– says Minister Persaud as deadline for logo, tagline and kiosk design competitions extended

“LET your creative side loose” is the message that Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, wants to get across to all those who may be interested in picking up on her recently announced plan to establish mobile street food kiosks across the country.
Phase one of the project included a logo, tagline and kiosk design competitions for which the deadline has already passed, but Minister Persaud is not pleased with the submissions so far as she’s found them to be very basic.

For this reason, the deadline has been extended for the time being for more submissions. The minister will be paying particular attention to those submissions that are especially ingenious and altogether different from what the population is accustomed to seeing.

“What I don’t want people to do is to look at what is, and just follow that. Look beyond what is, do research, and come up with some novel idea. That’s where we want it to go; beyond what you are already seeing here,” Dr. Persaud told the Guyana Chronicle over the weekend.
The competitions will enable interested persons to ‘bring to light’ the ministry’s concept of stimulating positive growth in the social sector and once the winning design for the kiosk is selected, a model will be built by the ministry and used as the specimen for the standardised structure, while the logo/ tagline will become the official emblem of the project.

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

“We are encouraging people to really bring out their creative side and to think outside the box about how they want not only the cuisine of Guyana to be presented, but how they want their country to be presented and how we can have a different look to our landscape,” Dr. Persaud further pointed out.
“Let your creative side loose so we can see something that is really spectacular,” she urged. With street tourism being highly regarded in many parts of the world, the minister had said that she wants Guyana, too, to be able to tap into the industry.

This is expected to be a standardised operation which will not see the likes of just about anyone, as strict adherence will be paid to hygiene and sanitisation. The initiative is intended to be something distinctive that can potentially change the very landscape of the country.

The kiosks will be made out of different metals and woods in an effort to reflect something very beautiful that is unlike the ordinary food stands. “We’re especially paying attention to hygiene, presentation, quality and standards,” Minister Persaud had expressed, adding that persons will have to be evaluated before being granted permission to run a kiosk.
The initiative is intended to reflect Guyana’s diversity and beauty and will be tapping into various industries in the country like its fabrication, food prep and agricultural industries. It is also expected to result in significant employment mainly for women, but not exclusively to them. A group of women can decide that they want to run a kiosk together and they will be granted permission as a group.

PRACTICAL
Minister Persaud also pointed out that the timing for this initiative is practical in that a take-away service is the order of the day with hardly any indoor dining being permitted. She said universally, street food allows customers to get a first-hand sense of the flow and preparation of local culinary magic and noted that the programme will be showcasing and promoting ‘Guyanese only’ street foods, a venture that would open new industries and provide jobs for many, including single mothers, youth and persons with disabilities.
According to the minister, the street food concept hinges on the premise of people’s deep connection to local food flavours.

“Guyanese have always been enamoured by local cuisine, and the opportunity to encourage persons to craft an industry that creatively presents our local or street foods to visitors and locals alike is captured in this initiative. The innovative creation of street food industry can make a sizeable contribution to the economy that has been impacted by COVID-19,” she said.
Minister Persaud is optimistic that the kiosk will create that “trendy vibe that also promotes Guyana’s uniqueness and diversity”. “What we at the ministry want to achieve is a distinctive and stylish kiosk. A modern and eye-catching structure coupled with Guyana’s renowned mouth-watering creations in a winning formula creating a signature experience for Guyanese and visitors alike,” she stated.

“We will work with vulnerable groups to prepare their business plans and make referrals to secure small loans to build the structure and be part of this exciting new industry of food tourism,” Minister Persaud explained.

Under the initiative, potential vendors will undergo a three-stage training programme. The training sessions will place emphasis on hygiene, safe food handling, waste food disposal and entrepreneurship and producing authentic flavours and diversity.