Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698076987126.pdf (Guyana)
GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES BRITISH GUI.ANA REIDRT FOR THE YEAR 1959ft ••••• oOo .

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'· A .. , CONTENT'S Introduction • • • • • .

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Tlie Projection � ·,1; \y:.

t '.. � Conferences .

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.... Tra:i.ning .., .

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4 .. Press and Publications ... ; ••••• 3 2 Broadcasti ng -General .

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• 0 • • • .10 11 Field Service • • • !Cl • F'.ilms Division It e O O CJ Photographs Division 0 • c, e 0 .

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...... 12 Distribution ..... e � e ct 0 .

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13 14 1'3 • • 0 " • Librarr 'I., � .. �-,.

Agency for Central.Office or Information, London ••• 1, ' I Other Activities ' .
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,• .. ...... ••••• 15 i Staff Co-oper�tion .

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••••• 15 14 APPENDICES· II Staff at' December ·31, 1'959.

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i , ' -3- formally passed on the final day of the conference.

Conference of Extra-mural Tutors of the u.c.w.I.


The Chief Information fdrmation -0fficer (Mr. Searwar) session on Adult Education Mural Tutors of the U.C:W.I., ·which w,as held.

this year in British Guiana.


(Mr. Seymour) and the Senior In­ in the Mass Media of the annual conference of Extra were invited Officer to and·participated TRAINING · ' ', r As in previous years officers of the departmen t going on leave used a portion and to acquire of their time to broaden their grasp of information new techniquesft work In the course of the year officers studied the U.S.A;, ised•techniques casting, film production of radio and television production, development.
and corruTIUnity information the broad field of on leave in the·U.K.

and work and the special­ broad­ educational In addition, officerA of the department who had been on train­ ing spent some.

of their time in passi1.1g gaged in the broad field of adult education.

their knowledge to persons en­ A significant services of officers Government officers ganisations, work.
feature of the year was the growing demand on ;i,>.e of the department to assist with the training engaged in extension work, leaders of voluntary of or­ and others engaged in the broad field of adult education • A Visual Education · , J., �.

• .. courses in visual education assisted.

course in Communica'tion reflect awareness a growing Typical of this aspect of the year's work were the training with which Mr. R.L.
Young, Films Officer, Mr. Young had in the previous year returned s Media at Indiana University.

of the value of .visual aids in education, from a year-long These courses The Films Officer was also the Co-director of Studies for three seminars in the use of documentary American Film Specialists visit of the Specialists they· held seminars Government extension officers.

from Ohio and Iowa State.Universities.

by u.s.r.s.
by u.s.r.s.

, and during their stay was sponsored teachers film for in the use of documentary film which were held by two visiting The and ' I Adult Education and Radio Later in the year the Senior Information Qfficer (Mr·.

L, Searwar) and Information tion Association sons engaged Officer with a seminar in that field.
(Miss C. Dolphin) also assisted the Adult Educa­ on "Adult Education and Radio,11 for per­ Teacher Training in Schools Broadcasts During the year in continua were seconded five teachers study the techniques returned to their schools assist other members schools broadcasting as a teaching to the Division of schools aid.

of staff in the use of nce of a scheme begun two years ago broadcasting.
These teachers when they for six months at a time to Observation of Depar-tment 1 s Work Mr. Oliver Jackman, Mathurin, Acting Information after the Surinam Information Conference Department at f'irst hand.

Informatio Officer, Trinidad, visited n Officer, Barbados, and Mr. Owen British of the the operations Guiana to observe /PRESS .. .

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-,- , i· l .,., ' ' \ Publicat:i,ons f i ok.i:rablic •· ·._ During tne year the 'Divi.sion undertc ation of "Teddy the i booklet an illustrated Toucan" which won the first prize in t,he 195:9 History competitions Officer Department on the production of�AgFicultu •.

The Division for schools ' and Newscast re in,producing .

: s Co:mpiuniques ,t)1 ' a�so collabqrated by Mrs. Joy Allsopp, a work literary and Culture Week with the Photographs of a six page palendar for 1960 and with the the B.G.
Farm Journal.

