It is a great honour to be present at the opening of CARIFESTA X and a pleasure for me to be part of the exciting experience of this mega arts festival. I am also very happy, as Head of Government with lead responsibility for Culture, Youth, Gender and Sport in the Quasi-Cabinet of CARICOM to congratulate His Excellency President Bharrat Jagdeo and the People of the Republic of Guyana for bringing the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) back to the place where it originated thirty-six years ago.
Press Releases
CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater, Georgetown, Guyana) Nostalgic recollections of the first Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) in 1972, and cultural presentations from a number of contingents, were the highlights Saturday evening at the opening of the Community Festivals in Festival City, Georgetown, Guyana.
Festival City, built by `self-help’, was constructed to house the contingents from more than 30 Caribbean countries which came to Guyana for CARIFESTA 36 years ago.
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The threat of ominous dark clouds and subsequent torrential showers just half-hour before the start, delayed the start, but did not deter the opening show for the tenth staging of the Caribbean Festival of Arts in Guyana yesterday (22 August 2008) under the theme_ One Caribbean, One Purpose; Our Culture Our Life. It certainly did not serve as a damper to the spirit of the 15,000 people who poured into the Providence Stadium to be a part of another piece of history in the making.
His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, President of the Republic of Guyana
His Excellency Runaldo Venetiaan, President of the Republic of Suriname and Lead Head for Community Development and Cultural Cooperation (including Culture, Gender, Youth and Sport) within the Community
Hon. Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and Chairman of the CARICOM Heads of Government
Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Mrs. Gonsalves
The Hon. Samuel Hinds, Prime Minister of the Republic of Guyana, and Mrs. Hinds
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The return of the Caribbean festival of Arts (CARIFESTA) to its inaugural location, Guyana was hailed as a special moment in the history of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) by CARICOM Secretary-General His Excellency Edwin Carrington when he spoke at the ceremony to launch the 10th staging of the Region’s premier arts festival in Guyana on Friday 22 August.
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Guyana’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport the Dr the Honourable Frank Anthony has urged the youth of the Region to use edutainment as a means of challenging the difficult issues that they face.
His Excellency, President Bharat Jagdeo, President, Prime Ministers, Ministers, Members of Parliament, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
Peoples of the Caribbean, Visitors from South, Central and North America, Europe, Asia and Africa, Peoples of the world, As host to CARIFESTA X, I welcome you to our beautiful land of many waters - The ancient land of El Dorodo.
In the exquisite tongue and words of Guyana’s first people, I say Rebango toro Kayana ta Welcome!
- His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, President of the Republic of Guyana
- His Excellency Runaldo Venetiaan, President of the Republic of Suriname and Lead Head for Community Development and Cultural Cooperation (including Culture, Gender, Youth and Sport) within the Community
- Hon. Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and Chairman of the CARICOM Heads of Government
- Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Mrs. Gonsalves
- The Hon.
- His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, President of the Republic of Guyana
- His Excellency Runaldo Venetiaan, President of the Republic of Suriname and Lead Head for Community Development and Cultural Cooperation (including Culture, Gender, Youth and Sport) within the Community
- Hon. Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and Chairman of the CARICOM Heads of Government
- Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Mrs. Gonsalves
- The Hon. Samuel Hinds, Prime Minister of the Republic of Guyana, and Mrs.
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The athletes from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago have put the Caribbean on top of the world, and have demonstrated that the Caribbean people were able to compete successfully with the rest of the world, H.E. Edwin Carrington, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said Friday.
The Secretary-General made the remarks in a congratulatory message to the top two teams in the men’s sprint relay.
The full text of the message reads_