Mash 2013 to be bigger, better

Alfred King

The Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry has increased resources available to the various regions for Mashramani celebrations, Permanent Secretary Alfred King said. Accompanied by members of this year’s Mash Organising Committee, King briefed the media about ongoing preparations.
The ministry is aiming to have more persons involved in the float parade, and to this end, King said he was pleased that corporate entities such as Banks DIH, Digicel and ANSA McAL (sponsors of the Soca Competition) were already on board. With 30 bands expected to participate in the traditional float parade, there is a challenge to have designers come up with costume packages which they can offer to companies at a reasonable rate.
King noted that a company can pay a designer as much as Gy$14 million to equip a costumed band of revellers and provide food and refreshments. However, he noted that “together, we are looking at innovative ways in which we can reduce this cost but still have a high quality product to offer companies wishing to participate”.
The ministry is working to produce a documentary on Mash 2013, which will showcase all the events as far as possible, and this will be available for a small fee, King said.
Children’s Mash Convenor Desiree Wyles-Ogle said there will be competitions for poetry, choirs, dancing and the traditional Children’s Costume Parade, sponsored by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T). From January 24 to February 6, regional costume competitions will take place with the finals from February 13 to 15 at the National Cultural Centre. On February 16, the Children’s Costume Parade will take place from Independence Ground to the National Park. Ogle said that a new addition this year will be a hip hop dance competition aimed at boys in two categories: Ages 11 to 13 and 14 to 17 years.  There will be essay competitions for under 18 (450 words) and 18 plus (600 words). These essays will be based on the theme, “The role of youths in nation building”, and entries will be closed on February 15.

Calypso competition
The calypso competition had an initial 30 entrants; these have been shortlisted to 20, according to organiser Patricia Chase-Greene.  The semi-finals will be held in Linden on February 9 and the finals held at Thirst Park, Banks DIH on February 15.  Chase-Greene said entries are still being taken for the Health Soca Competition and Road March Song Competition will be judged on February 23, Mash Day. An international artiste will also be part of the parade on that day, Chase-Greene said.

A scene from Mash 2012

A children’s Art Competition is also slated to be held from February 12 to March 1. This was inaugurated in 2012, and saw a high quality of work being put on display by entrants, according to organiser Collette Jones Chin.
This year’s competition is based on the Mashramani theme “Reflecting creativity, embracing diversity”. Chin said that children ages 4 to 12 years, drawing and paintings are eligible, while those from ages 13 to 17, graphics and body art in addition to the aforementioned, will be accepted.  Schools will be asked to submit their three best works with a deadline of February 4 for the competition.  The final exhibition will be from February 14 to 18 at the Umana Yana, Kingston, Georgetown.
Convenor of the Steel Pan Competition Andrew Tyndall said that there will be five different categories for the Republic Bank sponsored event. Preliminaries will take place at the National Cultural Centre for school bands on February 15, and finals on February 17 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, starting at 16:00h. Steel pan concerts are planned throughout various regions and events will be held in Parika, Linden, and at various locations in Georgetown.
Concerts featuring local and international artistes will be held at Bartica, Lusignan and Linden. There will also be a “bright-up Guyana” competition, Republic lecture series, special concerts for the elderly, Mash workshops, masquerade competitions and folk concerts to name a few.