Opposing Points of view: NCC vs NCBA

An interesting read of the headlines at the Guardian today show the NCC predicting "chaos" for Carnival while the NCBA has all faith that Carnival 2007 will be bigger and better, wondering why people are so resistant to change, wouldn't it be nice if these two Carnival bodies can just unite? It almost reminds me of Panday and Dookeran!

Masmakers predict chaos

The decision that no Carnival 2007 events will be held at the Grandstand on Queen’s Park Savannah is causing some contention among stakeholders.

Among the controversial plans for Carnival 2007, expected to be announced by Culture Minister Joan Yuille-Williams on Wednesday, is a decision to keep all major events, including Monday and Tuesday’s Parade of the Bands, out of the Savannah.

Also, a decision has been taken to do away with the popular viewing/judging points at Adam Smith Square and Victoria Square.

“There will be no stage this Carnival,” a source close to the minister said.

The plan is to have all pre-Carnival shows open to the public, with the Panorama semifinals moving to west of the Grand Stand, near Marli Street.

The Panorama finals are expected to be hosted at Skinner’s Park in San Fernando, with yet another proposal putting the premier pan show at the Eddie Hart Grounds in Tacarigua, using the Priority Bus Route as a track for the bands.

Sources also noted a proposal to re-organise the traditional parade routes in Port-of-Spain. Details of this reorganisation, however, remain closely guarded, with all to be revealed on Wednesday.

Sources close to Minister Joan Yuille-Williams said she promised a “bigger and better” Carnival during her meetings with various stakeholders.

It was in March, barely two weeks after Carnival, 2006, that Yuille-Williams announced that the Grand Stand would be torn down to facilitate construction of a $700-million centre for the arts.

The proposed completion date for the centre was early 2008. However, with barely a month to go before the start of 2007, the Grand Stand remains standing, as do the offices of the National Carnival Commission.

Total disrespect

Meanwhile, the new plans suddenly surfacing have many in the masmaking fraternity predicting chaos, given that Carnival is barely two months away.

Reports are that the National Carnival Commission (NCC) wrote Yuille-Williams with the recommendation that the headline events remain at the Savannah.

The minister, however, reportedly ignored the NCC’s proposal. On Friday evening, NCC’s deputy chairman Ainsworth Mohammed resigned, accusing the minister of “total disrespect.”

While plans are made and remade behind closed doors, mas men and steelband stalwarts remain in the dark over arrangements for Carnival, 2007, and several of them have questioned why the facilities at the Savannah cannot be used for next year’s Carnival.

“I am upset that at this late stage that Government has not said anything definite,” said Donald Little, of the National Carnival Development Foundation.

“I agree that the Savannah is the best place for Carnival, but is not just the Grand Stand. The North Stand, when they have events is filled—we can continue to use it as it is,” said Little.

He also questioned the effects of the ban on Panorama.

“What will it be like without the drag and the stage?

It will change the whole feel of Panorama.”

For members of the pan fraternity, the major concern was cost.

“I am not in agreement with taking the Panorama finals down south,” said Wayne Singh, a member of Arima band Nutones, citing as his main reason the exorbitant costs involved, as well as a a possible lack of crowd support.

He said the cost of taking a large band from Arima to Port-of-Spain for the Panorama semifinals and finals could cost upwards of $20,000 in transportation fees, including the rental of trailers and maxi-taxis.

“Imagine the cost if the band is coming from Mayaro or Sangre Grande.”

Beverly Ramsey-Moore, of Katzenjammers Steel Orchestra in Tobago, said taking the Panorama to San Fernando would put not only Tobago bands, but steelbands from outlying areas in Trinidad, under additional pressure.

“It might be better for them to just bring Panorama to Tobago,” she said yesterday.

“Pan Trinbago has to take a holistic view of the thing. It will be extremely difficult for Tobago bands, in terms of transportation costs.”

Ramsey-Moore said the cost of taking Tobago bands to San Fernando would be crippling.

“The transport cost will be great, again putting Tobago bands at a disadvantage. The cost of moving pans and racks from a village panyard to the port, and from the port to the Savannah is a lot of money, and if you qualify for the finals you have to do that twice,” she explained.

©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited

NCBA is all about support—wherever

The National Carnival Bands’ Association (NCBA) will support any plans by the Government to improve Carnival, says chairman Wrenwick Brown.

“I assure you our Carnival will not suffer for not going into the (Queen’s Park) Savannah, you will see something much better,” he said yesterday. We are out here to support Carnival, and wherever is chosen we will support it,” Brown added.

While the NCBA chairman was reluctant to reveal plans for the Parade of The Bands, he hinted that it would follow a format similar to New York’s Labour Day parade.

He also made assurances that the proposed changes would vastly improve the spectator experience.

“Spectators will see the bands flowing. People will go out and see bands moving; not people standing,” he said.

Brown also questioned the chorus of complaints and objections directed at plans to take Carnival out of the Savannah.

“Why is it a problem if we are improving the parade in such a way to eliminate hours of waiting?”

Brown also scoffed at concerns about the staging of major events, such as the Kings and Queens competitions, at alternative venues.

“We put the Kings and Queens of the World in the (Hasely Crawford) stadium in 1998, so it has been proven we can take these things out of the Savannah without a problem.”

Brown also said it was regrettable that as the Mecca of Carnival, T&T had so many problems staging the event in the past.

“I don’t know why people resist change. There are one million and one complaints about the way things are run. Now we trying to change things there are complaints,” he said.


©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited