– wins for Regions One, Two, Three, Four

TACKLING issues such as the Guyana-Venezuela controversy, suicide, domestic violence, social media and other trending subject matters, the National Children’s Mashramani Calypso and Dramatic Poetry Finals came to a close on Friday at the National Cultural Centre, with wins for Regions One, Two, Three, Four, as well as for the Georgetown District.

After the show had got off to a late start, Region Two managed to pick up the first win of the day as little Jamie Williams of Mainstay Lake Primary, championed the 5 – 7 years Calypso Category with his piece “Education Fuh We”. He was decked out in an eye-catching outfit that had even emcee Travis Chase enquiring where he had got the ensemble.
Region One picked up second place in this category for Santa Rosa Primary’s Kendra Sealy’s performance of “Indecent Language”. Performing “Ah Love My Calypso Music”, Region 10’s Saffona Hannays from Regma Primary was third.

In the 5 – 7 years dramatic poetry, the win went to Region Four’s Emily Gomes with “Oil In Guyana Is We Own”. Despite not “spacing” in this category, Region Two’s Maryann King gave one of the most passionate displays of the day with “A New Ethnicity”. However, with just a few lines to go to wrap up her performance, the Taymouth Manor Primary student forgot her lines and damaged her chances at the win. Region Five’s Nathalia David was second with her performance of “A Child’s Plea” and Region Three bagged third through Aarav Sukhram’s performance of “Lang Time Guyanese”.

The morning session of the competition wrapped up with the 8 – 10 years calypso and dramatic poetry, and it was Region One’s Ariel Williams singing “Let’s Cooperate and Celebrate”, who took the calypso win. Georgetown took their first win in the 8 – 10 dramatic poetry, with Justine Hamer pleading the case of a special case student in “Dyslexia & Me”. For her performance in “Black Gold” that spoke of Guyana’s new oil resources, Parfaite Harmonie Primary Keianna Hazel won second place for Region Three.
When the afternoon session got underway, Region Two was back in winners’ row once again, picking up the win in the Calypso 11 – 13 category, after the judges were most impressed by the performance of Cotton Field Secondary’s Sarah Fredericks in her rendition of “Guyanese Unite”.

Belle West Primary’s Samuel Williams had the thinning crowd fired up with his well-executed piece “Torrential Time”, articulating his disdain for all the ills of society that continue. Set to the backdrop of a television newsroom, Williams had the audience on his every word as he expressed his way to the win in the 11 – 13 years dramatic poetry category.

The second place was awarded to Region Four’s Faith Ferrell performing a prodigal son’s tale of a young woman who decided to run away from home, but eventually returned to her mother’s love in “Into Her Arms”. Region Five’s Esther Dbandhan was third for her performance “What’s the Difference”, narrated from the point of view of a rape victim.
In the final two categories of the day, the 14 –17 calypso and dramatic poetry, Georgetown and Region 10, respectively, collected the wins. The Calypso win went to South Ruimveldt’s Kishon Noel for his piece “Own This Mash”, while Linden Foundation Secondary’s Trevor Armstrong ruled the dramatic poetry category with “I Will Not Rest”. This was read as a warning to Venezuela as he the soldier character spoke of his determination to defend his country’s border and sovereignty.