With the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) less than a month away, officials attached to the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport are reluctant to identify the names of the “100 Guyanese” who were selected to represent the country at the event in Trinidad and Tobago.
“I don’t know the names of the persons that will be going but 100 persons were selected to go to CARIFESTA,” local coordinator for CARIFESTA XIV Andrew Tyndall said during an interview at his office at the Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth And Sport yesterday, while co-coordinator, Director of Culture Tamika Boatswain, said via telephone that the disclosure of the names “is up to the Ministry.”
Meanwhile, the Communications Officer for the Department, Michelle Braithwaite, declined to comment, saying that she was not at liberty to disclose that information.
Tyndall related that the government is sponsoring 100 Guyanese from the creative industries to represent Guyana at CARIFESTA. In addition, he said that a number of persons from the creative industries will also be going to Trinidad independently as well. “A lot of persons who are in the creative industries go to CARIFESTA independently ’cause CARIFESTA is a very lucrative market for them ‘cause it provides an economic opportunity,” Tyndall volunteered.
He further said that the Department assisted those persons with registration, accreditation and getting permits and space at the event for those persons.
He revealed that the “100 Guyanese” who were selected will be participating in Dance, Drama, Music, Visual Arts, Photography, and Body Art, while two students from the University of Guyana will participate in a symposium on culture around the Caribbean.
In addition, he said that persons from the Carnegie School of Economics will be involved in Culinary Arts activities and will display and sell various Guyanese cuisines.
There will also be delegates in the Craft, Fashion, Film and Animation fields.
Despite the given information, Tyndall maintained that he wasn’t privy to the names of the delegates nor was he aware that they were required to publicise the names of the delegates.
Stabroek News has been able to confirm that the Literary Arts contingent will comprise Scott Ting-A-Kee, Daryll Goodchild and Gabrielle Mohamed. Playwright Mosa Telford, who confirmed that she was going to CARIFESTA, revealed that delegates were advised at a meeting not to speak with media personnel until the list was finalised. She also mentioned that they were told the list would be released this week. Margaret Lawrence also confirmed that she was going but repeated Telford’s information.
The President of CINEGuyana, Phillip Williams, one of the Film and Animation delegates, said that he along with Sade Browne will be the representatives of that contingent. He said they will be showcasing the work of the 10 persons that submitted entries for the Film and Animation sector at CARIFESTA. Further, he said that they will also be taking along the work of persons that haven’t submitted but whose work is known.
