2014 happenings!

2014 was an eventful year in local entertainment as this look back at some of the happenings will reveal.

At the start of the year, American Grammy award winner John Legend and Jamaican reggae singer Beres Hammond performed live at the Guyana National Stadium.

Members of the drama community protested in front of the Ministry of Culture against non-payment of prize money won during the 2013 National Drama Festival. Within weeks, they received a percentage of the sums they had originally won, which did not make them smile for long.

In February, Link Show 30 opened at Parc Rayne, with producers citing horrid conditions at the National Cultural Centre. The show eventually moved back to the larger venue after a few makeshift improvements were made.

Lester ‘De Professor’ Charles won the Mashramani Calypso Competition with “The Truth.” Shontell Gittens took the junior title with “Chinese Taking Over,” which reportedly got her fired from her job as a sales clerk at a Chinese-owned store.

Pooran Seeraj was crowned Chutney Monarch for “Under the Maaro.”

Kwasi ‘Ace’ Edmondson won the Carib Soca Monarch title with “Still in the Game”.

American contemporary rock band Filligar visited Guyana.

The Rupununi Music and Arts Festival was a hit.

In March, the Hits and Jams Mashramani Awards saw several local artists recognised for their works as the entertainment company celebrated the first anniversary of its radio station 98.1 Boom FM.

Between April and November, Traits Model Management Agency was launched and Luela Figueira was crowned Miss Linden Town Week.

Stacy Ramcharan was selected and crowned Miss Earth and there was the annual Mother and Daughter Pageant in May.

Divya Sieudarsan was selected and crowned Miss India Guyana.

Rafieya Husain was crowned Miss Guyana World.

Delroy Walcott and Reesa Sooklall were crowned Mr and Miss Guyana Talented Teen.

Franale Latoya Holde was crowned Miss Emancipation Queen.

Miss Guyana Jamzone Soyini Fraser kept the Jamzone International Crown at its home base.

Niketa Barker who competes internationally in a few weeks was crowned Miss Guyana Universe.

Paul Charles won the first ever Mr Guyana International pageant.

And to top off the year in pageantry, Rafieya placed in the Top Ten of the Miss World Pageant and was crowned Miss Caribbean World.

In November Guyana was treated to Hamlet by the travelling theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe.

Between June and August, Guyana’s Lisa Punch competed in the ABC’s Rising Star competition.

The Guyana Festival was held at the National Stadium.

Jamzone Summer Break was held.

By October Guyana’s most prominent punk-rock band, Keep Your Day Job! did quite the opposite – quit and broke up the band.

Kindred Republic produced “Christmas Wish” by Poonam Singh and Randy Kirton’s “Kliche”.

Sonia Noel has been busy outside Guyana in Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Belize, New York, Miami among other places.

Meanwhile, Donna Ramsammy James, Nelsion Nurse and several other local designers launched their collections.

Women directors—Mariatha Causway, Ayanna Waddell, Nicola Moonsammy, Melinda Primo-Solomon and Felice Rosario-Monroe dominated at the National Drama Festival.