department, be it soul, gospel, calypso, chutney, soca or reggae. We need to promote and support our local activities more. Radio producers should give Guyanese their due; we have talent too, and they should give our music more airplay.
Do we pay royalties to our artistes?
Yours faithfully,
Fitzroy Inverary Hughes