Dear Editor,

It must have been a blessing in disguise that Berbicians could not access tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies of Carifesta this past week, since the show, at least from my perspective, wasn’t anything much to have missed. Except for a few visual attractions, I would not give much credence to the opening ceremony of Carifesta. The programme did not match all the hype and expectations that were dished out to the Guyanese people.

Carifesta was over- advertised in the print and electronic media and that is why I believe the tickets disappeared quickly in a matter of hours in Georgetown.

Berbicians, and I am sure other Guyanese living out of Georgetown did not get an equal opportunity to access tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies. Well after watching the show on TV I am really not bothered that much.

I had to open the volume on NCN up to forty- five to get a decent sound, then plunge my fingers on the volume button again to lessen the sound if I was to switch to another channel during that period.
Nobody wants to watch a ceremony over four hours long. These ceremonies should be short and sweet.
There were times when viewers and I am sure attendees in the stadium could not see a thing that was happening due to the poor lighting.

The fireworks were taking place over one of the huge stadium lights thus giving a blinding effect caused by the stadium lights.

The parade of nations too was poorly carried out. Countries were still parading and passing the crowds while the names of new countries were announced, thus creating a competition as to which country to watch during the parade. I guess they had to rush parts of the ceremony after it started some one-and-a-half hours late due to rain bands from a newly formed tropical depression in the Atlantic late Friday afternoon.

I must however commend the TV broadcast itself by the state media. The presenters were competently selected and this I applaud the producers for this. Two learned veterans with excellent grammar and speaking skills hosted the opening ceremony even though I believe they were dead tired by the second hour of the show. It could’ve been rotated with two other persons. It’s not easy commentating for over four hours of live television programming.

Why was the main stage put so far off in the field?

And why wasn’t the speakers’ podium a little further out in the field. The main part of the ceremony seemed to be one that was skimmed over easily as if it was not important.

The President’s address and declaration of opening the mega-arts festival was done after his speech and in a very ordinary way. During this time the crowd, it seems, were restless, moving about, and even talking amongst other things happening.

The organizers also urged persons attending the ceremony on Friday to leave Georgetown at least two hours before the four o’clock start. Are you kidding me?

How far is the Providence Stadium from Georgetown? Doesn’t the East Bank have a four- lane roadway? I can imagine the long wait until some time after five o’clock those persons had to endure after following the instructions which were all over state radio and television.

One other station in Berbice carried the ceremony for a while, then resumed normal programming. And I am very glad that they did.

Yours faithfully,
Leon Jameson Suseran