It's a record!
THE `Illuminated and Decorated Buildings' competition, now a regular feature on the Mashramani calendar of events, has seen a record 37 entries this year, which, according to convenor Mr Anthony Durjan is the best he has seen in his five consecutive years at the helm. The competition, part of the Republic anniversary observances, attracted nine entries last year and 13 the year previous, he said. Of the 37 entries this year, he said, 22 fall under the non-commercial category, meaning they are either schools, sports organisations or government buildings. The remaining 15 are classified as commercial. There were no entries this year in the semi-commercial category, which was introduced last year and comprises private residences and buildings which serve both as business premises and living quarters. Last Friday was the deadline for submitting completed entry forms. According to the rules of the competition, buildings may be either decorated or illuminated, or both, and decorations may consist of buntings, flags, columns of fabric, paintings, banners and/or wooden plywood standards. It has also been decreed that decorations must be appropriate, relevant to the theme and reflective of the occasion, and that buildings with showcases may display selected relevant products as part of the competition. Such displays include appropriate technology, textile products, craft and agricultural products. In hot contention this year for the decorated building prize in the non-commercial category are the Ministry of Agriculture, Office of the President, St Sidwell's Primary School, Ministry of Health and Labour, Ministry of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock, Ministry of Education (21 and 26 Brickdam), Ketley Primary School, the Guyana Relief Council (GRC) and City Hall. The winner in this category last year was the Ministry of Agriculture. Those in the same category and vying for the `Illuminated and Decorated Building' prize are the Guyana Police Force (Eve Leary headquarters and East La Penitence station), the ministries of Information, Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs and Trade, Tourism and Industry, Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) head office and last year's winner, the Prime Minister's residence. The Georgetown Sewerage and Water Commissioners (GS&WC) is the only non-commercial entrant this year in the `Illuminated Buildings' segment of the competition. In the commercial sector, the jostle is between Guyana Stores Limited (GSL) and last year's winner Pharm X Plus, located at the Harbour Bridge Mall on the East Bank, for the `Decorated Buildings' prize. Beverage heavyweights Banks DIH's Thirst Park and Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) and Demerara Bank are the contenders in this category for the `Illuminated Building' prize. Pizza Hut, KFC (Vlissengen Road and Stabroek outlets) Guyenterprise, Don Gomes Optical Services, Ariantze/Sidewalk Cafe, GNCB Trust, Guyana Trinidad Mutual (GTM), Hand in Hand, Hotel Tower (last year's winner) and GBTI have all entered for the `Decorated and Illuminated Building' prize. Judging will be over two days beginning tomorrow. For illuminated buildings, judging is from 19:00 hrs to midnight. Durjan said there are three judges, each acting independently. The results will be announced Thursday following which there is to be a formal presentation on a date to be announced later. (LINDA RUTHERFORD)
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