Double pay for local Cricket Carnival artistes – President Ali

The government has continued to implement systems to foster development for local artistes and Guyana’s entertainment industry.

In a demonstration of this continued effort, His Excellency, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Monday announced that government will double the payments for artistes who performed at this year’s ‘One Guyana’ Cricket Carnival shows.

He said this payment will see artistes benefit from an additional $100,000 to $300,000.

President Ali, in addressing the artistes at State House noted that the government, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports has afforded local artistes multiple avenues for improvement, exposure and financial gain.

The Cricket Carnival events brought the highest number of visitors in September, boosting tourism and placing Guyanese talent in the limelight.

“We sought to bring every single artiste under one umbrella – the One Guyana umbrella – to give you the opportunities and create the avenues through which your talent can be developed, through which you can improve your skills and expand your reach,” he said.

He also noted that efforts to market and utilize our local talent go beyond the Cricket Carnival events.

The head of state said, “We are building a One Guyana in which we can help every single one of you to be better [within] one Guyana, in which we can bring prosperity to every single individual,”

Further, the head of state called out the opposition’s persistent efforts to cast dark shadows over the initiatives driven by the PPP/C administration, and the development that stems from these initiatives.

He urged all in attendance to stand in solidarity to embrace the One Guyana vision, and reject the negativity cast by the opposition to hinder development.

“We have to become bold enough to tell those who continuously want to keep Guyana back, that we are all for One Guyana. I am asking you all to embrace the vision of a One Guyana united in purpose, strategy and people so that we can achieve the best,” he implored.

Moreover, the president pledged the government’s support and commitment to developing Guyana’s entertainment industry. He assured,

“…we are here to support you. We will defend you; we will stand up for you. We will promote you. Our talent may be raw and fresh in many ways, but we never and will never lack the capacity and capability to make it on any stage. I intend to invest in the talent that we have to make it regional and global.”

The ‘One Guyana’ Mega Concert saw 89 local artistes gracing the stage, and was made possible by the assiduous works of the PPP/C government.

This year, the concerts accumulated some $6.9M, which was dispersed among the artistes. This was part of the effort to facilitate profit and promote local talent.

Culture, Youth and Sports Minister, Charles Ramson Jr, Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Oneidge Walrond, and Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy were also in attendance at the ceremony.