Minister Gail Teixeira made this disclosure at a press conference yesterday to update the media on planned national activities organised by her Ministry for observances during this month.

She said the traditional Flag Raising ceremony on the night of May 25-26 will take place at the National Park in addition to those that will be hosted by the respective regional administrations to mark Guyana’s 37th Independence Anniversary.

She urged that Independence celebrations must not be seen as a “government thing” instead, it should be everybody’s celebrations because the struggle was a long and hard one, spanning about two hundred years. This struggle she recollected began with the resistance of Cuffy and other slave leaders of that period. She exhorted that all Guyanese should be proud of their sovereignty, having put an end to colonial rule on May 26, 1966 after a persevering struggle.

Responding to whether the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) has indicated their intention of participating in the Flag Raising ceremony at National Park, Ms. Teixeira said “the answer to that question would be clearer in a week’s time.”

The minister pointed out that alternative plans are in train to hold the Flag Raising ceremony at the National Cultural Centre, should the weather pose a problem in having the event at the National Park.

As part of the month-long observances, the National Archives Committee will be mounting an exhibition at the National Museum, featuring and depicting indentureship from 1835 to 1917 of the 300, 000 indentured labourers who arrived in Guyana during that period, the minister told the media.

International Museum Day will also be observed during this month, and in this regard one of the activities planned is outreach-visits to schools in East Berbice/Corriverton, the minister announced.

Another major cultural event for this month is the National Chutney Competition, and according to Ms. Teixeira, Region 2 has completed its segment of the competition, while in Region 6 the competition will be held tomorrow. Region 1 which will be participating for the first time since the competition began four years ago will be having its own on May 17 and in Region 4 it is billed for May 31. A date has not been fixed for Region 3 as yet.

The final is scheduled for the Uitvlugt Community Welfare and Development Centre Ground on June 28.

The minister noted that Chutney singing is one of the village cultures that were brought here from India by indentured labourers and the Ministry is promoting it to ensure that it remains part of the Guyanese culture.

The organising committee for the competition is headed by the Director of Research and Documentation of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Mr. Raymond Cummings and for the first time the private sector is represented on the committee with representatives from King’s Jewellery World and Little India, Ms. Teixeira pointed out.

Prizes would be awarded in two categories-junior and senior. The prizes for the former are: $75,000, $50,000 and $30,000, and the latter $200,000, $100,000 and $50,000 respectively for the first, second and third places.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway for Guyana’s cultural contingent to participate in this year’s CARIFESTA to be held in Suriname in August, the minister reported, stating that Guyana’s delegation will comprise 40 persons, but in addition, to the cultural contingent, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) and the private sector will be fielding another contingent to market Guyana’s tourism and manufactured goods and craft products.

Guyana is working towards having a big presence in Suriname, the minister assured, adding that the cultural contingent will be encamped for several weeks to foster a team spirit, before departing for the Caribbean’s biggest cultural extravaganza that was hosted by Guyana in 1972 when it was inaugurated.

Several workshops on play writing would be held for youths with a special focus on those located in the interior regions who do not have ample access to such training and the Ministry will be producing a national play which it hopes will be of the highest quality and as such would inspire others to follow suit, the Minister said.

She also said that efforts between her Ministry and representatives of the Theatre Guild Company to resuscitate Theatre Guild are underway. The difficulties, she said have centred around several issues including finance, management and administration, however, the two sides are moving in a direction which should result in a plan on the way forward.

A pertinent feature of this month’s activities will be a number of seminars on conflict resolution through non-violent communication (NVC).

Ms. Desiree Howells of Britain is currently here assisting the Ministry with formulating and coordinating an NVC programme in Guyana and later this month NVC expert, Mr. Marshall Rosenberg and Mr. Dunia Hategekimania will be here on a lecture series. The former has wide experience in conflict resolution having worked in many of the trouble-spots of the world including Palestine, Africa and Bosnia among others, while the latter is one of the victims of the civil war in Luanda which occurred about a decade ago.