On November 11 the Unit of Allied Arts (UAA) in the Ministry of Education staged the Secondary Schools Choral Speaking Festival 2022 in Guyana. This theatrical event saw 10 schools from five geographical regions compete for prizes at the Theatre Guild Playhouse. There were several admirable things, a number of progressive factors and as many questions over this development.
The formalities included those largely responsible for the festival, such as Kurt Braithwaite, Acting Administrator for the UAA, actress La Vonne George, Drama Specialist in the UAA and actor-director Randolph Critchlow, Chief Judge of the performances. The Education Ministry was represented by Senior Education Officer Sheldon Granville. The performances exhibited a range of subjects, interests and styles, moving from conformity to imagination. It was an impactful production and quite a notable achievement.