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CICS Encouraged To Expand Reach & Upgrade Rewards

The Community Independence Celebrations Secretariat (CICS) has been encouraged to expand its reach to a younger demographic and to upgrade the prizes being offered to participants.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, made this suggestion during the CICS’ Dinner and Awards Ceremony for Parish Independence Committee Members, Attendants, Parish Ambassadors and Facilitators for 2022/2023, held last Saturday at the Sandals Barbados Resort and Spa.

Mr. Griffith noted that the programme, over its 29 years of existence, has helped with the development of those who participated and built a sense of community with its activities and outreach programme.

It is with this in mind that he proposed lowering the age of participants and upgrading the prizes offered, which would be one of the ways to keep the programme fresh and attractive, as well as to ensure its continued success.

“I’m toying with the thought of maybe going younger, but I will be guided by the team in the Secretariat, as it relates to the age range of persons who are involved in this programme…. I need to see things like scholarships being offered to persons who participate in this programme.

“I think we need to because the fact that you have impacted the community; the fact that you have impacted families as it relates to this particular programme, I think we need to move to a stage where the rewards are more than what we would have seen. So, I just want for that to be part of … the standard going forward as it relates to parish independence committees that we’re able to offer scholarships to those persons who excel,” he stated.

He also suggested succession planning to groom younger persons to take over from those who have been working for years as attendants and committee members.

Mr. Griffith gave the assurance that the Ministry is committed to the continued success of the PIC’s programme and indicated that other programmes would be leveraged to assist participants in their development, including the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme and the Employability Programmes.

He said: “I promise all of you in the room that every single thing will be done by Government to ensure that we have continuous success within this programme.”

**Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, addressing the CICS’ Dinner and Awards Ceremony. (Community Independence Celebrations Secretariat)**

CICS National Coordinator, Jessica Parris, shared that the parish projects throughout the two years were of a “high standard” and commended all the participants for the work they produced.

She noted: “Barbados has a plethora of untapped talent and it’s quite heartening to see the parish independence committees unearthing this talent.”

Copping the award for the Most Outstanding Parish Ambassadors for 2022 were Paul Cato and Chloe Collymore of St. Lucy, while Amario Rollock and Destiny Cummins, also from St. Lucy, won for 2023. Their win made it three years in a row that the northern parish has won the award.

The year 2022 saw the introduction of the Committee Member of the Year award. And, receiving that award for 2022 was Nicole Collymore Secretary of the St. Peter PIC, while chairperson of the St. Andrew PIC, Tonya Stephens, won for 2023.

The Community Independence Celebrations Secretariat was established in August 1995, within the Office of the Prime Minister, to formulate a community approach to people’s participation in independence celebrations and to stimulate greater pride in their community and nation. (PR/GIS)

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Spirit of the Nation this weekend November 16

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The Richard Stoute Contest Finals Tomorrow November 9 & 10th

The Richard Stoute Contest 2024, co-produced by the National Cultural Foundation, has reached the final turn of the race. Twenty eager competitors are now preparing for the finals of the Over 21 and Teen Talent categories.

The ten Over 21 finalists are Alicia Alleyne, Zoe Armstrong, Kimberly Allen, Shaquan Smith, Amirah Cordice, Shaneka George, Jaleesa Greaves, Jacqueline Stoute, Lisa Hackett and Kenyah Joseph. The ten Teen Talent finalists are Kadarius Allen, Joshua Osbourne, Kayla Alleyne, Jasmine Walkes, Kyrique Alleyne, ZZ Cumberbatch, Kymani Devonish,Roneisha Alleyne, Joshua Osbourne, Jaliah Thompson, and Kenaz Walker.

Simply by making it to this point in the competition, these competitors join a special class of Barbadian entertainers, all of whom experienced the training and development that comes with taking the Richard Stoute stage. Since its inception in 1976, the Richard Stoute Contest has given birth to several Barbadian musical favourites. One of these is 1983 winner of the competition Edwin Yearwood who was referred to then as “the baby of the competition” by journalist Linda Deane. Singing Wildflower and You Are So Beautiful, a tribute to his mum, he won the seventh teen talent competition, beating AndersonArmstrong and Terencia “TC” Coward who would both later become his contemporaries in the soca arena. In a 1983 article about the contest, Linda Deane referred to the three as “the ones with the better chances of success”. TC would place second in that competition. Just three years later, in 1986, now global soca queen Alison Hinds was also a finalist in the Richard Stoute Contest.

Fast forward to the 90’s and many popular names in the Crop Over arena were singing and winning the transformative competition. In its sixteenth year, a twenty-year-old Adrian”AC” Clarke sang his way to the crown with his rendition of Jackie Opel’s Higher and Higher (his first time singing spouge) and Calypso Traveller. The very next year, his future Coalishun bandmate Rupert “Rupee” Clarke won the crown at just eighteen years of age. His winning songs were Frankie Paul’s “Sarah” and Stevie Wonder’s “Lately”, earning him a standing ovation in the Wildey Gymnasium along with a red Suzuki Swift, driving lessons from Cox Driving School and a trip to a Caribbean island of his choice. The 90’S would also see Barbadian balladist Betty B win the 1998 contest while performing artiste Ishiaka McNeil took the1999 crown.

The start of the new millennium was not without its future household names as Barry Chandler, who sang Vehicle and Wildflower(in tribute to his own mother and single mothers) amidst a standing ovation in George Street Auditorium, sang his way to the crown in the year 2000.

There are several more names throughout the years including popular band Spice & Company and 2024 Courtesy Garage Pic O De Crop contenders Darin Holder, Trinity Clarke and Shontae Alleyne-Clarke. Undoubtedly there isevidence that the environment of the Richard Stoute Contest breeds exceptional talent. Speaking about the competition in the year 2000 Barry Chandler spoke about Founder Richard Stoute saying “He not only taught me how to sing my songs properly, he taught me discipline, and I want to thank him for that”.

In a recently held press conference at The National Cultural Foundation NCF Music Officer assigned to the contest, Aisha Butcher, assured Barbadians the NCF will continue to uphold Richard’s legacy and standards while introducing innovations. These innovations include state-of-the art equipment, additional vocal coaches and a separate competition for the Over 21 age group. “We were happy to see that registration doubled this year [for the Over 21 age group] and the quality is on par with prior competitions”, Butcher stated.

The National Cultural Foundation has also introduced The Richard Stoute Award and The Spouge Award as part of their strengthened approach this year. The Richard Stoute Contest 2024 Finals will take place, tomorrow, Saturday November 9th (Over 21s) and Sunday November 10th (Teens) at The Derrick Smith School

and Vocational Centre

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Sagicor Life Inc. Lighting Ceremony This Friday

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment will host the Sagicor Life Inc. Lighting Ceremony this Friday, November 1, marking the start of the annual community Independence celebrations.

This year’s ceremony will be held under the theme Celebrating Our Communities: Re-engaging, Re-igniting, Re-imagining, and will take place on Friday, November 1, at 5:30 p.m., at National Heroes Square, The City.

Following the Lighting Ceremony, the celebrations will continue with a Bajan Brew at 7:00 p.m., offering an evening filled with spouge, drama, song, and steel pan performances.

The event is free and open to all, providing an opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy the rich cultural heritage of Barbados as we celebrate Independence.

Patrons are encouraged to arrive early and make any necessary transportation arrangements due to expected road closures in the vicinity of Wharf Road and Trafalgar Street. (PR/GIS)