Persons desirous of attending Friday’s Opening Ceremony of Carifesta can collect their tickets from today at the Carifesta Secretariat in Middle Street, Georgetown.

According to information received from the Secretariat, tickets will be distributed free between 10 am and 6 pm and only one ticket is allowed per person. Children under five, who will be sitting on the laps of adults, will not require tickets. Tickets are limited and will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.

It is unclear what will happen to people from other parts of the country who want to attend the ceremony.

As of yesterday afternoon the Linden Carifesta Secretariat had not received any tickets for the opening and closing events in the city.

Public Relations Officer of the Regional Democratic Council and regional representative at the National Secretariat, Leon Roberts told Stabroek News yesterday that after learning on Monday that tickets will be available, he went to the National Secretariat at Middle Street.  He was told after arriving at 2 pm on Monday that tickets will be available for collection at 4 pm. At 4 pm he was referred to an official who is responsible for ticket distribution and identified himself. Roberts said that he was told by the official that she was unaware of any Carifesta committee in Linden. Roberts indicated that he wanted to make clear that the 18-member committee was set up based on a request by Culture Minister Dr. Frank Anthony.

“We have in our possession no tickets for national events”, he reiterated.
It was noted that four packages were sent to individuals in Linden with tickets. The PRO noted that the Regional Executive Officer (REO) had a package addressed to him; a package was addressed to the Linden Economic Advancement Programme (LEAP); a package was addressed to the Regional Chairman Mortimer Mingo and another to Horace James of the Linmine Secretariat and member of the Region’s Carifesta Committee.

He noted that yesterday morning he found out that the Regional Chairman was able to intercept three packages. In terms of tickets for national events, Roberts stated, Mingo’s packet had 10 tickets for the closing and 10 for the opening. The three packages also included over 1000 tickets for the Region 10 Signal event for August 28 that will see participation by international artistes. And Committee Member Neil Fraser who was in the city yesterday was able to secure 500 tickets also for the August 28 event at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC), that has a maximum capacity of 10,000.

The Secretariat also printed its own tickets for events being staged by them and began distribution yesterday at Lichas playhouse at Mackenzie. Tickets are still to be received for plays at Lichas being staged by Carifesta X contingents from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and from Dominica.
Also in contention is the lack of uniforms for the Region’s volunteers.