THE Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport received a cheque valued $1.3M from Digicel on Thursday, to be used to sponsor the upcoming Second National Drama Festival; while Republic Bank donated $1.8M for the Pan Minor’ Literacy Camp. The latter activity, which is in its third year, targets steel pan development for children in schools. This year’s camp targets 165 students from Georgetown, East Coast Demerara and Linden.
Michelle Johnson, Marketing Manager of Republic Bank, presented the cheque to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, in the presence of the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Alfred King.
Digicel’s Head of Marketing, Jacqueline James, meanwhile handed over the entity’s contribution towards the Drama Festival.
Dr Anthony said that the overall cost for the Drama Festival far exceeds that, but with the combination of efforts of the Ministry and Digicel, the cost of the festival will be covered.
He stated that the Ministry is very pleased with the response to the festival. “We always knew that talent was out there and persons were awaiting the opportunity to come to a festival and demonstrate their talent,” Minister Anthony said.
“Last year we tested the idea, people liked it, and we got great reviews; and this year, I think a lot of people who missed the opportunity last year are coming on board, and that’s why we are seeing this great response,” he said.
Minister Anthony also mentioned that, apart from individuals bringing their plays, the Festival will be stimulating persons to write a play which is very important.
“Later in the year, one of the offshoots of this is that we are hoping to publish a book on Guyanese plays, and some of these would have been plays that are well known, but we want to put it in a book form, because, very often, when people who are involved in drama and they are looking for plays, they can’t be found because all is not in one place,” the Culture Minister explained.
The Ministry is also working in terms of setting up a drama school which is likely to be based at the National Cultural Centre. (GINA)
Caption: Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, receives cheques from Head of Marketing, Digicel, Jacqueline James in the presence of the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Alfred King and Director of National Drama Festival (NDF), Godfrey Naughton.