Re: Mahadeo Shivraj’s Brown Sugar too Bitter for Me, Part II. “Where

Dear Editor,

I write with great concern on the above. This movie, and all the movies made by Mahadeo Shivraj -- Guyana’s acclaimed movie-maker -was not recognised by any Government in power ever in this country. This is a painful, depressing and annoying reality of Mr. Mahadeo Shivraj’s, and even another famous movie-making Team of Ssignal Productions (Bunny Alves and Sharmain Blackman).

These people get no recognition by our Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport; our Government in general; and they get no sponsorship from the Private Sector, large or small businesses. It is not easy to get financing.

These movies are made from blood, sweat and tears, usually personal earnings from jobs and a few snippets of support from friends, which is neither here nor there.

The movies made by Mahadeo Shivraj -- and I must also give credit to the Bunny Alves Team -- are all local films with an entire local Guyanese cast. Sometimes these persons were just born with a talent; they had no training in the arts or theatrics or acting. All they have is a skill, a flare, a blessing by birth, as I feel for myself, the undersigned. Acting is a hobby for me, and it was a childhood ambition when I would go to Radio City Cinema in Corriverton (Skeldon) and see certain stars on screen, such as Rajendra Kumar, Sean Connery, Dillip Kumar, Sunil Dutt, Rock Hudson, etc. I would actually see myself acting instead of them.

Unfortunately, Guyana is bereft of institutions that