In addition to,,i the normal work of hanqling Ministri:es an'd Departments, the Division also issued to the G0vernment Press'and Radio, releases based on a wide range of information rece:i/&ed from Commonwealth items for relea.se'preference can be;found interest· to Guianese,: is �:i:V'en to material in respect.of which parallels is of special or which for other reasons Posts.
In selecting in British Guia...na lnformation the releases of material GENERAL - i It began to emerge•dnring the year and was brought to sharp year end that G9·i/'ernm BROADCASTING , focus towards ,play a special daily press, mainly urban in circulation, a crit ical attitude •had by Ministries of Government's regularly audience and continuously.

policy especially Government's role in the pre,-:entn:tion of maintained the year to the Govern.'Tient.

Increasing would be required policy.


The throughout resort was, theref').1. ent Broadcast:i,.ng to to the medium of radio for the explanation as this medium alone reached the rurc .

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;-,, and defence T"tie ··New Br'itish Guiana Broadcasting Servic.e (B.G.

B.S.)
B.S.)

The most important development in radio during the year was the of a second Guiana Unlted :)3roadcasting Company operation by the British Service -which is on the radio station - the British Guiana.Broadcasting air daily from 6.00 ,a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and from 4.00 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. aims .. to provide radio fare of a less popular type than that This· station provided on "Rad io ��merara" under ·the pressures ' I!

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PROGRAMMES ., t, I , .

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",•· ... feature in G0vernment of a new set of programmes British Guiana Broadcasting Service.

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The important, of commercial sponsorship.

radio.

,programmes during the for the second radio ,year was the development B.G.B.S., station, possible with limited staff to develop wa:s that the G.I.S.

presented the new time made available.


cluded the following:- transcribed ·11ve G.t..s. many new programmes -and the result .s from many s�mrces on pr0gramme tprogrammes on this service ·' :.._' .

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,;t;l$•� "'' .... in­ • p "l'f I which began broadcasting in January.

It was not NEWSCAST .,,.

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--:-- ./ .. ' Daily at 7.00 a.m. with a weekly news Ro1md�p,_on Sundays at 8.4� a.m. MUSIC i ;i.i ; . '

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Moments For the Music Lover - A series based tion to give the listener a deeper apprecia on recorded music and designed of music.

DISCUSSION .

, �o Start You-Talking -A series of unscripted cussions'based on topics selected from titles in the Penguin series of pocket books.

The books were supplied to the panel taking part.

in advance radio dis­ /FDETRY ••• -6- POETRY Poems I Like - A weekly series during which prominent (and not so praninent) persons chose and introduced poems.

Radio Demerara.
Radio Demerara.

• I; > ., ., ,., .. :..; • i-.. .. daily five minute background talks and by the weekly The programme pattern was maintained on Radio Demerara of news, .... talks, magazine programmes for rural and popular audiences and programmes for specialised audiences -trade unions and local government bodies.
The strictly information needs of Government continued to be met by twice daily newscasts, radio talk -"Sunday At Noon" -which was Ministers of Government and aimed to provide entertainment "Rural Notebook" continued to provide talks of special farmers and especially from ministerial addresses given in the rural areas.

On the other, "Radio Magazine" Sport" in which prominent B.G.

sportsmen experiences" included a series of talks such as 11Great Moments in of a popular type.
Thus on the one hand and was also a vehicle for extracts told of their most stimulating Heads of Departments� given from time rice farmers, interest to time by to The magazine programmes connexion ble vehicle The Newsletter ., with the progra:rmne 11Houoewives Club" issued from time to time in 11Mainly For Women" continued to be a valua­ for the encouragement of listener participation.

1 LIAISON Radio Demerara and B.G.B.S.


,_,,_ l • Relationships with Radio Dernerara cordial basis, the department drawing heavily the Company's technical staff.

and B .G.B.s., continued as usual on the services of on a British' Council, U .S.I.S.

and the University College of the West Indies, and the u.c.w.r., cultural and adult education As in previous years, the British Council to the strictly contributions made valuable side of Government Broadcasting.
Typical programmes I s "Talking About Council series on Drama, "Characters time available cultural nature were also used.

