–with Cricket Carnival celebrations, Prime Minister says

PRIME Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, who is fulfilling the duties of President, officially declared open the “One Guyana Festival” at the Guyana National Stadium, on Friday.

During the launch of the event organised by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, spectators were treated to a rich and diverse cultural display. The event, which also marks the start of the two-week Cricket Carnival celebrations in the country, also featured a cultural village.

Prime Minister Phillips said that the “One Guyana Festival” and Cricket Carnival celebrations catapult Guyana to the forefront of fun, relaxation, and enjoyment, while also contributing to the country’s developing tourism product.

“This occasion will contribute significantly to Guyana’s sport, tourism and hospitality sectors, driving tourists and foreign currency into our country to bolster economic activity,” Prime Minister Phillips said.
The Prime Minister also stated that the government recognises the importance of a world-class tourism product to its citizens and is committed to bringing this vision to fruition.

“As a country, we are proud to be able to share in this enjoyment and, as a government, we are committed to realising the vision of becoming a premier destination for world-class events. It will benefit all of us,” Prime Minister Phillips said.

Addressing the administration’s commitment to culture and the arts, he said: “The government believes that investments in sport and culture are crucial to the all-round development of our people. This commitment is seen in the initiatives that we have placed focus on in the past two years, including grants to encourage creativity in literary arts, film, fashion and music. By building the capacity of our people, we build their confidence and their skills.”

The acting Head of State was also keen to note that the potential of Guyana and Guyanese artistes will be on full display during this period.
“We also place specific emphasis on Guyanese artistes and have given our local artistes an exclusive platform this year, the One Guyana mega concert, where all the revenue from the gates will be retained by those artistes,” Prime Minister Phillips said.

He was joined by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr; the Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, senior government officials, members of the Diplomatic Corp and members of civil society.