Outstanding performances were rewarded in the competitions for Calypso, Children's Costume, Decorated and Illuminated Buildings, Masquerade Band, Steel Pan, Costume and Float Parade and the Road March Song.

Coordinator for the Mashramani celebrations, Ms Phyllis Jackson, told the gathering, "Mash in Guyana can only get better: we plan it, you make it possible."

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Ms Gail Teixeira joined with the Mash Coordinator when she said that Mash this year saw the greatest participation than ever before from all sectors.

This includes the participation in the musical aspect of Mash, costume designing and sponsorship.

According to the Minister, over 100 new songs were recorded for Mash this year, with the largest number for the Road March Song competition. Teixeira said the local music industry booms through Mash.

She also applauded her Ministry's decision to decentralise this national festival. A number of activities were held in the various Regions. The Adult Calypso Finals were held for the first time in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni).

In her Mashramani report, the Minister said Bartica was able to pull in $1M from the gates alone. "These are the things that give me hope and the strength (to develop Mash)," she said.

Teixeira reported that an estimated 200,000 people are actively engaged in Mash annually and therefore, this is a good opportunity for more private sector organisations to come on board.

The Minister expressed the hope that they (private sector bodies) would "recognise that the mileage they can achieve through Mash will be priceless".

Teixeira also stated that large crowds attended all of the 2004 Mash events.

The largest sponsor of any Mash activity was Soca Soft Drink of the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL). Other sponsors were Topco fruit juice of DDL, and Banks DIH Limited

The Minister also stated that there is still the challenge to market Mash overseas to the Guyanese Diaspora, which "will require greater team effort".

"We have a product that is marketable," Teixeira said. According to her it will take five years to get such an arrangement on its feet.

She urged all those present not to be copycats of carnival of Trinidad and Tobago, celebrations but rather to ensure that Mash remains a truly Guyanese celebration.

Other challenges include crowd management on Mash Day and efforts to get persons planning for Mash 2005 from now. The Ministry plans to host a number of workshops for judges and designers among others for future Mash celebrations. Efforts will also be made to develop the Steel Pan and Masquerade competitions.

Special thanks were extended to Carib Beer, Hits and Jams, Staff of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the media, Ministries, Regional Offices, the private sector and designers for the support they gave to Mash 2004.

Ms Teixeira made special presentations to Coordinator Jackson and Mr. Alex Graham, Managing Director of Tagman's Bureau. Some of the organisations and individuals receiving trophies and other prizes were: the Office of the President (for the best decorated building competition), the Ministries of Health, Home Affairs and Education, Hits and Jams, Rayon House of Fashions and Regions One, Three, Five and Seven.

Mr Derek Moore was declared the Designer of the Year while Cyd Hooper won the Road March Song Competition with, "Linking Up". The winners in the Regional Designers of the Year category were Antonio Paul and Claude Manifold of Region Three.

Originally designed by the Jaycees of Linden to celebrate Guyana’s Independence in 1966, Mashramani celebration was originally designed by the Jaycees of Linden for the celebration of Guyana's Independence in 1966. This only became a national reality on the attainment of Guyana's Republican status in 1970.

It was the search of a name to replace carnival that caused Allan Feidtkou to stumble on an Amerindian celebration, "Mashirimehi", which sounded in Arawak like Mashramani. The word is said to mean a “jollification after a cooperative effort".

Since 1970, Guyanese have been celebrating Mashramani as part of our Republic anniversary celebrations.