By Jairo Rodrigues in Suriname
The City of Smiles … at least that is what the locals call it, Paramaribo, the Capital City of the Dutch-speaking South American nation, Suriname opens its doors today for the eleventh celebration of the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA).
Twenty-four countries are expected to be in Suriname for the biggest art and cultural festival in the region and Guyana’s contingent arrived in the festival city yesterday at around 19:30hrs Suriname Time (One hour ahead of Guyana Time).
Hundreds of Guyanese lined up to cross with the MV Canawaima at the 10:00hrs crossing and hundreds more were held up and made to wait for the 13:00hrs crossing. The Guyanese contingent for Carifesta XI includes performers in dancing, drama, music, crafts, visual arts, fashion and literature.
With a motorcade headed by Surinamese police, not more than twenty vehicles made u
p the Guyanese entourage. Guyanese fashion icon Sonia Noel,
