Mas belongs on the road - Hart
No Carnival events at Savannah
BY CORDIELLE STREET
There will be no staging of Carnival events in the Queen’s Park Savannah (QPS) for 2007—that is, if the words of the Minister of State in the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs Eddie Hart hold true.
He made the announcement at the launch of the Valencia Regional Carnival celebrations on Saturday.
In a phone interview yesterday, Hart reiterated the point that QPS is now off-limits for Carnival.
“Have no fear. We are going to have a bumper Carnival 2007 despite the fact that we are not going back to the Savannah,” he said.
Hart’s announcement followed the silence of Minister of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs Joan Yuille-Williams on the issue.
Yuille-Williams recently received proposals by the National Carnival Commission (NCC) and other interest groups concerning alternative venues for the various events that were traditionally held in the QPS.
Yet, most of the proposals requested that the Government stay its hand and allow Carnival one more year in the QPS before demolishing the facility and forging ahead with plans to construct a $400 million Carnival Culture Centre on the existing Grand Stand facility.
“Mas always belongs on the road,” said Hart, who described the QPS as a “bottleneck.”
The idea of a Parade of Bands flowing through the streets of Port-of-Spain was recently supported by the National Carnival Bands’ Association.
Pan Trinbago President Patrick Arnold said his organisation proposed hosting Panorama on the paved section of the QPS obliquely opposite Victoria Avenue.
Hart, however, dismissed that claim. He said Pan Trinbago’s proposal currently before Yuille-Williams was for the staging of Panorama in Skinner Park, San Fernando.
“We moved Best Village to the Jean Pierre Complex and it was a resounding success. So don’t worry about events like Dimanche Gras. It is not a problem,” assured Hart.
Meanwhile, facilities at the Grand Stand remained standing as construction was yet to begin on the site.
©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
The Savannah question is answered, mas on the streets!
The answer to the million dollar question is that Carnival 2007 will be taken to the streets as reported by Cordielle Street for the Trinidad Guardian:
37 comments:
Panorama in Skinner park?!?!?! nah! Someting wrong wit dat, I suppose the south people wouldnt mind tho (r u getting the feeling i not from south?)
And somehow i am a bit surprised altho I shouldnt be AT ALL that not a damn thing been done at the "old" grand stand as yet...
Why am i feeling sad? Does this mean, since there is no QPS...there is no more stage either? Not even ah make shift stage until dey build dey 400 million ting?
and where is HOTTIE????? I hope she's ok.
I hope they come good whatever it is. I feel disappointed a bit, but there's no point in being negative if its ruled out completely.
3 months is not alot of time...
what will happen to the savannah then?
i want a damn stage!
Well if Panorama is in Skinner Park sad to say I will NOT be going.No offense to the Southerners but that is a drive I am not willing to make just for a lime!
I am interested to see how this mas on the move goes,I will miss the stage but it's something new, according to Kevian, comply then complain :D
Trinidad is run by idiots!You are telling me that these ppl have been accepting bids till now and they simply can't have stuff set up so that they can start building immediately after carnival 2K7. Even a high school student can do a better job running our country that our idiot prime minister... Although there is no place like home, this is the reason why I can't move back to live! Millions are being spent on a new carnival centre while those millions can be invested in supplying more opportunities for all of the unemployed ppl in society...let me not even start!
I myself interested to see how mas on the move will work out, c'mon man these ppl can't really give us a make shift stage?? dey had enough time to come up with ah better plan than dat..... steups!!!
all i have to say is I want a stage
And the thing is construction on the new venue has not even started as yet!! steups.
This is scary because of the possible repercussions should this whole "Savannah-less" Carnival not work out. If 2K7 sucks because we have no stage, there will be a serious reduction in the number of people who play mas come 2K8 and the the following years for however long it takes to build the QPS Carnival Centre.
steups...there must be some focal judging point where the masqueradors will have to get in their sections to really "parade" their costumes and the band. I feel that with no real stage...de band could end up being one big jumbled mess, de whole time. Ah know in Tribe there's no rule dat yuh mus stay in yuh section, but at least when is time to cross de stage, there's a sense of uniformity that we try to adhere to, and a sense of accomplishment dat...."We Reach" to de stage.. to dis point together!!
