‘Yamboree’ replaces Yam fest on Easter Monday
WESTERN BUREAU: Although Trelawny will not have its usual yam festival on Easter Monday, parishioners will still get a taste of yam fever with the staging of “Yamboree”, a watered down version of the annual event.
“Yamboree” which is being staged in the parish for the second time, will be held on the grounds of the Albert Town High School.
Organised by the South Trelawny Schools Association (STSA), the event is expected to fill the gap left by the cancellation of the annual yam festival. Chairman of STSA, Rudolph Brown told the Observer that his association decided to step in and save the day because it knew that parishioners looked forward to the annual event.
“The effects of not having a big event in South Trelawny on Easter Monday would be devastating, so we had to put on a show for the people,” Brown said. He stressed, however, that the event would only be held this year, as plans are already being made to stage the Trelawny Yam festival in 2003.
Last month, the South Trelawny Environmental Agency (STEA), organisers of the popular yam festival, announced that it was unable to stage the annual event because of a lack of funding. But the Agency’s executive director, Hugh Dixon, blamed the cancellation of the festival on the Ministry of Agriculture’s failure to provide $4 million it had promised to contribute towards the staging of the event.
Two weeks after Dixon’s claims, Cabinet approved the funds, but the STEA said it did not have enough time to undertake the necessary work for the staging of the event, usually held on Easter Monday.
Dubbed ‘Yamboree 2002’, activities for the day will include speech, dance, drama and music and will be performed by students from the 11 schools in the South Trelawny region.
“In addition to these events, there is going to be a yam market where persons can purchase yams and sample its various by-products,” Brown added.
A stage show is also being planned to highlight the local talents in South Trelawny.
Proceeds from the event will go towards the completion of several school projects in the area.
