I GUESS YOU KNOW THE ANSWER

Our Republic Day celebrations more often than not coincide with the period during which both Trinidad and Brazil celebrate their carnivals, which means that Guyana will continue to find difficulties in attracting tourists to Mashramani.
Not that there is much to be attracted to. Even without the competition provided by two of the region’s largest festivals, Guyana would struggle to attract tourists to Mashramani which is nothing short of a diluted mimicry of Trinidad’s carnival.
Guyana Mashramani is not a shade of what it used to be, even though the public viewing of Mash Day events now surpasses anything we had in the past. The floats are no way as spectacular as in the past and are far more substandard, but the bands do have greater and more diverse participation, even if what passes for a costume is simply a decorated jersey. And of course far more persons are now lining the streets to watch this spectacle than ever before. Kind of ironic: the poorer Mash gets, the greater the public participation.
Part of the problem with the quality of the parade is that Guyanese have grown accustomed to State sponsorship of Mashramani and even with the private sector coming on board in a bigger way than in the past, there is just too much dependency.
This is quite unlike what takes place in Brazil and Trinidad where the majority of revelers actually purchase their own costumes.
If there was ever a suggestion that all those willing to participate would have to foot their own costumes, the Float Parade would fold up overnight. And yet the children of Guyana have shown the way forward not only by their enthusiasm but also by the fact that the costumes are funded by the respective schools. So why should bands not sell costumes to adults willing to take to the streets on Mash Day, or rather why should all, not just some, of those willing to be part of the  parade on Mash Day not pay for their costumes?
It would be unreasonable for Guyana to expect large numbers of tourists to come to see what we have. Why would anyone forego Trinidad or Brazil’s to come to Guyana?  There was a time when the policy-makers in Guyana were assuming that they could capitalize on the fact that larger numbers of tourists were in the region for these two carnivals and thus could be lured to Guyana.
The assumption was without any basis. Firstly, the kinds of tourists that travel to the carnivals are not awash with funds to come to Guyana.
Most do only carnival and most do not hold down high paying jobs. Thus cash is important. Secondly, many of them arrive by cruise ship which does not include a Guyana leg. And many also have package tours. For about fifteen hundred dollars, they can have an all-inclusive package which covers their air fare and as much food and drink as they please.
The airfare to travel to Guyana alone would be over seven hundred dollars. And the rates our hotels charge would mean that the average tourist would be left penniless after the first week in Guyana.
However, with twenty five per cent of our visitors coming from the Caribbean and with air fares being relatively cheap, Guyana could capitalize on arrivals from the Caribbean if it schedules its Republican Day events as part of an extended weekend such as we have this year when Republic Day falls on a Monday, thus making it a long holiday weekend.
We also have a number of activities running this weekend, including a top artiste coming from overseas for a grand concert; we had the Children’s competition on Saturday as well as the Steel pan competition. And of course today is the big jump up in the streets and at the National Park.
Outside of these activities we have the Link Show on at the National Cultural Center and of course cricket at the National Stadium and there is an event to kick of Phagwah celebrations in Guyana. This weekend was therefore an opportunity for us to have brought thousands of persons from the Caribbean, including the hundreds who can now be lured overland from neighboring Suriname.
So we must ask just how much did the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce market this weekend. How much did they reach out to the region to get persons to come and enjoy a wonderful weekend in Guyana?
I guess you know the answer to that one.