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Jul 17, 2016 News
The Scout Association of Guyana (SAG), for the first time in its history, is preparing to host the Caribbean Cuboree – the 14th of its kind. Between 800 and 1000 Scouts from 13 Caribbean countries (Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago) and one Eastern-European nation – Poland – will be participating.
The aim of the Cuboree is to provide the opportunity for boys and girls between the ages of seven to eleven, to interact, experience different cultures and foster lasting friendships. Scouts believe that this will create a better world; a world where people learn from each other, support each other and treat each other equally.
Camp Chief of the Cuboree, Zaida Joaquin, during an interview with Kaieteur News, stated that the event is held once every three years in the Caribbean, and described it as an honour that Guyana will be hosting it this time around, when 100 years of Scouting is being celebrated.
SCOUTING IN GUYANA AND THE REST OF THE CARIBBEAN
Joaquin stated that the SAG is the largest and oldest Youth Organization in Guyana, having been in existence since the early 1900s.
Scouting in general started in British Guiana several years after it was founded in England by Sir Robert Baden-Powell. Guyana was the first country in the Caribbean where it was established, and the second in South America. The initial scout troop was founded at Queen’s College, by Sgt Major George Manley, a member of a British regiment stationed here, and scouting soon spread to other schools and churches.
By mid-century there were over 25 troops in British Guiana, many initiated by church groups. These included Queen’s, St Mary’s, St Theresa’s, St Stanislaus, St Francis, St Thomas More, HQ Troop 39, St Pius and Central High in Georgetown.
The Cuboree, which is the brainchild of Maria Babb, past Assistant Chief Commissioner of Barbados, was conceived in 1972. After much urging, the idea was placed on the agenda of the conference of Chief Commissioners held in Suriname in 1974. Barbados was invited to plan and execute an experimental Cuboree during 1976.
ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR THE 14TH CUBOREE
The contingents are scheduled to arrive in Guyana between July 22 and July 23. The Cuboree will kick off with a Contingent Leaders’ Meeting next Sunday, July 24, followed by an Inter-faith Service.
The Opening Ceremony will be hosted at the D’Urban Park Arena at 15:00hrs where the President of Guyana and fellow Scout, David Granger, will be attending to offer remarks.
The following days will entail: excursions and shopping; a Country/Culture Day; Torchlight Parade and Campfire and a Day of Sports, among other events.
A Cub Parade has also been scheduled for July 26 at 09:00hrs, where members will march through the streets of Georgetown. The parade will conclude at the SAG’s Headquarters on Woolford Avenue, where Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry, will be performing the Salute to the Cubs.
The Camp Chief zeroed in on the Guyana concert which be held on July 28 at the National Cultural Centre. This concert, she said, will begin at 19:00hrs and will entail a display of Guyana’s rich culture and its unique diversity of traditions, etc.
She said the event is aimed at “showcasing Guyana in all its glory to the visiting contingents”.
Joaquin stated that with the majority of the patrons being children between the ages of seven and eleven, she wants to “introduce them to Beautiful Guyana so that when they return to their respective countries and they get older, they will remember Guyana and their time here”.
Cuboree will conclude on July 29, 2016. The contingents will depart to their respective homelands during July 30 and July 31.
With this large number of persons arriving, one has to ask where they will be staying. Joaquin stated that since the participants are “Cubs (7-years-olds to 11-years-old)” the rules require that they camp indoors. This will be done at the North Georgetown Primary School and Richard Ishmael Secondary School.
The Government of Guyana has been supporting the event along with members of the private sector and several individuals coming on board to lend their support.
Minister Henry, during the official launch last Wednesday, said that Government recognizes the need to join hands with youth-friendly organisations and is happy to be supporting SAG in the hosting of the event.
She continued by saying that the Government recognises the need to work with young people to ensure that they are equipped with the requisite tools so that they can contribute in a meaningful way to the development of their selves and by extension, the development of Guyana.
MORE INVOLVEMENT AND SUPPORT NEEDED
During the interview with the Camp Chief, she was asked how the Association is being managed and where the funds were coming from.
She explained that SAG has been running on funds being generated by the various Scout Groups nationwide. She added that they usually host fund-raisers and with the contributions being made, they have managed to keep the SAG rolling.
On the other hand, she added that despite Guyana having over 2000 Scouts, the number of Scouts have been declining over the years because of the lack of adults wanting to participate.
She therefore is urging parents and guardians to get more involved in Scouting and also asked that they encourage their children to get involved, as they are exposed to life lessons and survival skills.
She stated that the Cuboree in Guyana will provide an up-close view of what a Scout is and how beneficial it can be to a child’s upbringing. This, she hopes, will be the catalyst for a boost in membership.
“We want parents to come out and see what we do, so that they can have a better understanding of how important Scouting is to a child’s development…We teach children out-of-the-classroom lessons: how to cook, swim, fish and lots more…These are life skills that remain with kids until they become adults; these are lessons that every child should learn,” she said.
The last Cuboree was held in neighbouring Suriname where 18 Cubs and 8 leaders from Guyana participated.
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