St. George’s, April 13, 2010 (GIS) – Grenada’s Junior Culture Minister, Senator Arley Gill, wants more opportunities made available for talented and artistic youth of the Caribbean and Latin America.

Senator Gill and young local musician – Lendon Telesford, better known as Rico – are attending a cultural get-together in Ecuador.

Mr. Telesford, a student in the Management Information System programme at St. George’s University, is attending what is the first meeting of “Young People for Latin American and Caribbean Integration,’’ which focuses on youth participation in culture and development.

Among the criteria set by organisers for attendance at the meeting are involvement of youth – between the ages of 18 and 30 – in artistic creativity, networking and the promotion of quality of life.

Senator Gill, in an interview from Ecuador with the Government Information Service (GIS) of Grenada described Mr. Telesford – who has made it twice in the past two years to the carnival calypso finals at Dimanche Gras – as “eminently qualified’’ to participate in the meeting.

The Senator himself is participating in a forum of regional “Ministers of Culture and Officials in Charge of Cultural Policies.’’

In a presentation to the forum, he recommended the examination of avenues for “creating career opportunities in the cultural industry’’ for Caribbean and Latin American youth.

The Government of Ecuador is meeting the travel cost of the two-member Grenada cultural delegation. They are expected to return home on Wednesday.