The “Garifuna dancers” of the CW Prescod Primary School took the spotlight at a ceremony which was held at Frenches House on Friday April 26. 2024 to mark World Intellectual Property Day.
The dancers, attired in the appropriate costumes, enthralled the appreciative audience, which comprised mainly students of Bishop’s College, Kingstown. The attire of the students themselves (some in school uniform, others in the school’s purple T-shirts), contributed immensely to the celebratory atmosphere which prevailed at the World Intellectual Property Day event, of which their School graciously consented to be a partner to make the event possible. Bishop’s College Kingstown is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary. Its principal is Insa Prince-Duncan.
The dance contingent from the CW Prescod featured Kesslon Semon, Euncia Lewis, Madrid King, Jaziel Gilkes, Alliann De Freitas and Jomaria Tash. They were accompanied by their choreographer and teacher, Zerry Morgan, who was ably assisted by Ariel Ollivierre-Hooper. The CW Prescod headed by Suzette Abbott King, is still mourning the recent death of its teacher, Falicia Alexaner, who was instrumental ensuring that there was a Garifuna component in the school’s annual activities to mark National Heroes and Heritage month.
The opening prayer, which was rendered by Bishop’s student Taylor Samuel, began the day’s proceedings, which included the showing of a video of the 2024 World IP Day message by the Secretary General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Daren Tang who spoke on the theme chosen for this year’s observance of the day:; IP and SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] : Building our common future with Innovation and Creativity.
The WIPO Day event, also heard from Lance Chapman, the Vincentian Director on the Board of ECCO (Eastern Caribbean Collective Organisation for Music Rights. It was second successive year that Chapmen was addressing a forum to mark World IP Day in St Vincent and the Grenadines in that capacity, He did so at last year’s event which ECCO co-hosed with SVG AMP and had as its keynote speaker, Vincentian-born jurist[A1] , Mr Justice Colin Williams, who is currently serving in Dominica.
The event also featured spontaneous performances by its Master of Ceremonies, St Clair Stapleton, who is also President of the SVG Small Business Association and cultural enthusiast, Edgar “Kwame” Lewis, both of whom rendered poems. Stapleton did a poem “Of what value is School” which has inspired him throughout his life and Lewis did an original “Ah Tell Yo”.
The event also witnessed the official launch of a local initiative, titled: Calypso for SDGs. Describe as youth-driven, Caribbean soft power-based, global campaign, its full extent, according to the initiators, is be unveiled at the inaugural Youth Music and IP forum, planned for June 21, 2024-World Music Day.
