New recommendations tabled to resuscitate masquerade

Apr 28, 2019 News

Director General, Donald Sinclair, Department of Tourism within the Ministry of Business

New recommendations were tabled recently at the first Masqueraders Consultation Forum in Georgetown. The forum held Tuesday last, was held to fully resuscitate the traditional art form.
The venue was the Moray House, Camp and Quamina Streets Georgetown.
In an interview yesterday Director General, Donald Sinclair, of the Department of Tourism within the Ministry of Business, said that the Tourism Department with urging from Minister Dominique Gaskin has decided on the consultation forum to upgrade masquerade.
Sinclair said that the Georgetown Consultation exercise was one of many kept around Guyana as they gear to embark on countrywide implementations with regards to masquerade.
Sinclair said that amongst the recommendations discussed was proper training of masquerade groups, competitive financial packages, policy management, provision of more performance elements, and strategies to enforce better application of skills by masqueraders.
On the platter as well was the forming of an events committee, and the new strategy of including masquerade as a highpoint factor when presenting cultural items, especially at an international level.
That aside, there are plans also to have masquerade included in tourism videos and advertisements as a tourism boost. A task force will be formed to put everything in place, and to put together the recommendations that will be soon made into legislations.
Following several examples in the Caribbean, Minister Dominic Gaskin has indicated an interest in the development of a cultural tourism product based on the masquerade.
This venture will be staged, also, to map out the next steps and ways the Culture Ministry can give support to the masquerade traditions in order that it could be part of Guyana’s cultural tourism product.
Recommendations were also discussed on polishing the present image of masquerade, and the need to educate masqueraders about the art form. Up for panel discussion also was the need for a masquerade commission, and policies for management.
The implementation of masquerade in tourism videos will be undertaken, and a task force will be formed to execute all recommendations when made into legislation.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News