ANSA McAL Trading Limited with a donation of $1M, and R. Bassoo & Sons Limited with a donation of $500,000 are the latest corporate sponsors of the inaugural Guyana Festival, slated for August 8-10 staging at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara.

Those donations were handed over to Tourism Minister (ag) Irfaan Ali in the subject ministry’s boardroom on Thursday, July 17, during a simple handing over ceremony which ANSA McAL Public Relations Manager,

Darshnie Yusuf, embraced to explain that “one of the reasons for us to come on board and support this event is that this event gives the Guyanese people the opportunity to showcase their talent, and anything of this nature we are happy to support.”

She said: “We like (the fact) also that different sectors of art will be showcased; and also, since our company loves to support sports, we are therefore very excited that ‘sports’ is a part of the festival.

“As for the sports aspect, we are very interested in that, and this festival will give our local sportsmen and women the opportunity to showcase themselves…

“We love the concept of the festival passports; it will give our people the chance to benefit from not just the event discounts, but also at stores,” she added.
The Chief Executive Officer and owner of R. Bassoo & Sons Limited, speaking briefly at the ceremony, said he was pleased to be associated with the event, but moreso with the cooking aspect of the festival, because he owns the Lotus Restaurant at the Cheddie Jagan International Airport.

Bassoo said, “It is an innovative and great idea, and I would like to applaud the Minister of Tourism for initiating this event.”

Bassoo urged Guyanese to come out in full force to support this event, and reiterated that this is a great opportunity to showcase Guyana’s diverse people and culture.

He also called on Minister Ali to make the Guyana Festival an annual event.

Minister Irfaan Ali, responding, said: “This ah we ting”, we can now dub the festival in this manner. Ali pointed out that the enthusiasm and response to the event is continuing to ‘blow us away’.

He related that ANSA McAL has been one of Guyana’s consistent supporters of everything Guyanese, and he said he would like to recognise the company for its dynamic support in every single major activity. “They never push you around; we called them, and in a short time they were on board to support us,” Ali related.

Minister Ali also noted that R. Bassoo & Sons Ltd has been serving the public with great service for a number of years through its Lotus Restaurant at the CJIA. The company is taking part in the cooking competition slated for August 10.

Minister Ali emphasised: “I urge Guyanese to look at the companies that are promoting us and see who are celebrating our Guyanese people and our culture, and let us support these companies.” He also said that, “I know a lot of hype and excitement are focused on CPL (Caribbean Premier League) but we will have a festival booth at the CPL, and during the interval, we will have some festival drumming to showcase to the world what Guyana has to offer.”

FESTIVAL COIN

The eagerly awaited Festival Coin was launched with King’s Jewellery World and the Ministry of Tourism bringing 300 pieces to Guyana. The coin is being sold at the Ministry of Tourism, Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and King’s Jewellery World at a cost of $3,000.

The Festival’s opening ceremony on Friday, August 8, will feature a fusion of Guyanese cultures, comprising various dramatic performances highlighting dramatic groups and craft, dance, poetry and painting.

The Guyana Festival Committee related that persons and groups interested in participating in the Festival Cook Out can access the registration forms from the website www.guyanafestival.gy or visit the Facebook page: Guyana Festival.

Interested persons can also pick up their Guyana Festival passports at a cost of $3000, or US$15, at the following locations: Nigel’s Supermarket; Ashmins Store; Courts; N and S Mattai; Survival Supermarket; KK Gas Station (Mahaica); M and M Snackette; Courts at Parika; Church’s Chicken at Linden; Essential Care Pharmacy; G3 Building at Diamond Housing Scheme; Fat Boy Discount Store (Stelling Road, Vreed-en-Hoop); the Ministry of Tourism’s South Road Office; and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) at the Sophia Exhibition Centre.

The three-day Guyana Festival will feature the nation’s most celebrated legends in sports, culture, art, music, food, entertainment, and much more.
Day One will feature an air-show and national concert; on Day Two the audience will experience the Night of the Legends, and Day Three will feature a National Cook-Off with food from every culture, followed by the Generation Next concert.

(By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally)