Unity, beauty and more
Mash 'Soca Monarch' for Splashmins
By Iana Seales
Stabroek News
November 20, 2003
A new Mashramani activity has been added to the annual celebration, in keeping with the theme of Mash 2004: "Unity, beauty and more".
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Gail Teixeira said that corporate sponsor Ansa McAl Ltd has undertaken a welcome initiative dubbed 'Soca Monarch' to be held at Splashmins Fun Park on February 22.
Teixeira also announced that Mash 2004 activities will kick off next week and that for the first time in November, corporate sponsors have already pledged support for several competitions. In addition to Ansa McAl, Banks DIH Ltd and Omai Gold Mines Ltd are also on board. Mash activities in the various regions are expected to kick off next month.
Teixeira said that the key ingredient in Mashramani is the participation of the regions and added that all the regions have submitted their Mash programmes to the committee. She revealed, too, that some regions have already selected their float parade costumes and designers have been working over the past months. Regional budgets for the upcoming activities are also planned. The Mash Committee is working on a $16 million budget for Mash 2004.
Teixeira said further that the Mash Committee was also in talks with a neighbouring country with regard to possible integration with the February 23 celebrations.
She said that the idea was to have a contingent from that country here as part of the float parade so as to add a different flavour, but not to be judged as part of the local competition. However, she said that this was still being negotiated.
And with regard to the float parade costumes, she said that they were expected to be creative and expressive. But Teixeira said that body painting, a possible inclusion next year, would be straying away from the celebrations.
She said the Mash Committee hopes that Guyanese in the diaspora will come home in their numbers for the float parade on February 23.
Convenor of the calypso competition, Patricia Chase-Green, disclosed that auditions for the adult and junior Calypso and the Road March competitions will be held from November 24 to December 7. The quarter-finals of the adult competition will be staged at Rose Hall on February 7 and the semi-finals on February 14 at the Sophia Exhibition Site. The finals are scheduled for February 20 at the Bartica Community Centre ground.
Chase-Green said the committee would award $10,000 to singers whose songs were selected for the road march competition, to assist with recording expenses. The road march competition is also open to Guyanese living aboard.
Leslie Glasgow, convenor of the masquerade competition said that eight regional bands had already indicated their willingness to participate. Among them are two from Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica), two from Region Ten (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice), three from Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) and one from Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara). The masquerade competition will be held at the Fort Wellington School ground, West Coast Berbice on February 15.
Nazim Hussein, convenor of the Illuminated/Decorated buildings said that his committee hopes to see an increase in the recently included homes component. He said the committee has planned a media blitz in the hope of sensitising the public on the competition. He noted that last year several buildings on Regent Street were beautifully lit but the owners failed to enter the competition.
Hussein said that as usual government ministries and commercial businesses are a part of the competition which is expected to kick off in February.
Meanwhile, dates for other activities have been set. The Mash Jamboree will be held at the Uitvlugt Community Centre Ground on January 24 while the Children's Competition Final is set for February 18 in Georgetown.
The steel pan competition will be held at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on February 19. The Children's Costume Parade will take to the streets of Georgetown on February 21.
The Flag Raising Ceremony will be at the Parliament Building on February 23 and the Mash celebrations will culminate with the Costume Float Parade.