Late start for Arima J’Ouvert

Arima’s Borough Anniversary Celebrations got off to a late start yesterday morning as rains took a severe toll on the J’Ouvert turnout. So said Councillor for Arima Central Clinton Jennings as he pointed the finger at bad weather for “keeping back” several other bands which had been scheduled to parade. “Just three bands came out on the streets Saturday morning around 7 am. They were the Hard Hat Crew, the Band Pallang and the Mausica Council Youth Group,” he said. Secretary to the Arima Mayor (Ghassan Youseph) Donna Patrong said the Borough’s budget did not cater for a competitive parade so the street festivals were purely participatory this year. “It is not a competition because our budget did not permit us to have one, so we offered the bands an appearance fee and they were expected to come out with no less than 25 persons each,” she said.

Five music trucks hired by the Borough Council, accompanied “some 12 bands” during the Parade of the Bands which kicked off at 3 pm yesterday. Among some of the bands that paraded were: Trini Revellers, Patricia & Friends, Bailey & Associates, Jucyn Crew, Accadian Sports Club, Santa Rosa Carib Community, Kim Pierre & Associates, Gregory Wong & Associates, Tripple T, The Band Pallang, Mausica Council Youth Group and Malabar Village Council & Rad Associates. The two-lap route which began at the Arima Amphitheatre, proceeded along Woodford Street across Broadway in front of the police station then on to Queen Street and Hollis Avenue, respectively.