Stage set for 2019 Children’s Costume and float parade

– Banks DIH is the Main sponsor

(February 14, 2019) – The stage is now set for the nation’s children to take to the traditional route on Saturday, February 16, 2019 for the National Children’s Mashramani Costume and Float Parade.

Through a worthy collaborative effort between the Ministry of Education and Banks DIH yesterday Banks DIH via its Public Relations Manager Mr Troy Peters pledged sponsorship of the event to the tune of $2.7M. As the main sponsor yet again Banks DIH is ensuring that the participants remain hydrated with rainforest water and Malta in addition to snacks such as Triskit biscuits, cookies and Demico Ice-Cream.

On Saturday approximately two thousand five hundred learners are scheduled to take to the streets in a kaleidoscopic costume showcase of fun and frolic.

With just a few days remaining before Saturday’s mega children’s Float parade Banks DIH’s Public Relations official Mr Peters announced that his company, “Banks DIH remains committed to all things Guyanese from the cradle upwards. Mashramani is we own, we are Guyanese and we are 100 percent involved as part of our corporate social responsibility and we are in Banks Country”.

Dr. the Hon. Nicolette Henry the Minister of Education in expressing gratitude to Banks DIH for is continued support of the Children’s Road parade being a success said that Banks DIH has been a resolute partner in education and their continued contributions are valued where the ministry would have benefitted first-hand from the collaborations”.

Further Minister Henry noted that “This is the time of year when we are celebrating after hard work and the children’s Mashramani Costume and float parade is better off having benefited from the partnership, support and collaborations from all sponsors including Banks DIH which has been a stalwart. Be advised that every dollar spent in education is well spent, so your investment is in the right place and I look forward to continued long lasting collaboration with Banks DIH in other areas beyond art”.

Ms Lorraine Barker-King, Administrator of the Unit of Allied Arts dubbed the costume and float parade one of the high points of the Children’s Mashramani activities. As part of making the event a success, the Ministry through her unit always looks forward to sponsorship from corporate entities and to date Banks DIH has never failed to deliver.

Ms Barker- King noted too that the Ministry of Education is an advocate for a balanced curriculum towards producing rounded individuals and as such, “the children’s mash programme is an extension that promotes the expressive arts through a national event which provides an opportunity for the display of budding talents at the school level”. The event will be hosted under the National theme ‘Celebrate 49 with victory in Mind- Rediscovering Eldorado.

However, for the Children’s road parade the theme is further subdivided into several categories.

At the Nursery level, the bands will celebrate Guyana’s flora and Fauna, the primary bands will celebrate Guyana’s folklore while the secondary bands will celebrate technologies and other children’s organizations will celebrate Guyana’s industries.

For the regional presentations, the focus will be on the celebration of the many towns while the individuals are allowed to choose from any of the aforementioned subject areas. “We know that the sponsors stand to gain immensely from this activity through brand awareness and mileage,” said Ms. Barker-King.

Additionally, the Ministry of Education has also afforded sponsorship for several schools to participate in the road parade and will also be providing accommodation and meals for students from regions 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 while meals will be provided for Regions 5, 6 and 10. Efforts have also been undertaken by the Ministry of Education towards the improvement of the quality of parade output to make same bigger and better.

Further Ms Barker- King noted that the Children’s Mashramani programme is aimed at promoting the expressive arts through a national event to encourage schools, educators, parents and the community at large to work together in a creative and artistic atmosphere, cohesively. The event also provides an opportunity for the display of talents by students and to foster a sense of pride in our national identity.