Grenada Today - The National Newspaper of Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique

A ten minute radio drama presentation aimed at helping children deal with the after effects of hurricane Ivan was officially launched in Grenada on Wednesday.

Re runs of "Spice it Up" a three part radio series which is sponsored by the Caribbean Support Initiative (CSI) in conjunction with the Grenada National Coalition on the Rights of the Child (GNCRC) will again be aired in March due to public requests. CSI is a regional programme with a thematic focus on parenting initiatives in Early Childhood Development which is supported by the Bernard van Leer Foundation (BvLF) located in the Netherlands.

The programme is also administered by the Caribbean Center for Development Administration (CARICAD) based in Barbados. The play was first aired on the Grenada Broadcasting Network (GBN) as well as WEE FM in January.

It seeks to address the social and political issues facing children and young people in the country. The script was written by International Playwright Guyanese Paloma Mohammed who was in Grenada in the aftermath of Ivan.

It was produced and presented in the country by local Playwright Francis Urias Peters as well as some members of the Family Theatre Company.

Peters told a news conference to launch the programme at GNCRC headquarters on Lucas Street Wednesday that, the production will have a major impact on the children in society. He disclosed that the audience will be asked to write their own scripts for the continuation of the production where it will be reviewed at a workshop and the best story selected.

Chairperson of the GNCRC Avril Anande Trotman disclosed that the CSI project had to be changed some what after the hurricane since the aim was to produce a programme based on effective parenting. She spoke of the GNCRC agreeing to the modification because they were of the view that there is a need to help children deal with the after effects of Ivan.

Trotman is appealing for sponsorship support for the programme in order for it to be continuous so that it can reach its aim which is a wider audience. Project Co-ordinator for the CSI Colleen Wint-Smith who spoke at the news conference believes that the programme will have a major impact on its audience.

She said that persons wanting counselling will be referred to legal and other agencies where their cases will be monitored and help will be given. A number of monetary and other prizes will be offered to the children participating in the script writing competition.

Three local radio stations have agreed to air the programme during their regular Sunday programming between 3 and 5 p.m. Spice It Up Cast include Claudia Morgan-Carter, Ann Peters, Zeleka Peters, Deloney Edwards, Earl Mc. Leish, Tahira Carter, Camella Nedd, Urias Peters and Cerise Nedd.