PREPARATIONS for Mashramani 2012 celebrations are moving apace as expected throughout the country, and this year’s celebrations, on February 23, are expected to be even grander than in previous years. Mr. Lennox Canterbury, the Culture Ministry’s Coordinator of Mashramani activities, expressed those sentiments during an interview with this publication.
He disclosed that a number of activities have already been hosted by the various ministries and other agencies, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and those activities have been deemed successful.
Mr. Canterbury told the Guyana Chronicle that the Ministry of Culture/Mash Secretariat has been coordinating its activities with the Georgetown City Council, and the Mayor of Georgetown has taken full responsibility to ensure that the routes to be used on the 23rd are litter-free and well groomed. Cleanup activities seem to be going quite well through the hard work of the City Council.
Safety and security for Mash Day are some of the top priorities of the Ministry of Culture/Mash Secretariat. “We have also been working with the Guyana Power and Light Corporation (GPL) to ensure that the hanging electrical cables on the routes will be lifted, so as to ensure that the high floats and/or trucks are not caught or entangled by the wires on Mash Day, so as to avoid accidents and injuries. The Ministry of Home Affairs, along with members of the Guyana Police Force has also been cooperating with regard to the upcoming event, so as to ensure maximum protection for everyone (who) will be out there on that day.
“Vending along some of the routes will not be permitted, as it usually obstructs the parade in many different aspects. However, vendors will only be allowed on the Merriman Mall and the corners of Vlissengen Road.”
Mr. Canterbury shed light on some aspects of the competitions that have been ongoing for the season: The Chutney Competition finals, which was held in Trinidad and Tobago last Saturday, yielded good results, as the three Guyanese who entered — namely Terry Gajraj, Haresh Singh and two-time Chutney Queen of Guyana, Fiona Singh — secured places in the top 10 of the competition out of 18 contestants. And while the winner was Trinidad’s own KI Persaud, Guyana is still very proud of Terry, Fiona and Haresh.
The competitions that have been taking place in Guyana leading up to Mash Day are seeing tremendous support and participation. The Junior Calypso Competition which is set for February 28 at Linden, and the adult semi-finals which were already held, yielded 13 persons heading up to the finals, on February 17 at Thirst Park.
This event is highly anticipated, and is said to be far more exciting than those over the past years.
The Republic Bank’s Panorama Steel Band Competition is also slated to be held on Sunday at (16:00hrs) 4pm at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall; and the Carib Soca Monarch Competition, which is set for Saturday, February 18, is another event not to be missed.
The Children’s Mash Parade will be held on Saturday, February 18; the Children’s National Competition will be hosted from February 15 to 17; and the opening of the Mashramani Exhibition will be held on Thursday, February 16 at noon, at the Guyana National Museum.
The most highly anticipated of all these national activities is the Road March Competition and Float Parade, which will be held on Mash Day. Approximately 25 groups have already signed up to participate.
Both competitions will be judged, and the winner will be announced on that day. The reigning Road March King, Mahendra Ramkhellawan, whose song for the event, “Dem ah watch meh”, made it to the top, is one of the many contestants for the event this year.
The flag-raising ceremony will be held on the morning of February 23 at 07:00hrs at Parliament Buildings, and this will commence the Mashramani celebrations for the day.