Guyana won two first prizes while Trinidad won one in the Carifesta Regional Art Competition sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and UNICEF.

The Government Information Agency (GINA) said Winston Alexander won the first prize in the 15-18 years category and Jonathan Jagdeo won the 12-14 years category. Also, Trinidad and Tobago’s Darlene Dolabaille won in the 8-11 category. GINA said Alexander and Jagdeo both won a laptop computer with accessories while Dolabaille won a desktop computer with accessories. The winners were presented with their prizes at the National Gymnasium.

The competition was held to encourage the creativity of youth from different Caribbean countries, GINA said. Minister Dr Frank Anthony said this was the first time Carifesta has held a regional art competition. He said he hoped other countries hosting the event will continue with activities that will nurture youths’ creativity.

The entries were judged by the Carifesta Secretariat. According to GINA, the three categories of the competition were judged by University of Guyana lecturer, Art Critic and Chairman of the judging panel Alim Hosein, Child Art Educator Sabine Mackintosh and UNICEF Deputy Representative Diguenne Fall.

Hosein said they were pleased with the way the children reflected the reality of the Caribbean in their arts which carried impressions of music, dance and cricket. Meanwhile, UNICEF Representative Johannes Wedenig noted that children’s creativity should be encouraged and he expressed his appreciation for the literature and arts of the Caribbean.

In addition to the art competition, youths were also involved in painting a 420-metre stretch mural on the Georgetown seawall.