– wins big at Mash parade after four-year hiatus
After what many felt was one of the more memorable and colourful Mashramani celebrations, Banks DIH Limited’s return to the parade saw it reigning supreme and Vanilla held on to her Road March crown.
Costume and semi-costume bands Large
Banks returned to the costume band and float parade after being absent for some four years with a 500-strong band and costumes designed by Facts ‘n Roses. In the full costume and semi-costume bands categories, Banks took first place in the large band section, beating out the Ministry of Culture’s ‘Creating a Green Era in a Changing Environment’ in the full-costume and the PPP in the semi-costume categories.
Meanwhile, it was the only band which entered into the commercial float category which automatically gained it first place. Banks’ theme was ‘Our Country, Our Culture, Our Beer’.
Digicel’s ‘Pollination’ took third place in the full-costume band while Slingshot’s ‘Guyana an Oasis of Hope’ took third in the semi-costume band.
Medium
Meanwhile, in the medium category, the National AIDS Programme Secretariat/Mini-stry of Health took the first spot. The second spot went to the first timers, Guyana Power and Light while there was a tie for third place between the Ministry of Housing’s `Realising Our Dream’ and the National Library’s `Educating to Embrace Our Cultural Diversity’.
In the semi costume bands, Region 10’s ‘Save Our Planet’ placed first, the Chinese Association placed second and the Ministry of Local Government’s band placed third sharing the spot with the Guyana Forestry Commission.
Small
In the small full costume category, the Ministry of Education placed first while the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs band took second followed by a private entry called ‘Chemical Corner’.
And in the semi costume category the Ministry of Agriculture placed first followed by the Public Service Ministry and the Ministry of Labour and Human Services in second and third respectively.
Meanwhile, in the commercial and non-commercial categories, the National Library’s float beat out the Body of Christ and the Chinese Association to take the first place. The latter two placed second and third respectively.
Melissa ‘Vanilla’ Roberts held on to the Road March crown making this her second consecutive win. Her song “High” was the most played above Jumo’s “In De Air”, Slingshot’s “Fan Me” and newly crowned Soca Monarch Bonesman’s “Is We Own”.
In other results released from the Mashramani Secretariat, the Ministry of Education’s 21 Brickdam building won the non-commercial decorated building competition, while the Guyana Water Incorporated won the commercial decorated building competition.
Further, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Mayor and City Council-Regent Street won the decorated and illuminated building contests in the commercial and non-commercial categories respectively.
Hand-in-Hand won the commercial illuminated building category, while the Stabroek Market came in second. South Ruimveldt Primary was the only school to participate in the decorated and illuminated building contest while St Ambrose Primary beat out Ketley Primary in the decorated building competition.