THE Mashramani Children’s Competition yesterday officially kicked off celebrations in Region 2 with students of nursery, primary and secondary schools doing dazzling and colourful performances under the theme ‘Cultural folklore: Celebrating 44’ in dramatic poetry and calypso.Region Two’s Executive Officer, Mr. Sunil Singh, who declared the competition open, called on students performing to do their best so as to represent the region at the National Competition in Georgetown.

Regional Education Officer, Ms. Baramdai Seepersaud, who welcomed everyone to the Children’s Competition, said the activity was sponsored by the Department of Education in collaboration with the Regional Administration. She said the activity would continue on Wednesday and conclude on Friday at the Anna Regina community centre ground.
She said the competition is focused on the theme for Mash, and all schools across the region are involved.

The competition started off with students of Reliance, Anna Regina, Lima Sands, Cotton Field, Maria’s Lodge, Abram Zuil, Hampton Court and Danielstown Nursery schools hotly competing for the top positions in the Nursery dramatic poetry section. Anna Regina Nursery School, which did a beautiful dramatic poetry on the National theme, entitled “cultural folklore”, placed first; while Danielstown Nursery, with its dramatic poetry, “Celebrating our folklore in 44”, came in second. Third place winner was Lima Sands Nursery.
In the calypso category for the nursery schools, Anna Regina copped the first position, while in the primary school calypso 8 to 10 group, Lake Mainstay emerged first place winner with its piece “people in society”.
Some of the other dramatic poetry performed on stage were entitled “Back in the olden days”, “Old higue”, “Pollution”, “Training Pickney”, “Stop the violence”, “We need a home and peace”, “Don’t judge me”, “How they can stop us to be united”, “Have you ever thought of global warming?”, Long ,long time ago”, Road carnage” and “I call on the authorities to keep the city clean”.
Large crowds are expected to flock the community centre ground over the next two days for the continuation of the Children’s competition.

(Rajendra Prabhulall).