Dr. Anthony announces Film School for Guyana

Apr 01, 2014 News

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…tells House people are tired of the politics of frustration

“Is it possible to reach across party lines for the good of our people? They are weary…They are tired with the politics of frustration…They are tired with cutting and chopping.”
Those were the words of Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, when he made his plea for the passage of the 2014 Budget yesterday in the National Assembly during the debates.

According to the Minister, “Guyanese are watching what we do in this House…They are paying attention to how we conduct ourselves. What will they see? What will we tell them? What will we show them?”
The Minister told the members of the House that it is clear that there is something for everyone, in the Budget, “whether you are young or old whether you are school age or middle age, whether you are from the hinterland or the coastland, whether you are employer or an employee.”
According to Dr. Anthony, there is no doubt that a great deal has been achieved but to consolidate the gains made, and to build upon the foundation that was laid “we have to invest more, especially in our young people.”
He said that Government must be commended for its multi-sectoral approach, and pointed to the fact that this year there are substantive increases in education, health, housing, sanitation and water.
“All of these investments will benefit our young people in a direct or in an indirect way.”
The Minister told the House that under the ‘youth portfolio’ of his Ministry they will continue to run their traditional programmes providing educational support to young people that need a second chance at education.
According to Dr. Anthony, the residential programmes at the Kuru Kuru Training Centre and the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) and, the non-residential programmes at Sophia and Vryman’s Erven, have trained hundreds of young people and have apprenticed them at job sites.
He said too that the President Youth Award Programme (PYARG) and the Youth Volunteer Platform continues to offer young people an opportunity to be positive role models and both of programmes are growing.
Dr. Anthony reported that the PYARG is expanding with the formation of new units and this year the pilot volunteer programme will be expanded to more schools.
In addition, he said, the Ministry would move towards recognizing successful young people who have played a positive role in their communities. Later in the year, “we will start the National Youth Award Scheme.”
He reported to the House that during 2013 and into 2014 extensive consultations were held to formulate the National Youth Policy.
A policy steering committee was formed to guide the process; a stakeholder group was formed comprising a representative sample of young people to bring the views of their peers.
Dr. Anthony said that after extensive consultation a first, a second and now a final draft will soon be completed.
The Minister also used the debate to announce that the Second Visual Arts Competition and Exhibition under the patronage of President Donald Ramotar will take place in November this year.
“We expect that this would be one of the highpoints in our cultural calendar for 2014.”
The Minister reported too that the National Music School has expanded its intake five-fold; “We currently have an enrollment of 109 and despite the expansion we continue to enjoy 100 per cent pass in the external exams.”
The Ministry has expanded the school steel band programme which is currently in 13 schools,
“We partnered with the Guyana Music Teachers Association to host the biennial Guyana Musical Arts Festival.”
According to the Culture Minister, later in the year, the Ministry with various stakeholders will launch a programme to teach filmmaking in Guyana.
“We recognized the need to tell our own stories, by producing our own films…We are hopeful that this programme will eventually grow into a full fledge film school.
He noted too that apart from the film programme, “this year we will be working closely with the Catholic Community to host the Loyola documentary film festival…We intend to develop this into a premier film festival for local films.”
As it relates to works the Walter Rodney National Archives, “Over the last year our focus has been on digitalizing our archival holdings.”
He said that there are two projects that are ongoing concurrently; one to create a searchable digital database with all the indentureship immigrant records and the other is to take a digital image of the records.
Dr Anthony reported that these would then be merged and eventually taken online.
He said that, “this year we have budgeted monies to continue this database development, to buy equipment to create the audio archives and to start a paper conservation lab.”
The Minister of Culture Youth and Sport also reported on the works of the Caribbean Press which he said continues to publish books about Guyana both past and present.
To date the press has published 68 books about Guyana and has another 45 listed for future publications.
This year, Edgar Mittleholzer would have been 105 years, and Dr. Anthony reported that to celebrate his work the press will publish a number of his works.
According to Dr. Anthony, the Ministry is serious about developing the creative sector in Guyana and as such last year partnered with MASHAV and the Young American Business Trust to offered training to cultural entrepreneurs.
“It is encouraging that these cultural practitioners can now benefit from three new affordable financing facilities that are offered to small and micro enterprises (SME)…In addition Ministry has contracted prominent Jamaican professor Dr. Denis Howard to assist us in formulating a strategy for the development of the creative industry.”
He said too that an initial consultation workshop was held with persons from various cultural fields and a draft document will be produced and during the year the Ministry will work to finalize the plans and work on the implementation of the recommendations.

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