Dear Editor,
This year marks the 50th Anniversary of Carife. The 1st CARIFESTA which was held in Guyana between August 25th to September 10th, 1972 brought together well over 1000 visual, literacy, and performing artists from 30 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America. CARIFESTA attracted thousands of visitors to Guyana. Prime Minister Forbes Burnham had a vision of Guyana becoming the Cultural Mecca of the Region. The People’s Progressive Party, then in opposition, boycotted the occasion. Most of our great Guyanese sculptors who amazed the World with their creativity are deceased. Gary Thomas MS migrated to the United States, frustrated that a small group of artists from the University of Guyana, who had gained the favour of the Minister, benefited from grants and contracts for public works while grassroots artists, members of the Guyana United Artists had to survive the best way we could with our works being underpriced.
How is it that we have arrived at this stage, where art has become an object of ridicule, the artist community a laughing stock? Mediocrity has become the order of the day. They have made quite sure that reputable Guyanese artists who have given distinguished service to our country, are not recognized or given any economic sustenance and have created a body of so-called leading artists and giving them each a grant of $1 million dollars. Their intention at the end of the day is to make Guyanese artists look bad in the eyes of the public with the proliferation of “potboilers” in public places of the dynamics of the Creative Arts. The PPP knows that Our Cultural Heritage is one of the pillars in the reconciliation of Guyanese society and in order to undermine the process they have unleashed an agenda that excludes the acquisition of works of political content on Guyanese history and culture that could inspire hope and the progressive realization of the ideal of freedom, justice and a united Guyana. In conclusion, I would like to take the opportunity to make reference to the National Unity Monument, an Embodiment of Guyanese History and Culture, on the lawns of Castellani House, concealed from public view by three concrete walls and huge trees for 27 years.
Sincerely,
Desmond Alli
General Secretary
Guyana United Artists
