THE CULTURE, YOUTH AND SPORT MINISTRY, with the requisite budgetary allocation, invested in infrastructure, sport and youth development programmes and cultural activities in 2012, in an effort to promote the agenda of the triple-sector ministry. Each of these three aspects plays a key role in national development, particularly sports and culture, and together they promote the country internationally.

Culture
Guyana has a rich and diverse culture, and the Culture Ministry has been working steadfastly to preserve Guyana’s national cultural heritage in various aspects, such as literature, exhibitions, lectures, dance, art and even films.
The ministry engaged in a number of lectures to educate the public about Guyana’s history and another series of the Guyana Classics was completed, bringing it to a total of 36 books, a momentous feat.
 
Guyana, for the first time hosted, the second Inter-Guiana Culture Festival, which saw participants from Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana showcasing their cultural diversity through exhibitions in visual and literary arts, culinary and performing arts, fashion, song and dance. This festival has also established a friendship among the Guianas which allows their people to learn about each other’s culture.
 
The ministry resuscitated the National Drama Festival, which was hosted in November, the National Music Festival, and the National Song Festival which was launched during the year, all aimed at improving the quality of local music and sustaining the country’s musical heritage. The National Music School has also been successful with its first batch of 11 students graduating with distinction, with more equipment being installed and the school being expanded significantly.
Additionally, focus was also placed on steel bands across the country, with several outreaches to teach interested persons.
The Burrowes School of Art continued to train and certify students and the National Dance School has also been doing well at its branches established in Regions, 2, 5, 6 and 10. As a result, more persons have access to these programmes with efforts being placed on revising the curriculum of the dance school so that persons can be certified at the end of the programme.
The National Museum, the Museum of African Heritage, the Walter Roth Museum and the Dutch Heritage museum continued to function effectively, as the ministry worked on improving the quality of exhibits and oral education.
The National Archives has also been beneficial to citizens and expanded the amount of materials kept in storage. Efforts have been placed on the digitalization of materials and a substantial part of that project should be completed in 2013. Meanwhile, staff underwent training in keeping with these new technologies.
Forty-five African Cultural groups received monetary assistance from the Ministry to stage Emancipation Day activities, while the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) received a $5M cheque.
 
With more than an estimated 80,000 people on the road during the celebrations, Mashramani 2012 was hailed as a great success, both at the central and regional levels.
The ministry, in collaboration with other ministries, as well as regional committees and a section of the private sector, worked hard to ensure that there were activities in every region, including flag raising and other cultural activities.

Youth
In 2012, 221 students graduated from the Kuru Kuru Training Centre (KKTC) and 66 from the Sophia Training Centre, joining the more than 2,000 others who would have benefited since the introduction of the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training (YEST) programme in 2000.
The YEST programme provides out-of-school, unskilled and unemployed youths 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.
 
This programme aims primarily to prepare participants for entry into other institutions of learning, employment in private or public sectors, and self-employment. Students are attached to work sites and often benefit from employment with the same entities.
Special focus was placed on the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) due to some challenges earlier in the year, with students escaping and setting fire to a dorm and the tailor shop. The curriculum has been resuscitated and students of this institution will now benefit from the same curriculum as the one at KKTC.

The ministry continued its annual youth camps during the month of August, attracting more than 7,000 youths across the country. A number of seminars were also held to develop the capacity of youth leaders, and youth clubs and groups and organisations have been receiving assistance.
The President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG) is part of an international programme that has been very successful over the years; and in 2012, over 670 youths 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.

Sport
During the year, $100M was allocated to upgrade over 90 sports facilities in communities throughout the 10 administrative regions. The money was distributed and communities began to work. These communities also received a slasher each to maintain their grounds.

The ministry has been reaching out to communities and organised sports clubs which saw more persons being engaged in sports. Additionally, close to $30M in sports equipment was given to most of the hinterland communities.
Next year, the ministry will commission its first Sports Research Centre, where students and coaches would be able to research anything relating to sports. Once completed, plans are in place for it to be developed into a sports institute.
The National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal, yet another great achievement by government, was the venue for the Goodwill Games. Competitors lauded Guyana for the beautiful facility.
The contract was also signed to develop the 25 meter warm-up pool which will be completed by late next year.

The national synthetic track and field at Leonora progressed with the ground work such as the landscaping, parking area, the track and the levelling of the football field being completed. The German Company REGUPOL will lay the track’s surface by mid next year.
For cricket it was still a tumultuous year for the sport. (GINA)