One series in which the most eminent figures in the free world discussed had a wide following among serious l isteners.

Books" and the U .C.W.

I's Radio Education Unit in Conflict'', With the increase on B.G.B.s., several "The 1'7:rontiers to Government were the British of Knowledge", U .S.I.S.

programmes in radio of a .. B.B.C.


As in every year since the establish casting, the B.B.C.

continued to be the most valuable and of advice on a wide range of topics.

The visit of Mr. Anthony Programme Organiser of the B.B.c.

Caribbean Service, early in the year enabled the department to discuss at first hand British Guiana's respect of that service and the re-broadcasting locally.

Programmes of the Caribbean Service are now carried twice weekly on B.G.B.s.
ment of Government Broad­ of Caribbean programmes source of programmes Martin, need in Colonial Office Recorded Tapes A new service of short recorded talks for use in magazine pro­ grammes was introduced Colonial Office, Britain" is especially useful.

during year end by the Information Department, and is already being heavily dram upon.
"Bulletin From UNITED NATIONS United Nations Radio "'� With the expansion of Government radio time an increasing amount /of••• -10- M Teaching by Radio a talk on "Direct man of one of the three groups to report back to Conference at the end of each session.

After a week of most useful and informative agreed that while 11:&oad­ talks, pla;y-backs and discussio •.• radio could 11Supplement casts could not replace the Teacher" the Lesson and do much to enrich and stimu.J.ate both child and teacher."
ns, Conference to Conference and was chosen Chair­ lectures, FIELD SERVICE The operations of the Field Service during 1959 were high­ lighted by a number of special assignments.

These included tion of two m�jor policy decisions of Government, coverage visit to Nickerie publicity exercises crop diversification.
of Labour, Health and Housing, and supporting the Department by the Minister of Agricultur the explana­ of the official e's policy of In February "Operation 11 s Poster provided a round-th exercise for officers plaining Creek on the Corentyne to Charity Gcvernment's Budget proposals of the Field Service.

This poster campaign was carried out frc:m Crabwood on the PoMeroon.

e-clock ex­ Another special assignment centred around History Week Celebrations.
Prior to the week's celebrations, the District formation Officers were engaged in planning programmes.

During the week, full coverage the projection F.ast and West Demerara also actively assisted the Patrick Dargan Shield Debate in connexion 1-rns given to the several events which took place and to of suitable B.G.

fiL�s.

District Information in organising with the week.


Officers and running in and Culture In­ Other special assignments included the coverage of Coconut Field Days on the Corentyne and on the East Coast, Demerara, of a Cocou Field Day at Atkinson tural Station at Mon Repos.

and of the Open Field Day at the Central Agricul­ Visits Occ3sional visits were paid to settlements up the Corentyne, the courtesy Mahaicony, Mahaica, Demerara and Pomeroon Rivers.

In May, of B.G.

Airways Limited, a team of three G.I.S.


Officers Berbice, through Interior Department, Acting Information District to give general Information Officer for East Berbice accompanied the.Ministe HE;alth and Housing on her official visit to formation occasions when Ministers cia l capacity.

Officer (Field), paid a visit to the Upper Mazaruni the District r of Labour, In­ and at the request of the incJuding the were also in the accompanying official coverage to the area.

In August, Nickerie.


