Envoys hail `Main Big Lime'
by Linda Rutherford
THE verdict from two Heads of Mission whose countries were closely involved with last month's tourism extravaganza, `The Main Big Lime', is that the event was a huge success and has scope to become even bigger. That's the view of Surinamese Ambassador, Dr Humphrey Hasrat and Colombian Ambassador, Mr Luis Guillermo Martinez. Both, as did Venezuelan Ambassador, Mr Hector Azocar, brought cultural troupes here to participate in the November 27 activity on Main Street, Georgetown. Hasrat, who hoped that the name of former Tourism Minister, Mr Michael Shree Chan, whose initiative it was, will somehow be linked to the activity as a way of paying him tribute, said "the lime was a very good idea" in that it succeeded in bringing together people of all races. "My expectations were that the `Big Lime' would be a success in the sense that people of all walks of life...would come together. I saw it as an opportunity where Guyanese of every race would be there", the Surinamese envoy said. "I think in that sense it was a very big success; the biggest you could get in Guyana (and) I hope and think it would grow to be one of the biggest events in Guyana. It has all the potential", he added. Noting that his country had participated to its "fullest capacity", Hasrat said he would wholeheartedly support any project of that nature and that it reminded him of a similar event back home which is celebrated at around year-end. Called SURIFESTA, it is a weeklong activity lasting until December 31, which is founded "more or less on the same `Big Lime' idea of people coming together in a specific area", he explained. He said the members of the Surinamese delegation enjoyed themselves immensely, performing into the wee hours of the morning despite having to undertake the exhaustive overland journey back home. This they did after they had finished with `The Main Event', the cultural aspect of `The Main Big Lime' which was held on the lawns of the official presidential residence, State House. Hasrat said that with the right technical people at its helm, next year's `Big Lime' will be a huge success, surpassing even Mashramani in prominence. "I think next year will be greater than this year. Even if I am not an ambassador, I am sure I will be part of the `Big Lime' next year", Hasrat said. Planning ahead, he said what he would ideally like to do is to give Guyanese an idea of Suriname's rich variety of clothing and food. Lamenting the fact that he did very little this time around, Dr Hasrat promised: "Next time, I think big. I want to give you a complete Surinamese kitchen". The problem with `Mash', he contended, is that it is too ethnic-oriented. He said it sometimes pains him to see in this day and age that people in Guyana are still so divided, citing instances where he has attended functions and seen those in attendance belonging predominantly to one ethnic race or the other. Noting that this was something they have long done away with in Suriname, he said whether the celebration is Emancipation or Indian Arrival Day, "everybody is in the street". Ambassador Martinez, on the other hand, saw `The Main Big Lime' as being very important to not only pushing tourism but also good for integration between Guyana and her neighbours. "It's an event that can get bigger and bigger whereby other countries can become interested in participating", he said. He made the important observation that all the countries which participated in `The Main Event' are members of the eight-member trading bloc, the Amazon Pact, which comprises Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, Peru, Ecuador, Suriname and Venezuela. He said this was the reason why he opted for a folk group (Eskobios Danzas) which combined elements of Colombia's Amerindian, African and European cultures. As for the group, he said, it was able to integrate so well with its Guyanese counterparts in the National School of Dance and the National Dance Company, that within hours of its arrival both sides had assimilated each other's dance routines. This came as no surprise to him, he said, because he had seen Guyanese performers in action and had found similarities in both the way they drummed and their dance movements. On the lime itself, he said he had never before seen so many people on Main Street as on that day, and what he admired most was the orderly manner in which they participated. He was also particularly pleased with the way the Guyanese accepted other countries' cuisines, noting that the 400 units of typical Colombian fast foods prepared by his wife and two of her kitchen staff were sold out in the twinkling of an eye. This particular activity took place at the junction of Middle and Main streets in what was called `Latin Corner'. Venezuela was there too, with her own particular blend of savouries as was Cuba which kept strictly to cocktails. He plans continuing to work on the cultural integration aspect of bilateral relations between the countries through cultural interchange and has already set the process in motion. For the coming year, Martinez plans bringing off at least two activities, one of which is most likely to be for `The Main Big Lime'. The other he said would be more along the lines of a week of cultural activities or an art and craft exhibition. He said although he would like to do something for the coming Mashramani, it is too close after all that went into their participation in `The Main Big Lime'. He plans, however, on doing something just outside the embassy gate, to maybe set up a tent and invite persons passing to savour a little of Colombia.
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