Latest update November 8th, 2024 1:00 AM
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African groups, ACDA benefit from $13.9M in Governmental assistance
Harmon handing over the cheque to Napolean
The Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth and Sport yesterday donated cheques totaling $11.9M to African groups for the execution of their Emancipation Day celebrations.
The Minister within the Ministry of Education with responsibility for the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, Nicolette Henry, noted that this initiative would see the Museum of African Heritage updating its register of all existing groups. This would be followed by quarterly regional outreaches that would allow for the assessment of the groups’ functionality.
Additionally, the Museum is expected to work with those groups throughout the year on various initiatives that are in keeping with the mission of the Department of Culture.
Going forward, Minister Henry emphasized that she would like to see a lot more visibility from the groups.
A cheque worth $2M was also handed over to the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA).
This presentation, made by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon to ACDA volunteer, Gail Napolean, comes at a timely interval as the association prepares to host the 2015 Emancipation celebrations today.
Harmon offered congratulations to ACDA for the work the association has been doing, while expressing the hope that the government’s financial contribution “will make the celebration better than it was last year.”
The ACDA volunteer in turn thanked the Minister. ACDA’s aim is to eventually make it convenient for all Guyanese to partake in her organization’s annual Emancipation activity at the National Park free of cost, she said.
According to a GINA release, yesterday’s donation will bring government’s financial assistance to ACDA thus far to 5 million, as 3 million was previously handed over.
The Canadian Oil and Gas Exploration Energy Inc. (CGX) also donated $1M to ACDA on Thursday to help offset the costs liable in this year’s celebrations.
ACDA has planned several activities for the National Park as part of annual emancipation celebrations, with performances from international singer Black Rasta, African cultural group Djoniba and local performances from Natural Black, Charmaine Blackman and Lisa Punch.
There are also other features lined up including games, African foods, folk games and a children’s centre. It is expected that the festivities will start from 10:00hrs, with “Harambe”, Swahili for “pull together” being the foreword.
ACDA has been around since 1992 and was founded by Afro centric Guyanese in a bid to nurture African culture. It is a not-for-profit organization and runs a remedial school in addition to providing social and cultural support.
The organization celebrates all national and international events, but particularly Kwanzaa from December to January, Black History Month during February, Emancipation day, African Holocaust Day on October 12, and the birthdays of key Africans such as Marcus Garvey.
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