The District districts in their offi­ of Government Officers visited t eam on distributi explaining ment employees.
the broadcast To round off the list of special on of 4,000 copies of Dr. Jagan' the Government's assignments there was the broadcast s Sunday-at-Noon strike of Govern­ in regard to the position Each officer distributed 1,000 copies of the text of' in an operation lasting 15. from December 12 to December Normal functions of the Service The Field Service continued its operations in the rural areas on between headquarters and or misapprehensions districts, as well as in interpreting maintaining the two-way flow of informati the outlying ment's policy and assisting the Government aey reactions In addition, the officers continued to act as agents of the District Commissioners and to encourage munity development schemes.
The functions of the Field Service are gradually becoming and of members of the district team, and as this takes place, the District Information with greater efficiency.
to keep in close touch with of the public to policy statements, Officers have been able to carry out their duties more clearly defined both in the minds of villagers residents to work on solf-help and com­ and explaining Govern­ /The ... -12- "Mackenzie - The Bnuxi te City" portraying the life of that mining town; (2)"People With A Future" and aspects of social development among Amerindians Upper Mazarnni districts respectively.
Two other films also shot and are now vation and the work of a self help group were being processed.

Preliminary rearing and cacao propagation.

work was also done on films on poultry (3) ''Education in the North West and For Progress" on fish culti­ portraying At year end the Division in which a newsreel periment Sir Ralph Grey was shot and was processed with sound track the same evening.
through successfully sequence on the arrival of the new Governor and made available for showing carried an ex­ Filmstrip Filmstrip offers special opportunities in extension work and during the year an experimental education made on the work being done nt the Central Agricultural Repos.

and adult 35 mm filmstrip was Station at Mon A number of filmstrip projectors and screens grant and it is hoped consider are on order mada ably to develop possible by a C .D, & W. the use of fiJ.mstrips in 1960.
Film Ll..braI7- The year marked a considerable expansion film in adult education and extension extension documentary ganisations, agriculture, all drew on the film library for assistance programmes.

Thus, the sugar estrtte welfare officers tensively during their Home and Family Week celebrat also used during Canada Week which was organised in connexion visit of a team of Canadian businessmen Guianese officers in every field including industry with their used films ex­ ioris.
Films were with the in the use of the or­ History and Culture Weak.

industrialists and .also during work.

Voluntary and The film lends itself ideally to background sessions asked during the year to assist in briefing and the department was frequently such sessions planned for visiting delegations.

Ninety two educ�tion al film shows quarters staff in urban and suburban areas.

by a Chairman and is are usually introduced sion, with the result that there has been a tion of the medium.
were arranged by head- At such shows the films often followed growing audience by a discus­ apprecia- The Film Library was supplemented during the year by films in lent by the Canadian Trade Commissioner, the OverseRs London, United Kingdom Information Commissioner's Office in Trinidad.
Film Library Office in Trinidad and the Indian PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION For the year 1959, 1,255 negatives and 3,140 prints were pro­ duced by the Photographs range of subjects and helped to illustrate practically public activities.

Division.

These photographs exhibited every aspect of a wide The quality of output of photographs continued to improve, ion cf new technique owing to the standardisat an increase in the use of the G.I.S.
photographs various Government and brochures, Departments Christmas cards, etc.

Teachers from the various Government Schools used photographs as an important medium by which to illustrate lectures.

s employed.

There was by the press and to illustrate reports; their There was a significant improvement in the quality of the /negatives ••• rr·' ...

APPENDIX 11C11 Visitors l Mr. Anthony Martin, P rogramme Organiser of the B.B.C.

Mr. Oliver Jackman, Information Officer, Barbados.


Mr. Owen Mathurin, Acting Information Officer, Trinidad.

Mr. Frank Healy, Public Relations Consultant of Canada.

Mr. Robert w. Wagner and Mr. Orlando Knudson, American Film Specialists.

Dr. Patrick Malone, S .J •.

, President of St. Mary's University, of a Party attending a Seminar at the H�lifax, Leader U .C.W .I., sponso:red by the Canadian and West Indian Committees of :vhe World University Service.

Mr. Hugh Morrison; Supervisor the u.c.w.r.


of the Radio Education Unit of Mr. David Murdoch of the Overser,s Press Service Division of the Central Office of Information .

Mr. Harry Dilrosum, Senior Information Officer of the Govern­ ment Information Service�, Surinam.

Mr. Oliver Woods, Colonial Editor of the "Times".

Mr. William Clark of the "Observer" and Independent Television • ••• oOo ••• ...