Junior bandleader Rosalind Gabriel kept her word and paraded downtown yesterday, despite warnings from the National Carnival Bands Association (NCBA).Gabriel's Colour My Culture took the traditional downtown route up to the Savannah for yesterday's Junior Parade of the Bands–and was one of many. The Downtown Junior Parade started at South Quay, Port-of-Spain, and went north along Broadway, into Frederick Street and then to the Savannah, as usual.
But the Republic Bank Junior Parade began at Adam Smith Square, Woodbrook. The Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) provided a shuttle service from City Gate along Wrightson Road to the gathering point on Carlos Street from 7.30 am to 10 am.
NCBA president David Lopez had warned at a press conference on Friday that if junior bandleaders strayed from the designated route from Adam Smith Square, their bands would be disqualified.
His comments came after Port-of-Spain mayor Raymond Tim Kee invited the junior bands to begin at the usual downtown judging point at South Quay, as opposed to the new route which took the kiddie bands from Adam Smith Square, Woodbrook, along Ariapita Avenue, up Colville Street and Cipriani Boulevard and then around the Queen's Park Savannah.
Gabriel's band crossed the big stage yesterday from approximately 12.45 pm without any interference from officials. Whether or not the band will be disqualified is yet to be known.Interviewed as her band made its way up Frederick Street to the Savannah, Gabriel told the Sunday Guardian, "I am not scared at all and I expected nothing else from the president of the NCBA."Carnival belongs in Port-of-Spain," she stressed. "It is the mecca of Carnival. You cannot interfere with traditions of Carnival.
"So I had to take a stand and support the mayor and bring my mas downtown, where I know that mas belongs. This route has been in place for the last three and a half decades. Why do you want to fix something if it is not broken?"Gabriel said she had heard of people being stuck in traffic in Woodbrook for hours because of the change."I cannot believe that everyone stood by and allowed that aberration of justice to happen. Everyone in Woodbrook is suffering now and I am shocked that even the sponsors supported that.
"I am happy to be here. I really don't care about being disqualified. I care about standing for something," she said.Approximately 100 large, medium, small and mini bands participated in yesterday's junior parade of the bands.
Mixed reviewson new route
Kim Young from Diego Martin, whose daughter paraded in De Beauty Above and Beneath, said it was the tradition to parade up Frederick Street and many of the children were confused. Patricia James, from San Juan, described the route as "the worst," saying she had heard of many children being lost and major traffic congestion on Wrightson Road.However, parent Michelle Allen, from Diego Martin, said while the route was different, it did not matter since the children enjoyed it anyway.
Three parents interviewed at South Quay didn't like the new arrangement.Wendy-Ann, from La Horquetta, said traffic was frustrating, as streets were cordoned off and it took her two hours to park.Fiona, from Chaguanas, said she didn't know about the PTSC's shuttle service to Adam Smith Square, and her concern was when children were finished in the Savannah, it was a long trek back to their cars.
Chinaka, from St Paul's, East Dry River, said the avenue was too much for children and the route should stay right in Port-of-Spain as transport was difficult. She said she had to go by the Hyatt for a taxi to meet her children's band.
Views from AdamSmith Square
Walther Butcher, from Barataria, said the original route was very long and could be tedious and tiresome for children, and the new course might be easier for them. He said change was difficult to accept and they will have to wait for after Carnival to make a judgement."Min," from Sangre Grande said, "The route from Adam Smith is shorter, but the children have more time to really enjoy the whole action of the mas. and people tend to see more of the mas.
"I don't like this route at all, it's very draining to travel from Sangre Grande. Half the band didn't reach."Normally we would have crossed the stage already from downtown and we reached late because PTSC came an hour late for us."Kevin Grant, from Diego Martin, said he hoped the new route was less pressure for the children and transport might be harder for people living out of the city.
Jules, from Belmont, said Adam Smith was a shorter and easier route for the children as they may not be able to endure the heat while still enjoying the mas.