MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sport, Ms. Gail Teixeira has promised to look into concerns by the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) that the annual grand February 23 parade in the city for the Republic's anniversary may affect Eid-ul-Azha observances at about two worship points.

CIOG President, Mr. Fazeel Ferouz yesterday said Teixeira, who was in Region One, is to meet the Mashramani Committee on Monday to discuss the issue and may also bring up the matter for discussion at Tuesday's statutory meeting of Cabinet.

Mashramani and Eid-ul-Azha are both national holidays and the Muslim festival commemorating the sacrifice of the Prophet Abraham is likely to also be on February 23.

And President of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud said the fact that Good Friday and Phagwah, both observed as national holidays, fall on the same day this year, should not be a problem for either faiths.

There have been concerns by Christians that the water dousing revellery popular in the city and other place on Phagwah day, may affect Good Friday worshippers.

Ferouz said the Mashramani float parades, usually a mix of scantily clad women parading in outlandish costumes and dancing to the tunes of high volume soca and other music, detract from the "most auspicious and solemn" occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.

While he has no problem with Guyanese celebrating Mashramani in whatever way they choose, the usual routes for the costume and float parade may cause distraction and inconvenience for the Muslims who will use the Queenstown Masjid on Church Street, and the Muslim Youth Organisation on Woolford Avenue, Ferouz said.

He said it would not be possible for those who normally go to both locations to go elsewhere, since about 1,000 people normally observe Eid at the Queenstown Masjid.

The routes for the parades are normally planned months in advance.

Ferouz proposes that either the routes be changed or that Mashramani be celebrated on Sunday February 24.

"This sort of thing only happens about every thirty years," he said.

The day for the observance of Eid would, however, not be known until the new moon is seen earlier in February.

Good Friday and Phagwah are both to be observed on March 29 this year, but Persaud does not foresee the observances affecting each other.

"Guyana is a multi-religious society and as such we must respect each other's belief and faith.

"In a society like ours, the occurrence of two different religious observances (at the same time) can be expected," he said.

"And so, the Christians in keeping with their faith will observe Good Friday, while the Hindus will be attending Mandirs in the morning and assemble for utsav in the afternoon," he said.

Persaud said Phagwah should only be played with those who are inclined to and it is not a day for Hindus to indulge in drinking alcohol.