Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Grand celebration expected for St. George’s Parish Day


St. George’s, January 17, 2012 – Organizers of the St. George’s Parish Day, which forms part of the 2012 Independence celebrations, are expecting a massive turnout of people for a day-long set of sporting and cultural activities scheduled for Sunday, January 29.
Each of the nation’s parishes, including Carriacou and Petite Martinique, will be hosting a Parish Day.  Community groups and schools in each parish are also participating in the first-ever “Prime Minister’s Best Village Competition.’’
The theme for the 38th anniversary of Independence is: “Breaking All Barriers, Striving for Greater Achievements Under One Flag’’.
Activities are being spearheaded by the National Celebrations’ Committee (NCC), with subcommittees of representatives of community groups in each parish. The subcommittee for St. George’s includes representatives from the Carenage Organization for Recreation and Entertainment (CORE).
“There are three categories for judging the Prime Minister’s Best Village Competition – environment, culture and food,’’ an NCC official said.  “Culture includes not just dance, music and drama, but also children’s games and storytelling. For food, we are judging three types of Oil Down. These are Traditional Oil Down, Popular Oil Down and Fish Oil Down.’’
The January 29 St. George’s Parish Day will be held on the Carenage, with plans to begin the day with a cycle race.
“There are also plans for swimming and water polo, basketball, cricket and small-goal football,’’ said Lincoln Depradine, chairman of CORE. “The judging of the Oil Down food component of the Best Village Competition will begin at three in the afternoon, to be followed singing, dancing, steelpan and other cultural activities. We expect this will be a grand celebration.’’
Depradine said St. George’s Parish Day organizers are also inviting producers and vendors of locally made arts and crafts to exhibit their wares at the event on January 29.
So far, more than a dozen community groups and schools in St. George’s have registered to be judged in the competition’s environmental and cultural categories. Judging in these categories will begin next week.
Environment projects will include village beautification, tree planting, floral arrangements or mural paintings.
“Groups desirous of registering for the competition still have a few more days left to do so,’’ said Depradine. “They are invited to contact the Grenada Cultural Foundation at 435-5869 or 435-2839. They can also call 420-0753, 534-8213 or 416-4384 and speak with one of the youth coordinators for the St. George’s Parish Day and Best Village Competition.’’
At the national level, the NCC will be hosting a number of other events such as an Independence Torch Run; a track and field initiative called “A Day of Speed’’; and a calypso competition. The defending calypso monarch is Pamela Courtney, who also won the 2011 Carnival Calypso Monarch title.
Activities culminate on Tuesday, February 7 – Independence Day.

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