PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Guardian - “It’s like drinking water from a fire hose... too much to take in all at the same time,” said Minister of the Arts and Multiculturalism Lincoln Douglas, talking about his experience of Carifesta while addressing the Trinidad and Tobago representatives who will be heading to Suriname this week. The Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago is providing $3 million in funding to facilitate the contingent of 100 participants for Carifesta XI. The regional celebration, which was first held in Guyana in 1972, expects the participation of 30 countries from throughout the Caribbean as well as Latin America and Europe. The minister referred to this year’s Carifesta as “the platform for all kinds of representations of our story through dance, music, theatre, literature, fashion and new media.” He highlighted the addition this year of graffiti art, represented by mural painter and skin tattoo artist Darren Cheewah. The festival, taking place in Paramaribo from August 16 to 25, is themed “Culture in Development”, said Ingrid Ryan Reuben, director of culture in the Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism. She spoke of the focus on “youth, innovation and entrepreneurship.”