–band to comprise 150 strong revellers
THE words, “I am Guyanese … I will celebrate Mashramani always!” were proudly displayed on a  large banner, whilst the refrain of local singer Adrian Dutchin’s hit song, “I am a Guyanese”, helped set the tone of a truly Guyanese event, as Banks DIH launched its Mash Band for 2012, last Friday evening at Thirst Park. The band, titled ‘Fireworks’, made its way to the cheers and applause of those gathered, including Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, and Banks DIH Sales and Marketing Executive, Carlton João.
At the event, Dr. Anthony remarked that, judging from what was displayed, we should expect “a lot of sparks on the road”, in a reference to the band’s name and appearance. He said that excellence was expected from Banks and, so far, he has not been disappointed.
Minister Anthony noted that there was a slight increase this year from the previous number of 25 bands, and while he was a bit disappointed with the uptake, he was sure that the final result would be between 25 and 30 bands.
A bit reluctant to reveal the names of the bands, Dr Anthony confirmed only Banks and Digicel, saying that we’ll have to wait as the bands are launched one after the other in the course of this week. He explained that the Culture Ministry and companies were aiming to create a certain season, the right temperature, feel and mood for Mashramani, and things would get stale if all info was released too early. Further, he said the Culture Ministry had done a lot of planning for every aspect of Mashramani, and that those plans were currently being implemented.
Apart from some problems with the chutney competition and the weather, he noted, everything was going according to plan.
Encouraging persons to  be on the road for Mashramani, João reminded that the holiday is a celebration of Guyana.
The red and gold-coloured costumes feature majestic headpieces, and arm bands which feature a shooting firework effect. The eye-catching and glamorous firework effect was created using our local ‘pointers’ (spines of the coconut palm branches) disclosed Designer, Paul Burnette. The pointers were covered with tiny sequins for texture, and then painted in gold for a luxurious appearance. Other materials included feathers, beads, leatherette, cardboard and satin.
Burnette has already acquired a reputation from previous work, including in the Guyana Fashion Weekend event. He had the honour of designing the costumes for what is expected to be a 150-strong band.
At the event, he commented that the theme, ‘Fireworks’, was an apt opinion that every celebration in Guyana should feature fireworks, and that Banks DIH has a lot to celebrate.