– Residents turn out in their numbers to celebrate

FOR the folk on Leguan Island, experiencing a ‘Mash’ celebration this past week — the magnitude of which has never been enjoyed before — was quite thrilling. The celebrations were also in keeping with the efforts by residents to promote a spirit of unity and camaraderie.

The event was planned by the Leguan Mash Committee, set up by the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and comprised representatives of various institutions.

In the past, there would only be a few floats from the primary and secondary schools on the island. This time around, there were five school floats and four adult floats by the Leguan Cottage Hospital, Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO), Leguan United Group, and Ministry of Public Works.

Maryville Primary School came off as the winner in the Children’s category of the float parade, with Eastern Leguan Primary coming in second. The WPO won the Adult category, with the Leguan United Group bringing second.

The WPO was adjudged Best Costume and Best Float, while the Ministry of Public Works was adjudged first for Impact Performance. Overall, the WPO got first place, theLeguan United Group second and the Leguan Cottage Hospital third.

While all of the schools on the island participated, Richmond Hill Primary was adjudged the Best Float, while Maryville Primary got Best Costume and Impact Performance. Overall, Maryville Primary was judged first, Eastern Leguan Primary second and Richmond Hill Primary third.

The judges – Dave Lalltoo, Mary Peters and Jonathan Singh – found it quite a task to pick the winners owing to the creativity and uniqueness that each float brought with it. “Our three committed judges, who dedicated their time to doing this usually controversial but important task for us, we appreciate you greatly for this,” Organiser and Secretary of the PPP Leguan District Fajina Khan expressed.

“It was a lot of planning; it brought the island together. Coming on board, it showed the creativity of the island people and a positive competitiveness,” Khan continued. The celebrations, which took place last Wednesday, coincided with commissioning of the floodlights at Green’s Park Ground at the flag-raising ceremony.

“Thank you to the Government of Guyana and President Irfaan Ali for affording the island floodlights…it has contributed significantly to the success of the evening part of the programme,” Khan observed.

The Leguan Mash Committee especially appreciates Minister Deodat Indar’s presence at the flag-raising ceremony, along with Regional Chairman Inshan Ayube, Regional Executive Officer Jagnarine Somwar, and everyone else who shared in making the event a success.

“Thank you to the MC Viren Chintamani, to the cooks, the persons who assisted in the ground preparation and stage preparation. Thank you to those who contributed to the prizes: Treshan Ojha, Ojha’s Internet, Imran Badshaw, Sayed Khan…Guyana Breweries Inc.,” Khan pointed out.

One of the judges, Dave Lalltoo, told Pepperpot Magazine that the theme of Mash this year — Mixing and Mashing as One Guyana – was very fitting for what he observed on the island this time around. The creativity, he noted, was commendable, and there was a lot of uniqueness which made the event very impressive overall.