Dalton Laing, Gleaner Writer

Stuart Barnes, branch manager for National Commercial Bank Savanna-la-Mar and chairman of the Westmoreland Curry Festival Committee. - Contributed

This year's Westmoreland Curry Festival will add a new component to the usual varied specials: a vegetarian delight which will allow health-conscious persons to now share in the feast. The festival takes place on May 4.

Branch manager for National Commercial Bank (NCB) in Savanna-la-Mar, Stuart Barnes chairman of the festival committee, is confident that this added feature will be successful. "Many persons are now health-conscious and will not want to eat some of the foods available, therefore, these vegetable-based curry dishes will make them happy."

Running festival

Barnes is charged with ensuring that the Westmoreland Curry Festival runs smoothly every year.

He has been in the banking business for 19 years, and is now on his second stint at the Savanna-la-Mar branch. NCB is integral to the curry festival.

The idea is the brainchild of his predecessor Norman Reid, now a regional manager. According to Barnes, it is traditional for managers to serve the community and when he came on board in 2005, he was invited to chair the committee.

The festival was born out of the need for the urgent attention to the sewerage and security systems at Manning's School. It was believed that an annual fund-raiser would be the ideal means of executing this task.

More valuable than cash

In the earlier years of the festival, NCB made monetary contributions, but up to recently, it has become more valuable than cash. Barnes is allowed the time necessary to conduct detailed planning of the event and that he believes cannot be quantified in any accurate way, but the successes that the event has been reaping are testimony to its value.

He has grown to love the curry festival and his involvement is indefinite. "Government not able to support the schools the way they should, so as long as I am able to assist, I'll always give it my support."

Sits on school boards

Barnes is board member for Paradise Preparatory School, Manning's High School and Loving Care Christian Academy. He is also a member of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce.

NCB also refurbished the pantry at Clifton Boys Home in Darliston, to the tune of $170,000.

Entertainment for the festival will be more than adequate for the 15,000 patrons expected to attend. The line-up includes Munga Honourable and there will also be a gospel segment.

Activities include various cooking competitions, ice and vegetable carvings, plus a kiddies village with several rides and snacks.

The proceeds from this year's Curry Festival, Barnes said, will be used to continue with the fencing of the school which was started last year. He said that $2 million will be set aside for this project, plus remedial work on the plumbing and sewerage systems of the school.

Entry fee is $500 and the venue is Manning's School. After 4:00 p.m., adults will have to pay $600, while the flat rate for children is $250. Children under five feet tall will enter free.