CABINET Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon said yesterday that Cabinet’s review of the recent Mashramani celebrations in celebration of Guyana’s 43rd Republic Anniversary concluded that the event was a “smashing success”.

Addressing his weekly post-Cabinet media briefing at the Office of the President on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive in Georgetown, Dr Luncheon said    the national flag-raising exercise rivalled any other within recent memory, and the reports by Cabinet members on their participation at the 10 simultaneously held regional flag-raising exercises further consolidated Cabinet’s assessment of the event.
The Government Information Agency (GINA) reported that the Tourism Ministry was determined to diversify and spice up the celebrations, and did so by pulling off the first-ever ‘Masharama’ street fete as part of a plan to attract involvement of more persons in Mashramani celebrations.
GINA said revellers experienced dramatically different Guyanese and Brazilian entertainment. The
event saw revellers, including the (acting) Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce,  Irfaan Ali, and Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, lining Brickdam between Camp Street and Austin Place to enjoy a mixture of Guyanese and Brazilian music.
A 20-member Brazilian Samba Band was brought in especially for the event as part of the collaboration between the Tourism Ministry and the Brazilian Embassy. The music was unique and well received, and was a change from the usual Caribbean and Guyanese sounds.