Stabroek News
May 1, 2001

Productions at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) will soon get a significant boost in audio quality with a state-of-the-art sound system that is expected to be installed by May 23.

And as patrons sit back in comfort without having to strain their ears, they will also be treated to the visual sophistication of a new lighting system that will be added to the improvements at the NCC.

This information was yesterday revealed by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Gail Teixeira, at a press conference held in the board room of her Main Street ministry. The minister also briefed the media on activities planned to mark culture month celebrated this month.

At the top of the list is the celebration of the NCC's twenty-fifth anniversary and the commissioning of its new sound equipment, museums' celebrations, the annual Chutney competition and independence celebrations.

According to the minister said that all the activities to mark the NCC's anniversary will focus on improving the quality of the production and the standard. The installation of the new multi-purpose sound system is costing the ministry between $19 to $23 million and will replace one that was there for over 20 years.

Staff members will also be trained on how to use the equipment.

As another form of celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary workshops will also be held to brief persons how to use the centre's stage from a technical point of view. According to minister, during the year other workshops would be held on the use of sound and producing sound, writing plays and drama production.

It is expected that these workshops will be held by persons living in countries close to Guyana through cultural cooperation.

By July it is expected that the new lighting equipment will be installed.

The museums' celebration will coincide with the International Museum day observed on May 18 under the theme, 'Museum: Building Communities', and to mark this activity a number of events will be held in the various museums in Guyana.

The Guyana National Museum will host a handing over ceremony of art repatriated to Guyana. At the Museum of African Art, there will be an exhibition of art by the Burrowes School of Art. Other museums will also hold exhibitions to mark the day and these include the Guyana Heritage Museum, West Coast Demerara; John Campbell Police Museum; the National Military Museum; the Museum of Village Life, West Coast Berbice; the Linden Museum of History, Arts and Culture; and the Rupununi Weavers Museum in Lethem.

The minister observed that the museum community in Guyana had grown and noted that there was also greater involvement at the community level.

Independence celebrations will include the flag raising ceremony on May 25 and on May 27 a band concert in the Botanical Gardens. As part of this celebration the National Archives will prepare an exhibition consisting of documents and other items relevant to the 1966 independence. This is expected to give people an idea of the historical context and they would be able to look at some of the ceremonial issues.

May also marks the anniversaries of the arrival of the different indentured labourers and the ministry will put together an exhibition on indentureship. This is the first time such an exhibition will be held and it will be hosted at the Carifesta Sports Complex formerly the Guyana National Service (GNS) Sports Complex on May 21. The different cultures will also be focused on in the exhibition.

This exhibition will target mainly high school students, teachers in training and youth organisations. Prizes will be given to those who attend the exhibition dressed traditionally.

The national chutney competition will commence this month and will conclude in June. The semifinals will be held in Region Three, while the finals will be held in Region Five as part of the ministry's move to take national activities out of Georgetown and into outlying areas. However, if the experiment does not work the finals will return to the stage of the National Culture Centre.

The minister's sees the month of activities as an offering of reconciliation and the healing process for the country.