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Contact:
Rose
Marie Harris
Monday, September 3, 2007 – The
culture, music and spirit of Saint Lucia was on display during the 40th
anniversary of one of the Caribbean's' largest cultural expositions as millions
converge on Brooklyn, New York's Eastern Parkway for Labour Day celebrations
Monday September 3rd, 2007.
A tripartite arrangement between the Saint Lucia Tourist Board, the island’s
Cultural Development Foundation CDF and Saint Lucian revellers and musicians
in the New York-based “Paradise Islands Carnival Band “ took to the Eastern
Parkway carnival route in blue, yellow, black and white as Saint Lucians display
their national colours, cultural creativity and celebrate with the island's top
calypso and soca monarchs who are in New York for Carnival.
Curtis Brown, the founder and band leader of the
Paradise Islands Carnival Band, is excited about this "unprecedented"
partnership. "We are anticipating that this year will be one of the best years
for Saint. Lucia and our band on Eastern Parkway," he said, adding "with the
support we are receiving from the Tourist Board and the Cultural Development
Foundation, we have been able to do much more than in the past three years of
participation in the parade. As such, we are all enthusiastic and we feel
confident that this will help to put us in winners’ row in the small band
category. But if not, we are assured of the greatest prize – the pride of seeing
our homeland on display to the world like it has never been before."
Not only has the band’s participation been fuelled by the support of the two
agencies, but the partnership helps in the promotion of Saint Lucia as both a
Carnival and tourism destination. "It’s a particularly exciting time when the
Government of Saint Lucia has put renewed emphasis on the Carnival product with
the injection of a great amount of capital,” said Teddy Francis, Executive
Director of the Cultural Development Foundation, who embraced culture as a
further medium for selling Saint. Lucia’s tourism product.
Accompanying Mr. Francis was Milton Branford, Chairman of the Cultural
Development Foundation, on this mission to increase the collaborative efforts
between the Foundation, the Tourist Board and Saint Lucians in New York, and to
facilitate the development of the island's art form and culture at home and
abroad.
"This year’s Saint Lucia Carnival in July was one of the best in several years,"
said Maria Fowell, Saint Lucia's Director of Tourism. "Our involvement in the
Eastern Parkway parade certainly helps in our attempt to position Carnival as a
premier event on Saint Lucia's cultural calendar. We acknowledge that attracting
the participation of the Caribbean Diaspora is critical to this effort, hence
our presence in New York City to showcase the quality of our music and our mas."
At a press conference last week focusing on the Celebration of the Culture of
Saint Lucia on Eastern Parkway, the musical and cultural genius of St. Lucia
took center stage with the appearance of Calypso Monarch, Menell; Power Soca
Monarch, Kakal; Groovy Soca Monarch, Teddyson; and Caribbean Soca Monarch, Ninja
Dan.
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