Chaos mars end of Mashramani float parade
Stabroek News
February 24, 2007
Chaos at the end marred this year's Mashramani float parade, with a stampede towards on Irving Street late yesterday afternoon, in which some people might have been hurt. But Guyanese came out in their numbers to be part of the celebration of the country's 37th Republic anniversary.
The parade took off from Camp and Church streets around 10.30 am with a float of hundreds of revellers from churches across Guyana, who said they were in it to bring the Lord back into the land. This float which had three parts depicted the Ark of the Covenant, a giant Dove ascending on the map of Guyana depicting peace, and the Bible. One representative from the float told Stabroek News that the churches decided to come out because they felt it was time to take back the nation with a spiritual invasion. He said they were there to show that there could be Mash without vulgarity.
A cultural invasion best described the day with all the floats beautifully adorned. The young, the old, persons in wheelchairs and from near and far stood through the rain and sun; nothing stopped the celebration. Persons lined the roadway, some set up tents along the way and there was food, drinks and games in abundance.
Despite promises from those in authority, there were not sufficient bins and people littered along the route.
Some young children, probably tired from too much sun and waiting too long for the floats, were seen throwing tantrums. The rain fell in the early part of the day but the revellers mashed through it.
Onlookers applauded the floats from Region Three, the Ministry of Local Govern-ment and Regional Develop-ment, Mazaruni, Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports which had a live performance by Michelle 'Big Red' King. They were also clearly impressed with several others.
In the Ministry of Agricul-ture band, Minister Robert Persaud was clearly enjoying himself. Though soaked by rain, he told Stabroek News that the parade was "good and lots of fun".
Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy was also having fun and he told this newspaper that he expected and was confident that his ministry's band would win.
Evidently having a good time also was PNCR-1G leader Robert Corbin, who greeted persons as he walked along. Many persons took the opportunity to greet him and an enthusiastic woman even demonstrated her dancing skills especially for him. He said the parade was going "alright" and commented that it was "good to see Guyanese relaxing despite difficulties".
Not one to be left out, former government minister, Gail Teixeira was also present at the starting point.
Notably absent this year was the Rayon House of Fashion and it was announced in the National Park that the company had donated a trophy for the best designer in the name of its late founder Prince Wills, who was also a designer.
The most sought after floats of the day were GT&T's 'Blue Power' and Digicel's 'Fire Storm'.
The 'Blue Power' band had an inauspicious start as when it arrived at the start point, the skies opened. However, the rain could not dampen the revellers' infectious spirits. So infected were they that one of the over-enthusiastic revellers exposed her breasts to the crowd leaving persons gasping in shock. So much for Mash without vulgarity. 'Blue Power' had two large trucks with revellers on a second-storey platform and they paraded down the streets in a sea of blue to the sounds of "Blue power now". At the park they were greeted with loud screams, a response enthusiastic which GT&T helped by distributing rags to wave. The band had, among other things, six men on ten-foot stilts, the blue Cellink Globe and a C-point peacock.
After an interminable wait, Digicel, the last band, finally left the starting point. During the long wait persons were upset because the company did not distribute rags as GT&T had done. On its way to the National Park the float encountered snags; there were reports that its truck had broken down.
Some persons grew tired of waiting and slowly began to trickle out of the park. When Stabroek News left the National Park, Digicel was still on Irving Street and there were other reports that the onlookers on the route were blocking the float from continuing its journey. Then suddenly, people began stampeding away from the band forcing people going the other way to turn or be crushed. The reason for the stampeding soon became clear; policemen were holding what looked like PVC pipes in front of them and ramming them into the crowd to clear a path for the float. Stabroek News reporters were forced to flee in the other direction to avoid being run down, but several persons were not so lucky.
The winners will be announced next week. (Gaulbert Sutherland and Keisha McCammon)