Mega concert in honour of CARICOM

Barbados has earmarked Monday, July 31, as the day dedicated to celebrating Caribbean unity with the CARICOM 50th Anniversary Concert!

Like many of our neighbouring countries, the Government is staging the concert which will showcase the best in Bajan and Caribbean talent featuring a mixture of different genres of music, spoken word pieces, dance and comedy.

From 6 p.m., the National Botanical Gardens will be a hive of cultural activity. The evening will start with performances from this year’s Crop Over Folk Concert featuring the National Folk Choir.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Culture, Senator Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight spoke about the significance of the day as she appealed to Barbados to come and be a part of the celebrations.

“We want to invite Barbadians to come out because this is really a moment to celebrate, but it is also a moment as well for us to showcase our own cultural heritage. You will see the Israel Lovell Foundation. We will have a number of cultural acts, Neesha Woods will be there, dance groups will be there.

“We will be telling the story of CARICOM, chronologising through a number of educational clips to make sure that we tell the story and give full ventilation to the moment of the 50^th anniversary. It is a family event,” the minister said during a press briefing on the event.

The concert’s line-up includes: Destra from Trinidad and Tobago, Kevyn Little from St. Vincent and the Grenadines; V’ghn from Grenada, Timeka Marshall from Guyana and more! All on the Bajan stage with Neesha Woods, the Haynesville Youth Group, the Israel Lovell Foundation, Wendy Alleyne, Reniece Bonnett, Sunrokk, Kweku Jelani, Edwin Yearwood & krosfyah, Peter Ram, Blood, TC, Natahlee, Ishiaka McNeil, Lil Rick, Cultural Ambassadors Caribbean Soca Queen Alison Hinds, Stedson RPB Wiltshire, Anthony Gabby Carter and many more! Along with the comedy of Mac Fingall and Damion Melville.

CARICOM is the oldest surviving integration movement in the developing world. It is a grouping of 25 countries: 15 Member States and five associate members.

The regional group has played a vital role in fostering economic development, social progress, cultural exchange and movement of people among member states; creating an indelible impact on the lives of millions of people across the Caribbean.

On July 3, St Kitts and Nevis held the CARICOM Experience Food Fair and Entertainment Night which featured a representative from each CARICOM member state performing during a cultural presentation.  On July 4, Trinidad and Tobago held a CARICOM 50^th Anniversary Concert. On August 1, St Vincent will stage the CARICOM 50th Anniversary Celebration at Victoria Park where there will be cultural performances and an arts and craft exhibition. (PR)