2014: Guyana’s heritage kept alive, youth afforded opportunities, sports infrastructure advanced
Written by Gina Webmasters, Published in News, Georgetown, GINA, December 11, 2014, Source - GINA
A scene from the national Dance Festival
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport expended close to $1billion of its 2014 budgetary allocation, as it continued to execute programmes that focused on youth, providing equal access for their involvement in activities related to sports and culture and enabling them to contribute to national development during the year.
Subject Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, during a press briefing today reported that the ministry has had a successful year, as sports infrastructure was boosted, various aspects of Guyana’s history were explored through various cultural programmes and, training continued for the nation’s youth.
The Ministry exhausted 95% of its allocation and completed 95% of its capital programmes for 2014. Close to 100 percent of all those resources are committed and expected to be completed by December 30.
Exploring Guyana’s history
Guyana has a very unique cultural heritage and every year, the Culture Ministry is tasked with executing a number of festivals, exhibitions, lectures and national observances to keep alive the country’s heritage through dance, songs, art and films.
Cultural groups recieving their contribution for Emancipation celebrations
According to Minister Anthony, much focus was placed on exploring facets of Guyana’s history that were never previously discovered. One aspect is the Indigenous Song Festival which is aimed at offering an opportunity for Amerindian tribes to showcase their languages and ensure their preservation. This festival is slated for December 13.
The ministry also hosted the Drama and Choral festivals, and for the first time, the National Dance and film festival. There was also a photographic exhibition and competition.
The National Museum, the Museum of African Heritage and the Walter Roth Museum continued to function effectively. At the National Museum, the ministry launched a digitisation project which allows persons, especially children to access detailed information on artifacts. The school outreach programmes also continued.
President's Youth Award Republic of Guyana's graduation
The ministry has been making strides in the area of archaeology, discovering new pieces at various locations.
Additionally, the Ministry also identified a sitefor the construction of the 5th of May monument at Palmyra, Region Six. The structure was designed by Philbert Gajadhar and Winslow Craig, and will be sculpted in bronze. The monument will be erected 12 feet high, 12 feet wide, double life size, and mounted on a 9-foot high base.
The visual arts competition and exhibition at which 200 pieces have been earmarked to be showcased will be launched on December 17, and will cater for $1 million in cash prize. Additionally, a lecture was held to educate the public about Guyana’s art history. A total of 10 art exhibitions were also held at the Castellani House during the year.
More than 40 persons graduated from the first batch of students that were trained under the National Creative Arts Institute, which included the National Dance School and the Burrowes School of Art and the Music school.
Revellers at Mash 2014
The ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) that saw the phone company committing $10 M to fund a series of publications relating to the national collection. The first of these books will be launched by the end of this month.
Last year marked 100 years since the shooting and killing of the 16 persons at Rose Hall, and according to Minister Anthony this very historic event was overlooked. In this regard, he said that the ministry was able to locate the gravesite and build a park around it. In commemoration, a monument was commissioned by President Donald Ramotar.
Each year, Guyana celebrates its Republic anniversary during the month of February, and this year the ministry successfully executed a number of activities including, the Chutney, Calypso and the Children’s Mash competitions; exhibitions, and the float parade. There were also a number of regional activities.
Sharon Cadogan-Taylor and the cast of Till Ah Find a Place 3 recieving their prize from Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport for participating in the National Drama Festival
The Ministry also successfully organised activities for Guyana’s Independence celebration, the Enmore Martyrs’ observance, and Arrival and Emancipation Days. Over 40 cultural groups received monetary support for the latter celebration.
Youth Programmes
In 2014, 248 students graduated from theKuru Kuru Training Centre (KKTC) in 10 different skill areas, while the non-residential programmes at Sophia Training Centre, and Vryman’s Erven, located in Berbice also continued to train youths.
Children participating in Summer Camp at Enmore
The YEST programme provided out-of-school, unskilled and unemployed youth with continuing education and skills which are fully accredited and equated to Caribbean vocational qualifications in areas such as business studies, carpentry, electrical installation, joinery, masonry, motor mechanics, plumbing, welding and fabrication and garment construction.
Inmates of the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) also benefitted from programmes that will enable them to receive a certificate under the YEST programme.
This year, the President’s Youth Award: Republic of Guyana (PYARG) saw 2,583 persons registering for this programme, 1500 of whom qualified for expeditions and 682 completed the award.
Children participating in the taxidermy camp at the National Museum
This year for the first time, the ministry hosted a Youth Award in which 36 young people received various awards of excellence. Capacity building workshops were also held for 25 youth organisations across the country and volunteering programmes were launched in 10 city schools.
The Ministry continued its annual youth camps during August, with 50 set up in various communities across the country. Work was also done on the National Youth Policy.
Sports infrastructure boosted
In an effort to improve performance and participation in sports, Government provided over $960 million, for which $344 million was spent on continuing works at the Leonora athletic track and the warm-up pool at the National Aquatic Centre. The latter is now completed and will be commissioned in 2015.
The synthetic track’s surface was also laid and the lanes were marked in keeping with international standards, following which the track was certified by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF). Flood lights were installed at the Albion Cricket Ground, paving the way for events to be held at night.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony and Permanent Secretary, Alfred King along with students at the Kuru Kuru Training Centre 's graduation
Maintenance works were done on other existing facilities including the Gymnasium, Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, Racquet Centre, Colgrain Pool and the Guyana National Stadium.
The sum of $300 Million was also provided for the community enhancement programme which saw 544 communities benefiting throughout the regions. In region One, 60 benfitted; Region Two, 83; Region Three,73; Region Four, 90; Region Five, 54; Region Six, 98; Region Seven,10; Region Eight,23; Region Nine, 31; and Region Ten, 22.
New flood lights at Albion Cricket Ground
The ministry also recruited five culture, youth and sports organisers, who are based in the five sub-regions/districts in Region Nine, and are tasked with ensuring the effective planning, organising and execution of social and training activities in the five sub-regions/districts.
In the area of cricket, the Cricket Administration Bill, aimed at improving accountability and transparency of cricket in Guyana, was legislated in the National Assembly. The Act paved the way for the minister to engage the President of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) on the appointment of an Ombudsman. Minister Anthony highlighted that the Ministry has since written WICB president, Whycliffe Cameron and is awaiting a response.
The National Synthetic Track, located at Leonora, Region Three
The Sports Research Centre hosted several workshops and lectures on various aspects of sports, while the Ministry has been reaching out to communities and organised sports clubs which saw more persons being engaged in sports.
A number of programmes were also held in the areas of cycling, swimming, boxing and volley ball.
The warm-up pool at the National Aquatic Centre
Source - http://www.gina.gov.gy/home/in...rastructure-advanced
