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Start the mas 2004
Posted: Tuesday, March 18, 2003
by Peter Blood
With the madness of Carnival 2003 behind us, the time is ripe for some sober analysis and reflection of this annual festival.
While the National Carnival Commission (NCC) and security forces deserve every kudo for facilitating one of the safest and best produced Carnivals, the job has only just begun to re-establish T&T Carnival as the best in the world.
For starters, government and the corporate world really need to get serious, realise that our Carnival is a major source of foreign income, and invest substantially more into the festival.
With every passing year, I am seeing fewer and fewer masqueraders, and diminishing patronage at key events, including the National Panorama competition. Masquerading is gradually becoming an exclusive activity, affordable to a relative few. Thousands of middle- and low-income earners are being priced out of participating in the festival, which had from birth, mass appeal.
Playing mas this year, I was able to observe the thousands of non-costumed spectators lining the parade route, especially along Ariapita Avenue in Woodbrook, and along South Quay, Broadway and Independence Square in downtown Port-of-Spain. Many of them were there because they simply couldn’t afford the ridiculous cost of costumes.
With the NCC announcing its intention to lobby for legislation to outlaw the invasion of masquerade bands by non-costumed revellers, something must be done urgently to encourage more people to play mas.
After years of turning a deaf ear to the cries of bandleaders, government must legislate the exemption of VAT and duties for materials for legitimate producers of Carnival bands.
This would have an immediate impact, reducing overhead costs in producing a costumed band, which ought to be an incentive for bandleaders to significantly reduce the present exorbitant cost of a costume.
The business sector must realise that the time for mamaguying people and exploiting culture is over, and must become more sensitive to and supportive of the smaller masquerade bands, steelbands and calypso tents, and expand its sponsorship allocations. By strengthening the smaller bands and Carnival enterprises, more middle- and low-income earners will be able to afford a costume.
As far as pan is concerned, Pan Trinbago should not be disheartened by criticisms levelled at the innovation of Panorama participants parading from west to east at the Queen’s Park Savannah, or the charging of an entrance fee to access the track. It is a good idea, one which simply needs some more thought and planning to be implemented properly.
Buckling under the pressure of the criticism of departing from tradition, when Pan Trinbago decided to revert to the old system for the Panorama final, it created chaos along the track (backstage) and a major headache for organiser and participant alike. The plight of Phase II Pan Groove off- and on-stage is adequate proof of this.
Many of the people who are so vehemently protesting a fee to access the track are the same people who pay at least $1,500 for a mas costume, and spend thousands attending high-priced all-inclusive fetes. So why the gripe to spend $10 or $20 to support the national instrument?
While, it’s great to maintain traditions, we must also be mindful that Panorama is a unique product in that it is a show, a stage production and a music competition all wrapped in one. Panorama is perhaps the only stage production in the world which allows the public (non-paying, at that) such easy access to artistes backstage.
I stand accused
Sometimes the best of intentions go awry, even with the most sincere of sentiments. Today, I have egg all over my face having erroneously stated in the February 7 edition of this column that Linley Brathwaite was a member of Surface, and performed "Trini to the Bone" at the Old Hilarians all-inclusive fete on February 1, at Bishop Anstey High.
Recently, I was set straight by a senior member of Surface, who explained that Brathwaite was never a member of the band, is not a member at present, and definitely did sing with the band at the party. The number was, in fact, sung by Surface foundation member Gordon Samuel.
So today, I humbly apologise to both Brathwaite, who is convalescing after a serious vehicular accident after the Hilarians fete, and the members of Surface for any inconvenience caused by my error.
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