![Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson (right), receiving the bank’s 2023 sponsorship from Republic Bank (Guyana) Manager of Marketing & Communications, Jonelle Dummett, as Director of National Events, Andrew Tyndall, looks on. (Republic Bank [Guyana] photo)](https://s1.stabroeknews.com/images/2023/02/republic-band.jpg)
Republic Bank (Guyana) is gearing up in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport to host another steel band competition.
According to release from the bank yesterday, it will be hosting the15th Annual Republic Bank Mashramani Panorama Steel Band Competition tomorrow at Kingston Beach, Georgetown. Eight bands are slated to compete in the large and youth band categories.
The release said that this annual competition is part of the bank’s “Power to Make a Difference” initiative, with sustaining the cultural art form as its core objective. Further, the bank stated that its passion for pan development in Guyana is centred on “providing avenues for empowerment for our nation’s youth, while sustaining national art forms and our cultural heritage.”
It was noted that over the past 14 years, there has been a resuscitation of the art form with a growing number of persons involved in playing the instrument, and showing a greater appreciation for steel pan music. The first Republic Bank sponsored competition was in 2009 and has grown over the years to comprise various categories, young and mature players and even being executed over two days when minor categories are included. It was due to the COVID-19 pandemic that the competition held virtually in 2021 and returned to a live audience in 2022 with a reduced capacity and performances.
The 2023 competing Bands are: Youth Bands – Buxton Pride, North Ruimveldt Multilateral, Police ‘B’ Division Youth Band, Queen’s College, and Tutorial High School. Large Bands – Guyana Police Force Band, Kunjaz All Stars, and Parkside Steel Orchestra.
