Engineers to look at 2014 mas route

An engineering firm has been hired to assess the volume of the Port-of-Spain parade route so as to ensure a smoother flow for next year’s Carnival, says Allison Demas, chairman of the National Carnival Commission (NCC).

In a press release, Demas said the NCC recognised the city’s parade routes were “being tested” with every passing year of the reign of the Merry Monarch. “While many of the bands flowed smoothly through the streets, we witnessed first-hand the congestion faced by some of the bands,” Demas added.

The NCC, which also pledged to improve the format of the Calypso Monarch and the Dimanche Gras shows, acknowledged there had been a shortfall. Demas said: “I apologise to the audience who came out and who watched at home. We did not hit the mark on delivering the promised show. “While the carnival and calypso elements were there, time management and a cohesiveness were missing.”  

The traditional bands, however, were represented well on the Savannah stage, Demas said, and the fancy Indians and sailors reclaimed their space in the mas.

She added: “We also saw a new creativity in the mas from Carnival bands, such as K2K and Aqua. These were new bands which brought creativity, uniqueness and excitement to Carnival 2013. We are eager to see these grow.  

“We see the contribution Carnival makes on a cultural level and a socio-economic level. We also understand the spiritual and psychological well-being that Carnival brings. “We certainly have something of worth here and we are determined to make it more valuable.”