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King and Queens Heading South for Trinidad & Tobago Carnival

Port of Spain, Trinidad: Dec 26, 2007

Source: Trinidad Guardian

Kings and Queens competing in next year's Carnival are up-in-arms over a proposal by the National Carnival Band's Association (NCBA) to take the semifinal round of the contest to Skinner Park in San Fernando.

The contestants are today describing the NCBA's intent to relocate the competition as an effort to make things "worse" than what they experienced at this year's competition held at the Jean Pierre Complex, Port-of-Spain, when the Queen's Park Savannah was no longer available.

The National Carnival Commission (NCC), in a full-page advertisement published in last Sunday's Guardian, stated that the semifinal round of the mas contest would take place at the Savannah on January 29.

However, in open defiance of the NCC, NCBA president Owen Hinds and his executive said the Kings and Queens "semis" contest would go to Skinner Park.

He said the NCBA had recommended this.

"We have submitted a budget and once that budget has been agreed, we are going to San Fernando."

Culture Minister Marlene McDonald already announced that the Government would spend $20 million to stage next year's Carnival.

A total of 32 competitors-16 kings and 16 queens-are expected to advance from the preliminary round, to the semifinals.

Masmen disagree.

However, masmen do not share the NCBA's enthusiasm of the move to South.

Citing what they described as obvious challenges related to transporting their huge costumes to Skinner Park-a venue they did not know-competitors were angry that the NCBA made such a decision without informing them.

They fear that Skinner Park would be a repeat of this year's staging of the Kings and Queens of Carnival contests at the Jean Pierre Complex, where participants were confronted with numerous obstacles on competitions nights.

Veteran masman Roland St George and leader of the new Carnival band D Krewe described Hinds' announcement as "crazy."

"He's living is the stone age. Port-of-Spain does not have enough facilities for the Kings. Going to San Fernando is backward step and would make it worse. He is doing this to make himself look good," he said.

Also questioning NCBA's logic was Nina Mc Kenzie, queen for Genesis International.

She wanted to know why the NCBA did not meet with bandleaders and the costume designers first.

Mc Kenzie said going to Skinner Park would put pressure on all participants, adding that just like the Jean Pierre Complex, Skinner Park "would put us at a disadvantage."

Bandleader Brian Mac Farlane cited the extra hours it would take to get to San Fernando as well as the transport headaches for bandleaders.

"I'm hopeful we will be reimbursed for transport. It will cost a lot especially if the driver has to wait at the venue. I hope the NCBA would put a system in place to absorb the transport costs.

"I can see and appreciate what they are trying to do by taking the event to San Fernando, but the traffic limitations are going to be a problem."

Former King of Carnival Curtis Eustace said once the NCBA kept the show in T&T he would be happy.

"As long as there is a show and the $250,000 first prize they promised is paid, I'm going anywhere. I have no problem. I live in St Augustine. Going to South or coming to town is half a dozen of the other. We are performers and we have to perform," he said.

Three-time King of Carnival Geraldo Vieira Jr lamented the lack of structure in T&T's Carnival and scoffed at the "third world mentality in a country that has 2020 aspirations.

"I'm preparing for the worst: bad lighting, muddy tracks and things like that... I don't know the venue to determine if it is practical for the King of the band. Having a 300 lb-costume on a field could be problematic. Getting there would be more stress, in a Carnival that is already in the Christmas season. It is a facility nobody really knows."