Black Immigrant Daily News

The culmination of Crop Over Festival was merely three weeks ago, but the National Cultural Foundation is already on the drawing board for 2023.

Amidst the buzz about this year’s Grand Kadooment route, the NCF will be leaving the decision up to the public.

During a press conference today the NCF’s West Terrace, St Michael headquarters, Minister with the responsibility for Culture in the Prime Minister’s Office, Senator Dr Shantal Munro-Knight, revealed that they will be reaching out to participants in the festival for their input.

“All Barbadians have a stake in terms of whether or not we have a successful Crop Over, and in that context immediately after this press conference, we will be releasing a survey to the public that will ask the public to input on the new route for Crop Over 2023,” Dr Munro-Knight declared while adding there will be a stakeholder survey as well.

Masqueraders, vendors and Barbadians who actively participate in the three-month festival will have a say, over the next three weeks.

The Minister added that the NCF was already in discussions with bandleaders for their opinions and recommendations for 2023.

“We want to be sure that for 2023 we have a festival that is as inclusive in terms of its design as we can make it. We are cognizant that we have worked with all of the stakeholders – the band leaders that we would have walked with in 2022 – we would continue to talk to them in 2023, but at the same time, we are cognisant that we have a multiplicity of stakeholders in the entirety of the Crop Over Festival. We want to have a process in which people can input, reflect on and make suggestions,” she noted.

Dr Munro-Knight stated that NCF should have the results of the survey by November.

“We are hoping that by November, the beginning of November, we will be able to come back to the people after we have had Cabinet’s approval to say this is what Crop Over 2023 will look like,” she indicated.

NCF chief executive officer, Carol Roberts-Reifer reported that this year’s festival was successful despite the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The events were “well attended” and “heavily endorsed”.

Many cried foul at the late announcement of the festival in May and several promoters shared concerns about the poor sponsorship, however, Roberts-Reifer stated that the private sector pulled through despite the turbulent economy.

“The sponsorship exceeded out expectations in this environment. COVID-19 is a health crisis but it is also an economic crisis….

“Within the context of global economic restrictions, we are very pleased with the level of sponsorship we have been able to procure,” said Roberts-Reifer.

Her comments were supported by Oneka Small, curator of the Central Bank Crop Over Visual Arts Exhibition, who described the patronage at the three-part showcase held at the Queen’s Park Gallery as “phenomenal”.

“One of the highlights of this show for me having worked in the cultural industries for a long time is the number of people who passed through Queen’s Park over the last couple of months.

For each of the shows so far, we have been averaging about 600 visitors…by the end of [the exhibit on] Saturday we are going to have at least 1, 800 people come to view visual arts in Barbados. And to me, that is fantastic, amazing, overwhelming.

“There was a strong feeling of inclusion of visual arts within the festival. We were part of events, we were there for other events…we really feel included. A lot of times the visual arts feel like they are on the outside but definitely for Crop Over 2022, there was a great feeling of inclusion,” Small added.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Financial group Scotia Group Jamaica is clarifying an announcement that GraceKennedy has entered into an agreement to acquire Scotia Insurance Caribbean.

This agreement is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Scotia Insurance Caribbean Limited is a creditor insurance underwriting entity that provides services to Scotiabank clients in Barbados, Cayman, Turks and Caicos, Belize and the British Virgin Islands.

To this end, the GraceKennedy transaction has no impact on Scotia’s operations in Jamaica, which includes the customers of Scotia Jamaica Life Insurance Company (Scotia Insurance) and its ultimate parent company, Scotia Group Jamaica Limited (SGJL).

“We continue to invest in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean through the expansion of new products and services in insurance, wealth management and banking,” said Scotia Group Jamaica in a statement on Wednesday.

The bank said it would also continue to roll out of next-generation ATMs, recent upgrades to its digital banking platforms, enhancements to its mobile app and the upcoming launch of its new online platform.

In announcing the pending transaction on Tuesday, GK Group CEO Don Wehby said the acquisition of SICL is another step in GK fulfilling its strategy to grow its insurance business in the Caribbean and expand the footprint of the GF Financial Group in the region.

Wehby also said GraceKennedy would continue to pursue mergers and acquisitions as the key strategic driver of growth for GraceKennedy Group.

GK, in 2021, acquired another Scotia subsidiary, Scotia Insurance Eastern Caribbean Limited (SIECL). The business was subsequently rebranded as GK Life Insurance Eastern Caribbean Limited (GK Life).

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Black Immigrant Daily News

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Chief Secretary Farley Augustine is led through the ranks as he inspects the various armed detachments at the Indpendence Day Parade, at Parade Grounds, Dwight Yorke stadium, Bacolet, Wednesday. – David Reid

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine believes Trinidad and Tobago is still too conservative and has yet to carve out a unique identity since achieving Independence on August 31, 1962.

In his message to commemorate the country’s 60th anniversary of Independence on Wednesday, Augustine said the change in status presented citizens with a chance to insert fresh energy and direction into the governance process.

He added it also allowed citizens to develop a style that was more authentic and reflective of the realities of the country and its people.

But Augustine observed, “In some ways we are yet to fully maximise this prime opportunity, tethering closer to former and familiar standards, rather than boldly carving a path of our own. We have found ourselves too often along the straits of safe and small, instead of being the trailblazers leading the way.”

Recalling the country’s strides in several areas, Augustine said TT is capable of doing great things.

“Those moments when Trinidad and Tobago was audacious, still resonate around the world to this day. It is the marvel of the steelpan, which serves as evidence of our ingenuity to see and extract value, even in the old and discarded. This remains the only new instrument to have been invented in the 20th century, an invention that came courtesy of the red, white, and black.

“Who can also forget when a country of approximately 1.3 million dared and believed that we could successfully qualify for a FIFA World Cup? A historic qualification which made us the smallest nation in the world to have ever achieved that feat up until Iceland advanced in 2018.”

He also recalled it was under the leadership of the late ANR Robinson that TT tabled the motion at the UN General Assembly for an International Criminal Court in 1989.

“This was an idea that Robinson passionately advocated for and led the charge as a leader of a developing country, even earning the stripe as the ‘godfather of the ICC’ in the process.”

Augustine added, “I reflect on these national achievements as a timely reminder that we are meant to be the vanguards. We are the ones who should be bravely breaking the mould, while welcoming and surmounting the challenges that arise along our development journey.”

Urging citizens to reflect on TT’s progress over the past 60 years, Augustine wondered if every citizen feels truly independent or if some, based on creed or geographical location, feel more restricted and dependent than others.

“The dream was not solely to attain the power to govern ourselves, but to do so in such a manner that it makes a marked difference in the lives of all citizens. It was to build a Trinidad and Tobago where equity triumphs elitism; a twin-island nation that protects the dignity of all residing within its borders.”

As such, he said the country’s diamond jubilee must trigger critical introspection.

“We cannot be afraid to ask the tough questions, or engage in the difficult conversations, for it is only then we can gain a better understanding of our diverse and lived experiences.”

Saying that some have been championing the idea that life begins at 60, Augustine said, “If so, we are at a crucial juncture where we can strive to start again. We can breathe new life into the dream that transformed us from a colony, to a country of promise.

“The journey from dream to diamond jubilee germinated from the belief that no one can manage and seek our own interests better than ourselves. So remember, as we serve our country, we are ultimately serving ourselves.”

He urged citizens to recommit to the vision of the first patriot, who believed that together much could be achieved as a country.

“Reignite the love and dedication that may have grown cold for your beloved country. Let us stoke the fire once again and vow to push the land of our birth to go farther than ever before.”

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