As the eleventh edition of the Caribbean Festival of Arts and Culture (CARIFESTA XI) came to a close in Paramaribo, Suriname, Eleston Adams, Antigua and Barbuda’s minister of culture, voiced his disappointed at the lack of interest for the event shown by most of his Caribbean colleagues.
Apart from Adams, only his counterparts from Barbados, Jamaica and Curacao had attended the region’s most prominent festival of arts and culture that came to an end Sunday.
“I regret to say that I am disappointed in the participation and support of culture ministers of the Caribbean for the CARIFESTA happening,” Adams told local newspaper de Ware Tijd. He made an urgent appeal to region for more support and dedication towards CARIFESTA and the artistes of the Caribbean.
“Culture should be more prominent. If we want to reap the benefits, especially with regard to tourism, each country should have a ministry of culture,” he said.
Adams congratulated the Suriname government, the population and the organizing committee for staging the event despite all the challenges.
“It is an immense and costly undertaking and a challenge,” he said.
He praised the involvement and participation of the large numbers of youth in the organization and the festivities itself. He also noted that the region should focus on the benefits CARIFESTA will have in the long term. According to the minister, the business opportunities that were explored will surely prove their worth in economic terms.
