Cuba Willing to Offer Cultural Scholarships

Cuba says it's willing to offer several scholarships and courses to train and develop young Barbadian artistes. The offer was extended to Barbados on Tuesday, August 26th when Cuba’s Deputy Minister of Culture, Lizette Martinez Luzardo paid a courtesy call on Barbados' Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, the Honourable Charles Griffith, M.P., at his Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall offices. The Cuban delegation is in Barbados taking part in the weeklong celebration of CARIFESTA 15.

During the discussions, Havana pointed to numerous opportunities Barbados can benefit from through several social cultural projects, between the two nations. The Deputy Minister of Culture pointed out that Cuba has 350 cultural houses and 268 municipalities, with the cultural houses being run by cultural promoters.

She  noted that the cultural houses help to tackle issues of violence, drugs, family problems and conflicts facing young people, contending that she believes Barbados could strongly benefit from similar initiatives. Minister Griffith confirmed Barbados’ willingness to examine the initiative, as well as showcase its culture to Havana including calypso, which Ms Matinez Luzardo readily embraced.

The Barbadian Minister also disclosed that Bridgetown has been strengthened tremendously in sports through the assistance of five Cuban coaches who are at a world class level, noting that “Barbados would be only too happy if it can secure more coaches from Havana in several other sporting disciplines”.

Minister Griffith also expressed his belief that Barbados could benefit from the training of its sportspersons, bands, musicians, artistes, digital media, animation, dancing and master tutors in fine arts at the Barbados Community College.

“It can be a training of trainers programme in several areas between Barbados and Cuba which can bring a lot of results to Barbados and Havana, through two-way exchanges between the two countries,” Minister Griffith posited, adding that after a structure was put in place for the areas of cooperation and strengthening, both Barbados and Cuba should be seeing the results of their efforts.

The Cuban Deputy Culture Minister pointed to the training of community musicians in Havana, which Minister Griffith lauded as a fantastic idea since there’s a need in Barbados to stage more concerts and have more persons playing musical instruments.

Minister Griffith also noted that several persons from Barbados have studied and trained at the Latin American Film School in Havana, including staff of the Digital Media Programme at the Ministry, noting that “they can hold their own anywhere in the world, after receiving that training”. He noted that the film and movie sector was a muti-million dollar industry, which Barbados is eager to continue to explore for the benefit of its citizens.

The Cuban Deputy Culture Minister also praised Barbados’ staging of CARIFESTA 15, stressing that “they have been greatly received and are enjoying the event fully”.

The Barbados delegation to the talks led by Minister Griffith, included Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Joy Adamson, Director of Youth Affairs, Mr. Cleviston Hunte, Principal Youth Development Officer, Mrs. Andrea Titus and Youth Projects Co-ordinator, Mr. David Denny.

Cuba’s four-member delegation was led by its Deputy Culture Minister Lizette Martinez Luzardo and also included Cuba’s Ambassador to Barbados, Her Excellency, Yanet Stable Cardenas.