Chairman of the National Carnival Commission (NCC) Allison Demas says the commission is all set for the Carnival festival. "We are ready for the road," said Demas, addressing a news conference to give an update on Carnival preparations. The briefing was held at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.
"The stage is 80 per cent ready, we have perimeter lighting around the savannah and we have seen to the comfort of masqueraders," said Demas, listing a number of measures to ensure a smooth Carnival 2013, just three weeks away. "There will be no illegal vendors or non-costumed masqueraders allowed to enter the Queen's Park Savannah from Frederick Street, as the area will be transformed into a masqueraders-only sterile zone."
Demas said this was an effort to reduce congestion on the savannah stage, and only authorised vendors and spectators would have access. "We have constructed a sterile area as well as a hospitality facility for competitors at the Queen's Park Savannah," she said.
The hospitality facility, which would house changing rooms for performers, could be used by 40 artistes at a time, will be air-conditioned and has a green room and executive toilet services, she said. Among the plans revealed was a new and improved Dimanche Gras show, to be produced by mas producer Derrick Lewis. Lewis, who spoke during the press conference, said the show will be titled I Am Carnival.
"I have been given the opportunity to do something that has been done before and make it better. I see it as the beginning of the evolution of Carnival," Lewis said. Lewis said the concept of I Am Carnival came from people identifying themselves with the season.
"Everyone can identify with the spirit of Carnival," he said. After the press conference, the media toured the savannah facilities and was shown the area to be used for the northern greens section during Panorama semifinal.
