What the 50th anniversary of Guyana’s independence offers – among other things – is an opportunity for the rest of the Caribbean to join us in the celebrations and the Jamaican-born businesswoman who has set up operations here has told Stabroek Business that her Island Style Restaurant situated on Brickdam directly opposite what is commonly called the GTT Blackberry Building feels honoured to part of it.
Valrie Grant says that beginning on Friday April 29 and for successive Friday nights in the month of May, Island Style will be offering its Guyana/ Jamaica Fusion, a unique celebration of fifty years of independent with food, drink and entertainment. “The idea behind the fusion,” she says, “is to offer those evenings when we can pay tribute to Guyana on its milestone while celebrating what I believe is a common appreciation in Guyana and Jamaica for fine entertainment. Our planned menus will offer the best that Guyana and Jamaica have to offer, not least of which will be Guyana’s Garlic Pork and Jamaica’s Jerk. Of course there will be a meeting of beverages too. On those Friday nights, Banks and Red Stripe will enjoy a high profile.” Grant says that part of the objective of what she calls “the Friday night furore” is to “shake up the 50tth Anniversary celebrations.” She believes, she says, that while the event will be a uniquely significant one for every Guyanese, the Guyana/Jamaica fusion will offer an opportunity “for us to celebrate together.”
Planning, according to Grant, has already started and, she says, that beyond Guyanese and Jamaicans, the fusion will be targeting the broadest possible cross section of Caribbean people living and working in Guyana.
“We want this to be a huge success for Guyana and because of that we’ll be going after the Caribbean organizations that are here in Guyana, like the Caricom Secretariat. We also want our Friday nights to be a must for Guyanese in the diaspora who return home for the celebrations.”
Grant says she understands only too well the special place that music holds in Guyanese people’s hearts. “We can promise a lot of reggae but we can also promise a broader spectrum of Caribbean music including, of course, Guyanese music.
