I respect that Guyana is a secular society and that there is freedom of worship. Further we tend to celebrate as a nation each other’s religious holidays.
That said I have to observe that our Republic anniversary was fixed close to the birthday of LFS Burnham, ie, February 23, but for Christians who observe Lent from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, Mash Day revelry almost every year is within the Lenten period and seems unchristian. In Trinidad Carnival ends the day before Ash Wednesday, and I suspect it is the same for Brazil. Ironically one year there was a religious participation in the Mash Parade. And one may ask about how it is that Christians observe Xmas, but the Lenten season is where we identify ourselves personally with the occasion.
One may argue that few religious observations are devoid of alcohol and we read how the organizers do plead for Phagwah and other religious holidays to be observed in a holy manner. Religion will always be a controversial subject.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
