THE Ministry of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport on Wednesday received a $2.8 M cheque from Republic Bank to support the 2018 Pan-O-Rama Steel Pan Competition.

The competition has been one of the key competitions on the Mashramani calendar of events for quite a number of years. The cheque was handed over in the ministry’s boardroom, on Main Street. Republic Bank Water Street Branch Manager, Ms Celine Davis, who presented the cheque to the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ms Melissa Tucker, said that the sponsorship is a part of the bank’s corporate responsibility to giving back to the art form of steel pan and also back to the youths who participate in the culture.
“Republic Bank is proud to sponsor this programme in terms of art and what it does for the youth, we are also very much interested in our youth…so with…our power to make a difference we do encourage our youth,” Ms Davis said.

According to Mashramani Coordinator, Mr Andrew Tyndall, this is the 10th year that the bank is sponsoring the competition. He further added, that the bank’s sponsorship is not only limited to the competition, but also in the promotion and development of the art form. “The bank has invested in a number of training programmes that provide lots of opportunities to young people to become involved in the art form, as well as to develop the skills and the capacity of the trainers and the ranges of the bands and for that we are really thankful,” Mr Tyndall said.

He also noted the significant strides the government has made in keeping the steel pan art form alive throughout a five-year period by implementing a ‘School’s Steel Pan Development Programme,’ which serves to train students throughout the country. Permanent Secretary Ms Tucker, while thanking the bank for its generous contribution towards this year’s Pan-O-Rama competition, also took the time to appeal to the rest of corporate Guyana to make donations towards other Mashramani events.

“There are quite a number of other activities to be funded and we have had several other corporate sponsors coming on board, but there is still room for other members of corporate Guyana to lend assistance towards this national event,” Ms Tucker said.
Meanwhile, in an invited comment, Mr Tyndall said that the donation will aid in offsetting the expenses of the competition in the area of prizes and other needs and necessities of the event. He added that a total of 13 school bands, three large bands and a number of other small groups are expected to participate in this year’s competition, competing in five categories, namely the Large-Band category, School Band, Pan-Jazz, Pan Duet and the Junior and Senior categories. (Ministry of the Presidency)