Spare another thought for Mashramani - as in the weeks-long festival to mark our country's attainment of Republican status in 1970.

I'll touch briefly on the celebration which is considered as climaxing tomorrow with the grand costume and Float Parade in the capital. Though it isn't completely so because, as after Christmas Day, there are more high profile activities in such places as Linden and New Amsterdam - after Republic/Mash Day.

In 1970 the Jaycees of Linden (McKenzie) - the then live-wire Jimmy Hamilton included - decided to observe the very first Republic - the actual founding - with a Carnival-like show in their little Bauxite Company Town. Jimmy relates that they had sought to parallel the Trinidad events but with a change of names. So successful were the celebrations in Linden that a government Minister - a pal of Forbes Burnham himself - promptly appropriated the idea, including the name "Mashramani" some months later. Mashramani was duly "nationalised" and made available to the entire new nation.

We should divert to recall just what Republican status was meant to mean - and do. Burnham, quite correctly to me, knew that the 1966 political independence was not enough. So he decided that the 1763 Berbice Rebellion month of February should usher in Republicanism in 1970. There was national unanimity on the move. We would be responsible for our own defence and foreign policy; we would abandon the final judicial wisdom of the British Privy Council and, most of all, a Guyanese would be Head of State - our own president and not any British Queen. None could deny the bold necessity and patriotic sense of the move then.

Alas, it seems that in many instances we threw out the desirable baby with the foreign unnecessary bathwater. About ten years after 1970 too many standards had plummeted. Yes, Burnham did instill a sense of nationalism, an appreciation of local foods and skills and the need to occupy and inhabit the lands within our borders.

He tried. But his impatience - or autocratic avarice - compromised his grand efforts. There were varying degrees of achievement of objectives before complete social and economic collapse. Just this Wednesday, his gracious-sounding widow Viola deemed his unfinished business as "Dreams Deferred".

Apart from the political, the cultural aspects of life did experience an upsurge for a few years before the usual nosedive by the eighties. There is no denying that with the Forbes Burnham government endorsement, support and subsidies, Mashramani became a national institution and showpiece. To me even the negative aspects of the annual festival - like the compulsory Mass Games and People's Parade - were made to get out of hand as Burnham's worshippers tried too hard to please him.

The concept of the Mashramani "celebration after hard collective work", to Guyanise carnivals and make the jollification embrace, include or accommodate socio-developmental aspects of our national life was indeed excellent and laudable. This was to be our difference between Mash and those "ordinary" Caribbean Carnivals. Alas, as standards dropped and politics and poverty took over, Mashramani had lost its way by the nineties. But those now old enough can at least recall with excitement, the Mash Day Costume/Steelband extravaganzas of people like Chan, Lanyi, Ramsey and James, among others. Then the decline in calypso, pan, designing, etcetera.

What's the Mashramani scene now? Well since 1993 - under the PPP/C administration - moves were made, along with the miniaturisation of the Guyana National Service (GNS), which sent mixed signals to the people. Dale Bisnauth's statement about Afro-Guyanese being more enthusiastic about Mash - which was dutifully blown out of all proportions - did not help. But the truth is that since then, the current government has made up financially. Money has been pumped into the festival but more direction was needed. Even as political hay was made by the PNC to be divisive with their own flag-raising and Mash parade, the Civic decided to embrace Mashramani fully whilst the tele-activists and other detractors did and do their best to discredit official efforts. After all, they claim, the Mashramani is theirs (PNC). Not even all the nation's.

In about ten days' time a comprehensive evaluation of this year's celebrations will be made by the current broad-based National Mashramani Committee. I have reason to believe that, however belatedly, some fundamental, positive even revolutionary changes are going to be made. Issues such as the calypso competitions, the children/youth events the role of parents and teachers indiscipline and rowdyism, venues, the development of pan, the attitude of certain large private sector firms (which like to blame "de Government") will all come under microscope scrutiny. One thing is certain: There is going to be a permanent Mashramani Secretariat! No matter how modest. Stay tuned

Apologies to Ram

I would hate to have to apologise unjustifiably to Mr Christopher Ram over my treatment of his December-published 2002 Business Outlook Survey. Today's conditional apology though is because, though I'm ready to raise some issues of contradiction, I didn't contact him and will therefore postpone to next Friday my views.

If it isn't done then? A full apology. Meanwhile Happy Mash!

Mashing!

1) I hope the indefatigable, pint-sized and petite Gail Teixeira remains Culture Minister for another year or two. Through the permanent Mashramani Secretariat and those fellows there, she can truly leave a footprint of cultural development in the cultural sands of time.

2) Next week we must pay our own brand of attention to ACDA's Centre of Learning and Afro-centric orientation. Launched this past Wednesday - Forbes Burnham's birth date.

3) If I could I would give Region Ten's and Linden's Administrations the millions of dollars to administer the LEAP projects. What would happen? Couldn't they "show me up"?

4) Next week too: Six recent investments.

5) Is there a flag-raising ceremony at night anywhere else? It's good to be different.

6) Just look at those Caucasians enjoy the Ice and Snow at Salt Lake! Daring feats on ice and in wintry skies. And we complain of rain in a poorly-drained city! Did you catch the unprecedented massive security arrangements?

7) All with much beautiful white in them! Jerry Rawlings, Jimmy Adams, Malcolm X, Bob Marley, Tom Dalgety. And now Muhammad Ali!

8) Welcome to the Jamaican and Trinidadian artistes in our midst at this time. Appreciate. (Stop all those bite-ing in-sects!).

9) Congrats to Mabaruma's V.J. Now there is no stopping my friends "Time-out" Wong and GBC's Merrano Isaacs especially. Have mercy!

10) Catch the Guyana Cook-Up Show and all the Stars this weekend. See you tomorrow with Macky's heroes - or Don Gomes' Victory - Bush and Bin.