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Students across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will have another opportunity to showcase their talents at the Eastern Caribbean Group of Companies (ECGC) Primary Schools Performing Arts Festival (PRISPAF) 2019.  

Speaking at the launch of the festival on Friday, January 25, Master of Ceremonies, Leslie Ann Millington, noted that over 50 primary schools across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will compete for the grand prize at the Methodist Church Hall on the 19 and 20th March; the PRISPAF preliminaries will take place from February 5 - 6th March, 2019. 

Chief Cultural Officer, Anthony Theobalds, spoke on behalf of Minister of Tourism, Sports and Culture, Hon. Cecil ‘Ces’ Mc Kie.  He conveyed Minister Mc Kie’s support for PRISPAF.  

According to Theobalds, PRISPAF allows students to exercise a certain amount of self discipline; to expand a range of skills set and learn to work in a team.  Noting that last year 55 schools participated in PRISPAF, the Chief Cultural Officer wished the 2019 PRISPAF all success.

Representative from the Ministry of Education, Dexter Bacchus, said the Ministry is in full support of PRISPAF.  Events like these, Bacchus stated, help to develop and sustain performing arts in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.  This country has and continues to produce internationally recognized talent, Bacchus asserted.  He thanked ECGC/Ju-C for their moral and financial support over the years and extended best wishes for 2019 PRISPAF.

Coordinator of PRISPAF, Martin Quashie, disclosed his pleasure in working with primary school children across the nation.  About three years ago, Quashie stated, ECGC/Ju-C added their voice to the programme to make it one of the best run school programmes.  He said that without the financial support of the sponsor the festival would not happen.  

The aim of PRISPAF, Quashie explained, is to identify talent in students and to nurture it from a young age.  He hoped that more schools will come on board this year and made an appeal to parents and teachers not to hide the natural God given abilities of the children within their charge.

Rachel Haslam

Marketing Manager of ECGC, Rachel Haslam, said this is the fourth year that Ju-C has been the title sponsor for PRISPAF.  Haslam described the start of PRISPAF as a time of excitement and said her company is pleased to be associated with it which so far has been a “rewarding sponsorship”.  To this end, ECGC/Ju-C doubled their support this year to EC $15 000.

The Marketing Manager of ECGC disclosed that she and her staff get a thrill from visiting primary schools and seeing first-hand the talent of children.  Thus, she endorsed PRISPAF as an avenue for children to have a balanced education.  For this, Haslam saluted the Ministry of Culture and the Teachers who work along with the children and thanked the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for supporting ECGC/Ju-C.

SOURCE: API