And, I live for that climactic feeling of crossin de stage!! What's mas widout de stage! Yes, i'm complaining. I want a guaranteed feeling of accomplishment when i playin my mas. It's not just a time for me to release wid my friends, but for me crossing de stage makes me feel like I'm a part of showing the world what the "Greatest" show on earth is really is all about. How could de "GREATEST" show on earth have no blasted stage to present our costumes...our bands!!!
...and i just create on my blog how Caiso ready to cross dat stage....dey better come up wid someting yes, cuz de one ting we never lacked for Carnival...was PRESENTATION!!!
those people in charge over there must be on crack!! and to make it worse, they have not even begun construction so why not have it next year as planned and begin the new construction ash wednednesday or thursday after carnival.
lord have mercy!!!
i cant belive this!!!crossing the stage was the best part of the parade!!! im the one that gets wasted right before we cross (there's so much time right before crossing the stage, that i walk home, have a few drinks with friends/family, freshen up, then have a few more drinks at the IP all-inclusive bar, then cross/stagger across the stage!!...i live in belmont!)
wow, so i guess those entertainers have to omit any references to 'crosing de stage' out of their songs next year huh?
Well well, dey could have it on de moon for all i care..Ah go be playing mih mas come rain, sun,snow or hail after i spend mih hard earned $$ for ah costume!!! Stage or no stage. But it would be interesting to see what plan dey coming up with..Ah predicting ah Foreshore ting..saucy wha yuh say??
I am thinking they must have some sort of elevated platform along the way; even if we parading through the streets of St. James they could build a small stage...not the same as the Savannah, but still...better than nothing.
so we woud b crossin "d road" no stage for carnival. I FOR ONE AINT GOIN DOWN SOUTH FOR PAN although i am a true EXODUS fan {my bro plays}
steupppssssss dis is real shite....
dis is why I enjoy mas home as to anywhere else...d' stage is humungous...that is the best part.
This year in Miami no stage, Laborday in NY no stage....
steupppsss i might as well stay and not come anymore.
and as saucy mentioned....d' flipping savanah stage is still up.
If they were serious about this thing...ent they would have started some sort of construction.
steupppssssssss...i vex oui!
Hola Folks!
I'm in agreement with anon 3:35, don't care what it is, where it is or how it is, I playin MAS'!!! As long as what I paid for right, I'll be alright. Yeah, I'll miss the stage but say what, I having a ball regardless.
Given that the judging of the bands is its own thing, there must be judging points and a main judging point, Carnival is too after all a competition. So I cannot see how they would not have that just because the normal site is off limits. So I'm pretty sure there will be a main judging point, is just where?
And I highly doubt that the absence of a stage will deter any significant amount of people from playin' mas', this is Trinidad Carnival, it's a world staple and it's here to stay.
This is going to be one interesting Carnival......the winds of change are blowing
i love being on the avenue so i hope they don't re-route that part!!!!!
And in St.james i find thats where you get the most stormers!
I don;t think these people thinking wisely!
i really don't think that moiving it down south is a good idea. I'm a south person and to mee south doesnt have the road for that amount of masqueraders.
I say leave it in the savannah but thats because i have a bias since this is my first year playin mas and i want to cross the famous big stage.
I was looking forward to the stage bad :( I hope none of the artist was planing on signing about the stage in there 2007 soca!!!
good afternoon everybody. happy thanksgiving to all.
as for the savannah drama nonsense, nothing surprises me anymore. i don't see why we could not jump up one last time in the savannah especially given the fact that preparations have not even begun on the so called new stage. i don't see what the problem is.
and then they want to give a half ass statement as:
“Mas always belongs on the road,” said Hart.
according to meh mother "i's ah arse or a jackarse?"
i will definitely miss meh savannah stage but the mas will go on and i plan to like up meh arse in meh costume. God knows ah trying real hard to get in shape and ah done already spend meh money on meh costume,boots and tickets and not even the damn gov't go spoil any of that for me.
i just hope for dey sake that they get their posh stage complete for Carnival 2008 or else "crappo smoke they pipe" Lemme see how much arses they go kiss to to get their big bram complete.
since de stage still up, i doh see why dey cyah just leave it so, and den break it dong afterwards!!! dey wait until november to make ah announcement like dis? steups!!! yuh eh see dese ppl full ah ta ta!!
That "posh" stage will be nowhere ready in 2008! Look is November already and I am still seeing the Grandstand up every day! We will be lucky if we have the new stage to cross in 2009.
