Director of the local fashion design company, Junshazyna’s Academy of Designing & Technology Inc., has told the Stabroek Business that it is ‘high time’ that both government and investors in Guyana, including those in the oil and gas sector, begin to “look in the direction of the creative industries” in providing sponsorship and various other forms of support for the creative and entertainment industries in Guyana. “I believe that it is basically a common sense thing,” the Dress Designer told the Stabroek Business following the staging of the Academy’s Graduation and Gala at the Theatre Guild on Sunday evening. “When you look around you get to thinking that more can be done to promote the creative industries, like fashion, which provides employment and equips people with skills that can create opportunities for ambitious Guyanese, not just women but men as well,” Junette told this newspaper.
The local Fashion Designer told the Stabroek Business that while she did not accept that there was “any kind of prejudice” in the manner in which the various sectors are being selected for official support, she believed that it had to do with “the way in which we go about doing things” here in Guyana. “I believe there has to be more structure in what we do. It is not just the fashion industry but other areas that provide jobs for ordinary people. The fact of the matter is that everyone does not want to work for a salary… in the Public Service or for some business that gives you a small salary every week. People want to make their own luck; they want to get involved in businesses that can cause them to make their own luck and their own money,” the Fashion Designer told the Stabroek Business. Asked whether she had notified state agencies about last Sunday’s event she conceded that given all the “ground” that she had to cover to ensure the effective execution of last Sunday’s event she had sent invitations to government Ministers “later than I would have wanted to.”
However, the Fashion Designer told the Stabroek Business that she was not “putting all of the blame on myself” since she believes that “at times like this government needs to reach out to people and let them know what opportunities are available.” Stuart said that she believed that the state institutions set up to address “issues like creating business opportunities for people” ought to be “out there” promoting those opportunities and “making it easier for people who are interested” to be afforded the opportunity.” “Those of us who are in this business” (fashion designing) are not always what you would call business people. What we are trying to do is to transform our talents into business ventures. When you are not a trained business person it is difficult. You need to transform your skills into a business. This is where government comes in, I think. We need to create institutions to transform marketable skills into businesses,” Stuart told the Stabroek Business. And according to Stuart government must not only “want to do these things; you have to set up structures to do them. If you need help it must not be that you have to have a friend somewhere in the system or wherever. There must be a system with rules and procedures that do not make you have to jump through hoops to get things. Unfortunately a lot of what we do is done that way. Too many times you have to jump through hoops.” “Too many times you see other people enjoying opportunities which you think that you too are talented enough to enjoy. The thing is that all you can do is try your best to find out how those opportunities are created,” she said. And, according to Stuart, while she believes that she can “turn out” skilled Fashion Designers, “it is for the system to help provide the opportunities to help to turn their skills into solid money-earning jobs.” “From everything that I have been reading about oil and gas and what it is supposed to go for the people of Guyana, I believe that we must have institutions that can help us to get there. We need to have more evidence that these organizations exist,” she said. Stewart told Stabroek Business that the training provided by Junshazyna’s Academy of Designing & Technology seeks to provide students with tutoring designed to help them realize the competencies that apply locally and regionally and which lead to certification at the National and Caribbean Vocational Qualification (NVQ and CVQ) levels which is recognized by the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET).
Stewart says that she is open to engaging “the relevant state agencies on how the Academy can help hone skills that will be needed in an evolving Guyana.”
