and HE Dr. Ismanto Adna Mba
Ms Felicia Hennis has been officially appointed as Anguilla’s Carifesta XI Ambassador by Suriname’s Carifesta Management Committee. She was among fourteen other CARICOM youth representatives who were appointed Ambassadors for their respective islands following a Carifesta Regional Youth Focus Coordinators’ Meeting in Suriname last week.
Ms Hennis told The Anguillian that the sessions were productive and enlightening.“Suriname is the host country for Carifesta Eleven slated for August 16th to 25th 2013 and the Government is primarily focusing on the youth, hence young people from various countries were specifically invited to attend the meeting,” she said.
“Suriname also holds the portfolio of youth development within CARICOM and the Government there is focusing heavily on the youth. The Carifesta Management Committee invited us to brainstorm to come up with ideas on how we can make Carifesta a success.”
During the opening ceremony Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Dr IsmantoAdnaMba, underscored the importance of the Caribbean islands coming together to showcase their art, talent, history and culture.He thought it was necessary for the youth to be involved in the planning stage as they were the future generations to carry on Carifesta.
The PS for Culture, Mr Stanley Sidoel, said this year marked CARICOM’s 40th Anniversary, and he stressed that the Caribbean was one region with one people and that Carifesta was a regional festival for all. He emphasised the need forregional governments to invest more in culture and education. He mandated the ambassadors to impress on their governments the need for all of the islands to participate in Carifesta 11.
Ms Hennis hoped that Anguilla would participate in the festival. “I understand the present financial position government is in, but it will be good to have some representation in Suriname to showcase our talent to the rest of the world,” she commented.
“I also think it was a good gesture on the part of Suriname to invite Anguilla and other bigger islands to participate in the planning stage. Some may see Carifesta as a fun time,but it is in fact a celebration to do with the liberation of our Caribbean people. Anguilla’s participation in the festivities would also be another way of promoting our island. The Suriname government is inviting not only the entire Caribbean region, but other countries as well, even as far as India, giving Anguilla, and the other islands, a huge marketing opportunity in one location with thousands of persons in attendance.
“Since I have been back in Anguilla, Suriname’s Management Committee has been in constant contact with us – the Ambassadors– to ensure that we follow through with our ideas and suggestions. The Suriname government has promised that once we fulfilled our assignments it will fund our trip back to Suriname to attend Carifesta.”
In 2008 Ms Hennis, who is the Information Officer at Radio Anguilla, served as media liaison in Guyana with the Anguilla Carifesta Committee which, together with her present involvement, is an asset to her. She has communicated her ideas to the Director of Youth and Culture, Mr. Dwayne Adams, and Programme Youth Officer, Ms Hyacinth Augustine, and is looking forward to Anguilla’s Carifesta delegation to Suriname in August.