Socadiva,
I Think it is only the Panorama they were considering moving to South... Skinner Park. I don't beleive it was the actual mas.
Yuh know masquerader, I thought of the same thing too! That the gov't needs to know how the masqueraders feel.Here are the email addresses (I got this from the Rumshopmadness forum when they were protesting the high prices for mas)
NEWSDAY: newsday@newsday.co.tt
Fax#: 868-625-8362
GAYELLE: feedback@gayelletv.com
GUARDIAN: bloodline@ttol.co.tt, lise@ttol.co.tt
868-625-7211
TT NEWS CENTRE: ttnews@tstt.net.tt
EXPRESS - djohn@trinidadexpress.com, express@trinidadexpress.com
868-625-8897
ISLAND EVENTS: editors@islandevents.com
104FM: ebony104@tstt.net.tt
HOTT 93: hott93@tstt.net.tt
SOCA BASHMENT: info@soca919.com, jforrester@soca919.com, jmendoza@soca919.com
RADIO TRINBGO: radiotrinbago@tstt.net.tt
I95.5: webmaster@i955fm.com
And here are the address where you can send letters and faxes:
1. NCC
Mr. Terry Joseph
Public Relations Officer
NCC
Queens Park Savannah
Port-of-Spain
Trinidad
868-627-1350
FAX: 868-623-1391
2. NCBA
David Cameron
Public Relations Officer
Queen's Park Savannah
Port-of-Spain
868-627-1422
FAX- 868-625-9772
3. TIDCO
Ms. Candace Ali
Communications Coordinator
Tourisim Development Company
Level 1, Maritime Centre
Barataris, Trinidad
868-675-7034
Fax: 868-638-7962
4. NCDF
Mr. Donald Little
Chairman
NCDF
143 Belmont Circular Road
Belmont
Port-of-Spain
Trinidad
868-621-3405
FAX: 868-621-3405
5. MINISTRY OF TOURISIM
Ms. Sherma Mitchell
Communications Specialist
Ministry of Tourism
Clarence House
125-127 Duke Street
Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
868-625-0963 / 623-9604
FAX: 868-625-0437
And for the Ministry of Culture:
Roslyn Khan Cummings - Deputy Permanent Secretary
Finbar Ryan - Director of Culture
Joan Yuille Williams - Honourable Minister of Culture
Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs
#8 Jernigham Avenue,
Belmont
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
868-623-7032 FAX 868-624-2896
I will see if I can get an email address as well as alternate fax numbers tomorrow.
I can see this will cause endless confusion, traffic and ruction. It will be a royal pain to get in and out of POS come those 2 carnival days. And I know we certainly not seeing no new stage in 2008. If they cyant break down the thing as yet, you think they will on time for 2008?
the people that run the whole shebang in tnt including the people in government, a bunch of mookelal moonans, they don't know their ass from their elbows. Knowing the snail's pace they move at to get things done in tnt, nothing will be ready under 5-10 years. So wha happen????
Well, ah go'in against the grain wit allyuh. I can appreciate the excitement of the stage, but mas should be on the move. I never enjoyed getting stuck near the savannah for 3hrs plus just to get to go across the stage. I like to play meh mas all through the streets. It has been digusting for years that women get on real nasty just because they think the cameras will show them on the TV broadcast. If is camera they like so, ah have a nice new HD Digital Canon and we can make some nice blues.
I don't believe that this is their big plan. This is the best that a bunch of ministers and strategists all sat in a room and came up with. I do not think they have truly considered what the Queen's Park stage has been to carnival all these years and not just for masqueraders, but for pan and for calypsonians as well for decades.
Why don't they just have carnival is it has always been and then worry about construction in March '07. I can understand putting people through these changes if something was actually being DONE in the Savannah but if it's the same, what's one more year of using the Big Stage is going to hurt?
Shandy you forget is an arrogant Goverment we have; they don't ever admit they make a mistake and change plans to suit. It's like cutting of their nose to spite their face, because they already boasted about this cultural centre and came up against lots of criticism, they will still go ahead with it..even know no work has started as yet :S
Even if they start construction NOW they won't be finished in time for Carnival 2008 - you KNOW how we government does drop it. STAGE, STAGE, STAGE, STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE,STAGE, STAGE!
Talk done.
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