-costumes very creative and pictorial
The mash fever is on and many persons are getting into the festive mood. The preparation of floats and costumes by various entities is also in full swing.
The Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce will also be participating in this year’s Mashramani float parade.
Approximately 48 costumes for the Ministry are being designed to represent Guyana’s flora and fauna under the concept “Embracement of our unique ethnic and cultural diversity that made us the land of six races, standing united and proud.”
On Friday, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony visited several of the Mash camp and while at the Sophia Exhibition Centre  where the Tourism ministry’s Mash camp is located, stated that Mashramani is growing in Guyana and the parade is getting bigger every year, with 2010 promising to be very spectacular.
He said that there has been a lot of promotion for the February 23 celebrations and is very pleased so far with the preparations of floats and costumes by companies and organisations, especially with the creative work by the Tourism Ministry.
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad who was also part of the visiting team, posited that this year’s Mashramani celebrations seems to be the largest ever in Guyana’s history with approximately 33 floats registered to participate in the float parade on February 23 event.
He noted that for the parade his ministry will have 34 revellers dressed in costumes with head-dresses comprising 17 with macaws for the females and a similar number with jaguars for the  males.
In addition there will be 14 revellers dressed in ethnic wear depicting the six races that came to Guyana.
Minister Prashad stated that his Ministry’s costumes depict the Mashramani theme for 2010 “Embracing our culture, celebrating our diversity”.- GINA