Government is acquiring the memorabilia of the Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) for $2 million for ten years to put it on display, Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Lincoln Douglas said yesterday. He said so at yesterday’s weekly Government press conference, Port-of-Spain.
On the Sparrow memorabilia acquisition, Douglas said Government hoped to complete the issue by February. “It is a tremendously positive thing. We can work on this to honour him as he is still here with us and performing worldwide,” he said. The possessions include 52 certificates, 42 CDs, eight citations, four DVDs, 176 medals, 98 trophies, 78 videos and many other items.
Douglas said the items were at Sparrow’s House. A location to house the display is being examined. He said displays could also be done at NAPA, SAPA, Naparima Bowl, the Carnival Village and the Heritage Library. Douglas also said Government’s cost-cutting measures did not include scaling back on Carnival prizes for calypso, mas, steelband or regional Carnivals.
“Everything is set to go for Carnival 2015,” he added. He also detailed Festival Village facilities being erected at Laventille, San Juan and Mausica to host various artistic displays from drumming to folk dance. The first at Laventille is 45 per cent complete and is being done at a cost of $4 million. The San Juan location, costing $2.3 million, is 35 per cent complete. The Mausica venue, which was started 28 years ago, is only ten per cent complete and will cost $8 million to build.