A GINA feature

THE Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has had a very successful year in its triple sector, as evidenced by the numerous successful programmes completed in 2011, which signalled strategic advances. In the cultural sector, archiving was taken a step forward, whilst museums were upgraded and a new National Monument was initiated. An archeological find earlier this year is likely to uncover a 50,000 year old site of human habitation here in Guyana, and plans are on stream to bring the performing arts under one umbrella body.
In the Youth Sector, more young people have been trained through government funded programmes and have been able to join the nation’s workforce.
In sports, physical infrastructure was enhanced and Guyanese athletes made great strides in regional and international tournaments.

Archives recognized
At the National Archives, several training programmes were conducted for persons interested in archiving. In addition, a new building was constructed in the archives compound, with provisions for storage, fumigation and cataloguing of new material, before they are added to the archives.           
The local archives has also been placed on the UNESCO heritage list, for two sets of archival documents, one about indentured labourers who came to Guyana, and the other dealing with the Dutch period in Guyana. Both collections have been certified by UNESCO as being not only valuable for Guyana, but for the entire world, due to their unique nature.

Museum upgrade
All the museums under the ministry’s purview were upgraded and repaired. At the National Museum, two additional halls were added, one housing the giant sloth and other pre-historic animals discovered in Guyana, and the other displaying historical maps of Guyana. Exhibits infested by fungus were restored, thanks to staff training by Cuban taxidermists, and field expeditions were sent out to acquire new exhibits. More than 40 children were trained in the basic art of taxidermy during summer camps, while school lending programmes were continued.
The Walter Roth Museum’s journal of anthropology and archaeology can now be accessed online. A new unique project that began this year is the collection of Amerindian stories for publication in English, and where possible, in the language in which the story was told. 
The physical space has been enhanced at the African Heritage Museum, whilst new exhibits have been added. Several groups continue to use the museum for monthly lectures and research, other activities and Afro-centric research. From that museum also, outreach work was started this year into various communities in order to document the oral history and traditions of people of African descent.
These museums, along with the Dutch Heritage Museum located in the Court of Policy building on Fort Island, have become more like learning and research institutions. 
Preliminary discussions began this year for the development of another museum dealing with the history of sugar and its impact on the peoples of Guyana.

New archeological site
A new archeological site in the Berbice River was discovered this year, where it is felt that there was human existence dating back several thousand years ago. Preliminary excavation at these sites was done in August and samples have gone abroad for carbon dating. Professors from the United States, along with local archeologists and persons from the University of Guyana, are awaiting the results.

Bronze casting and film making
At the Burrowes School of Art, there have been expanded programmes and innovations. A small foundry for bronze casting is being set up, and discussions were held with a Canadian company to teach students the creation of cartoons and other animated materials. 
The Guyana Music School was opened this year and will have its first batch of students enrolled in 2012, while keen attention was paid to the spin-off for persons in drama, which is the natural movement towards film making. Thirty million was allocated to the University of Guyana for the production of short films. These were screened in and out of Guyana.
Meanwhile, the concept of an Institute of Creative Arts was explored this year, to bring all the bodies under one umbrella, and ideas have been presented for the certification of students who pass through the different programmes. 

Landmarks and monuments.
Works began on the 1763 (Cuffy) monument this year, and entails physical enhancement of the area around the monument and the monument itself, including the restoration of the fountain and lights.
Maintenance has continued on other monuments, landmarks and bandstands. The ministry has also begun work on the restoration of an old windmill at Hogg Island, which was used in the Dutch plantation days to grind sugar.

IYPAD
International Year for People of African Descent, so designated in 2011, was observed with a grand opening at the Guyana International Conference Centre.
Throughout the year, there were several lectures and more than 50 Afro centric groups were supported by the ministry for activities within their communities. A special concert at the National Stadium, called Sankofa, was organized, with a number of local artistes and groups performing while a book, “Hearing Slaves Speak’, was launched.
A competition for the design of a new monument to be called the 1823 monument was won by Ivor Thom, who has been commissioned by the ministry to build the monument. 

Mashramani
Mashramani 2011 came off, under the theme, ‘Showcasing our culture; sustaining our pride.’ On Mashramani Day, thousands lined the parade route, including many children. Planning committees have been put in place for Mashramani 2012, and the dates for events have all been worked out.
Because of the dwindling of the masquerade art form, workshops were conducted this year in the hope of finding enough groups for a competition. Whilst more corporate sponsorship is needed, work has been done on the float parade and the ministry is catering for roughly 30 floats.
Arrangements have also been made for new events, an exhibition at the National Museum, an art exhibition and lectures at Castellani House.

YOUTH
This year’s graduating batch of 236 from the Kuru Kuru Training Centre brought the total number of graduates from the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training programme (YEST) to approximately 1500. YEST provided these out-of-schools, unskilled and unemployed youth with continuing education, provided them with vocational skills which are fully accredited and equated to Caribbean vocational qualifications, in areas such as masonry, welding and fabrication, catering, office administration and information technology, refrigeration and air conditioning.
The KKTC has been upgraded with 24 hour electricity from the national grid and a well which provides potable water piped to the facility. New dormitories have been set up and the old ones rehabilitated. 
More than 5,000 successful participants of the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana Programme (PYARG) received bronze, silver and gold awards, after they successfully completed a lengthy period of meaningful involvement in community service, adventure, skills, training, physical recreation and moral education.

SPORTS
2011 has been a very successful year for Guyana, with local and national teams performing well in a number of disciplines. In international competitions, rugby, male and female softball, and hockey teams did extremely well, giving Guyana a good showing in the international arena.
In some of the non-traditional events, the country has also performed well in power-lifting, with Guyanese Hugh Ross winning the Mr. Universe title.

Sport infrastructure
Physical infrastructure continues to facilitate training for athletes, while the National Stadium continues to be multi-purpose. The National Aquatic Centre was commissioned, presenting Guyana with a world class facility for swimming, and provision has been made for a warm up pool there. A racquet centre has been set up at Woolford Avenue and includes two lawn tennis courts, two training areas and the first public squash courts in the Caribbean, with two courts. 
Close to $100 M have been given to various community centres around the country, in small grants, to repair and rehabilitate their grounds. The grants ranged from $1M to $500,000. Additionally, grass cutters have been purchased and handed over to every region to enable grounds to be kept in good order.
Rehabilitation works took place at the National Sports Hall, and work is continuing on the roof with the installation of vents. Repairs are also being done on the floor and a generator has been provided to the facility.
A new synthetic floor has been installed at the National Gymnasium. The work was financed from $124M which was allocated for this and field facilities development at Leonora, Region Three.
The foundations of the athletic and cycling tracks have already been laid.      
Additionally, $120M was allocated to the National Sports Commission to facilitate the expansion of sporting activities in schools, while another $200M was allocated for the upgrade of several sports grounds countrywide.
The year closed with the Sports Minister taking charge of the nation’s cricket by appointing an Interim Management Council to be headed by cricketing legend, Sir Clive Lloyd. (GINA)