Starting… them young

Your Eyewitness has taken notice of the plethora of events designed to make Mashramani 2026 the “biggest and brightest” ever. Which is quite fitting seeing we just had our biggest budget ever – weighing in at $1,558 Trillion!! This is real money no matter how you cut, slice or dice the exchange rate of our Guyana dollar!! The Director of National Events had explained the rationale, “If you’ve been following President Ali’s pronouncements, his vision is for Guyana to become the premier entertainment destination in this part of the world, including the Caribbean and Latin America. We plan with that vision in mind”!! The theme this is “Expressing Our Culture Through Innovation and Creativity”! Among other goings-on we were promised Calypso, Soca, Dancehall, Chutney Monarchs, Splashramani, Masharama, Republic Flag Raising, the Costume and Float Parade, and the Panorama Steel Band Competition”!! Now can you understand your Eyewitness’ flared nostrils – and racing pulse?? Having overthrown the English Monarch…ok…ok…they chose to leave!! – we’re gonna have FOUR local Monarchs!
Things had kicked off back in January 16 – exactly a month ago – when the refurbished old Railway terminal over at Lamaha and High Street – now the “Railway Courtyard” hosted a spectacular a high-energy concert!! It showcased some of Guyana’s “top performing artistes” who treated the large excited crowd to a fusion of music, dance, visual arts, and theatrical expression!! Many of the events were spread across the county – unlike in the past when GT hogged them all!! One Soca Monarch Competition semis – for instance, was held over in Essequibo and the finals gonna be in Linden on Feb 20!!!!
Last Saturday, we had the Children’s Mashramani Road Parade 2026 under the theme, “Little Builders of Guyana – Learning together, shaping a digital tomorrow”!! He knows that he’s gonna seem like a Grinch, but your Eyewitness gotta admit he didn’t see what the little darlings mashing, dancing, twirling and wining had to do with “a digital tomorrow”!! As he’s expressed before, he accepts that “sporting” is our defining national pastime – not cricket, football, tennis or whatever sports that’s played on some field – but just having a good time dancing to music with a good beat!! Rum and other liquors are mandatory, and while your Eyewitness didn’t hear about any of this being served at the Children’s Mash parade – there was that bus driver who was nabbed serving the stuff!! Getting them ready for Mash??
Your Eyewitness believes that shouldn’t be confusing folks – especially the young’uns by mixing up categories in Mash. We’ve now committed to fostering an “Orange Economy” – centered on “creativity”. And since we’ve long decided on sporting as our art form supreme, why not call it as it is??

…inner peace
Guyana’s a multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-racial state, OK? Well, this year we’ve appeared to’ve hit the religious trifecta. Last night, one of those religions – Hinduism – celebrated one of their biggest festivals – Shivratri. They would’ve fasted all day and spent all night worshipping Lord Shiva, into whom the universe collapses. Not to worry, it’s not gonna happen for billions of years and all will reverse itself in another few billions of years and we would then be projected as a new creation. They take the looong view, don’t they?
The Islamic festival of Ramadan’s gonna begin this Wednesday when Muslims will fast for a month. That’s supposed to teach empathy for the less fortunate – read the poor and hungry the Opposition’s been emphasizing and leads to spiritual growth, self-discipline, and increased devotion. Christians will also begin Lent – in which they’ll fast for forty days and forty nights before Easter – which commemorates Jesus rising into Heaven after his Crucifixion. Hopefully they’ll empathize with Jesus’ performance of that sacrifice for his mission.

…over
Trinidad just got approval from the US – which is “running” Venezuela – to exploit the latter’s 4 trillion cubic ft Dragon Gas Field. This will give the Trinis a second chance to use their energy earnings wisely!!
Follow Guyana and diversify!!