Some million has been allocated for Mashramani 2017 festivities. This is according to the Education Ministry, whose officials have announced their plans on Wednesday, during the official launching at the Ministry’s Culture Youth and Sport Department.
Event coordinator Lennox Cantebury (centre); National School of Music Administrator Andrew Tyndall and Coordinator of the Allied Arts Unit, Desiree Wyles-Ogle at a press briefing on Wednesday
The announcement followed the revelation that the Jubilee Costume and Float Parade route will repeat last year’s path; revellers gathered along Brickdam and the parade culminated at D’Urban Park, which was constructed in 2016.
Event Coordinator Lennox Cantebury told the media that the Brickdam route is less costly than the previous path along Church and Irving Streets, into the National Park.
Canterbury pointed out that this route is much safer for spectators, as members of the Guyana Police Force will be stationed at nearby spots. He added that the children’s parade will now be included in the Mashramani parade on February 23, 2017.
Moreover, he asserted that while persons may complain about the limited space available along the route, the venue – D’Urban Park – has a capacity of 30,000.
With regards to vending, the Education Ministry’s Department of Culture Youth and Sport is presently conducting “demarcation exercises” along the route, and by the end of first week in February, spots will be on sale.
“When we look at what we have to offer for vending, for comfort and everything, we feel comfortable at that area,” he stressed.
Canterbury announced that the stage is set for one of the most exciting displays of the nation’s youth in costumes, dramatic presentations, calypso, dance and masquerade, as well as choir singing competitions nationwide. He noted that the regional competitions will get started in all eleven educational districts before the end of January.
The competitions are to be contested at the nursery, primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
On January 23, 2017, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) gets started with their Calypso and Dramatic Poetry Competitions at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground.
All educational district competitions are scheduled to be completed before February 9.
Thereafter, thousands of children are scheduled to compete to gain a spot to represent their educational district at the national level in Georgetown.
The main venue for the national finals is the National Cultural Centre, which will feature some 2000 children participating competitively starting with dance and masquerade categories, followed by calypso and dramatic poetry.
Meanwhile, the Children’s Road Parade is set for February 11, along the regular route which starts at Parade Ground, heading East into Middle Street, North into Camp Street, East into Lamaha Street, North into Albert Street and culminate in the National Park.
The theme for Mash 2017 is “Celebrate with Liberty, Dignity and Greater Unity”.
