(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), H.E Edwin W. Carrington has communicated the full support of the Community for Guyana, as it prepares to host the tenth Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA X), 22-31 August 2008.

Speaking at the soft launch of CARIFESTA X during the Closing Ceremony of the Sixteenth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) on Friday, 12 October 2007, the Secretary-General commended Guyana for what he described as “an exceptional start in the preparations for the Festival.”

“We are impressed,” said the Secretary-General, “we are committed. Rest assured that the Community stands ready to give all the support Guyana would need to make the Festival a success.”

The Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony, Guyana’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, who launched the Festival under the theme: One Caribbean; One Purpose – Our life; Our Culture, assured the audience of Ministers, Youth and Culture Directors, Permanent Secretaries and a large representation of the Guyana Media, that his country had both the capacity and experience to stage a successful festival, despite the short time in which they have to do so.

In outlining plans for the staging, Dr. Anthony stated that the President of Guyana, H.E. Bharrat Jagdeo had asked the Prime Minister to head a Special Oversight Committee to ensure that the festival is accorded the priority treatment it deserves.

He further outlined the structure of the Secretariat that would be managing the festival, noting that it would be served by several sub-committees with responsibilities for specific areas, for example: health, security, public relations and special events committees.

In addition to the customary Signal Events in CARIFESTA, the Minister enumerated a raft of other events including youth fora, calypso events, super concerts, symposia and activities of the indigenous people that would be staged during the ten-day festival.

He added that the opening and closing ceremonies would take place at the national stadium; super concerts and an art village would be sited at the National Park, while symposia and a film festival would be located at the National Cultural Centre.

Commenting on the financing of CARIFESTA X, the Minister said Guyana would be establishing several chapters in the Diaspora to mobilize resources to support the Festival. To date, he said, three chapters had already been established; in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.

Following the unveiling of the CARIFESTA X logo, the Minister urged Member States to identify their delegations very early and indicate to the CARIFESTA Secretariat so that appropriate arrangements could made.

The COHSOD expressed its commendations and thanks to Guyana for “an excellent job” in advancing plans for the staging of CARIFESTA X.

Coordinated by the Interim Festival Directorate (IFD), the regional advisory body to CARICOM, CARIFESTA is envisioned by the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) as “a world-renowned hallmark festival of Caribbean cultural and artistic excellence, that generates economic benefits, unites the Region and excites all the peoples.”

Contact: piu@caricom.org