Baptiste leads contingent to Carifesta

A contingent of over thirty performers and officials from St. Vincent and the Grenadines will converge in Guyana next week to take part in the tenth edition of the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA).{{more}}

This country’s contingent is expected to participate in 15 of the more than 20 elements of the Festival, including Fashion Focus, super concerts and Calypso shows, literary, performing, cultural, visual and philatelic arts, as well as a youth forum, activities of the indigenous peoples and the grand market and fair trade.

Minister of Culture René Baptiste will lead this country’s contingent to the Festival, which is slated for August 22nd to 31st.

Other officials include acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Labour etc Sandra Davis, and Chairman of the National Cultural Foundation Anne Marie Venner.

A number of winners from the just concluded Vincy Carnival 2008 will also be present at the Festival: Miss SVG and Miss Carival Ronique Dellimore, Calypso Monarch Monique ‘Princess Monique’ Hector, Soca Monarch Gamal ‘Skinny Fabulous’ Doyle, as well as mas from a number of the leading mas bands.

This country’s top fashion designers Kimya Glasgow and Kimon Baptise will also display their work in Guyana, along with other singers, pannists, dancers, drummers, historian Dr. Edgar Adams and indigenous representative Melford Pompey.

Vincentians residing in the South American country are also expected to contribute to this country’s effort.

According to Minister Baptiste, apart from the arts, crafts, costumes and food, this country’s display will include a wide variety of books written by Vincentian authors, as well as stamps.

29 countries are expected to participate in the Festival which was first held in Guyana in 1972, with the most recent edition held in Trinidad and Tobago in 2006.(JJ)