Carifesta X exciting but could have been better organised

Carifesta X exciting but could have been better organised – participant

Aug 27, 2008 News

Antonio Liburd

Guyana’s hosting of Carifesta is commendable but could have been better organised.
This is according to Executive Director of the Festival Secretariat, of St Kitts and Nevis, Mr Antonio Liburd.
Mr Liburd is currently in Guyana as part of the St Kitts and Nevis’ delegation.

He said that while in terms of organisation the grand event has not been impressive, Guyana as the host country has been able to pull off some very enjoyable events.

He alluded to the grand market at the Sophia Exhibition Site which he said is a daily segment of Carifesta that has not failed to stimulate the interest of participating countries.

Additionally, he highlighted the various community activities which he regarded as “a real enjoyable spectacle.”

According to Liburd, Guyana will forever be embedded in the minds of all those that are involved in the event one way or another.

In 2000, St Kitts and Nevis was host to Carifesta an undertaking which, like Guyana, was done with much pride, Liburd said.

He noted that while the event was not as grand as anticipated, it served to adequately expose the culture of the islands of St Kitts and Nevis to participating countries.

Liburd disclosed that as far as he knows, St Kitts and Nevis has been able to boast of being the smallest Caribbean Islands that have ever hosted the Festival of Arts.

In terms of land space the two islands which make up the nation amounts to about 104 square miles with a population of just under 40,000.

He said that a great amount of preparation and collaboration was necessary to make that event a success in order to effectively showcase the indigenous cultures of the islands.

According to him, it was through Carifesta that persons from various countries were able to differentiate that the few differences between the two islands could be found in a few indigenous foods and cultural activities.

However, the ultimate success of the event, he said, resulted due to the fact that the people of the two islands came together as one.

Liburd said that he has so far been satisfied with the hosting of the event here, but noted that the best Carifesta he has ever experienced in terms of organisation was the year that Trinidad and Tobago hosted the event.