Politicos out and about for Carnival!
Prime Minister Keith Rowley won't be the only politician playing mas Monday and Tuesday—some of his team will be also, as well a few opposition members.
A PNM "posse" including Rowley is expected to play mas Monday afternoon with Etienne and Friends' 2020 presentation. Rowley last Thursday confirmed he will be playing mas on Monday afternoon with the Etienne outfit. On Tuesday he will be in another band he normally plays with also—All Stars.
Planning Minister Camille Robinson-Regis is also playing mas with Etienne and Friends' production, she said. And Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat confirmed he will also be in Etienne's band on Monday afternoon.
Rambharat said, "For J'Ouvert, I'll be playing mas with 'Eye Candy' in Chaguanas. I did so in 2019. It's a large band, almost 2,000 people and it's coloured powder mas. On Tuesday I'll be in Harts."
National Security Minister Stuart Young will also be on the road both days—but as part of the heightened Carnival security presence by police and other law enforcement agencies. Young was also out alongside security agencies for 2019 Carnival..
Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte will be in Bliss (part of the Tribe bands) on both days with his wife and daughter, "We intend to have a great Carnival."
T&T's permanent representative to the United Nations, Penny Beckles is scheduled to return home this weekend to play mas with All Stars on Tuesday. Beckles was in T&T recently for Panorama prelims but returned to the US to meet UN responsibilities. She returns to the US right after Carnival.
PNM public relations officer Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing said last Friday she planned to play mas, but could not say with which band yet. Last year several PNM personalities—including MPs—played in K2K Alliance.
Acting Attorney General Fitzgerald Hinds said he was not playing mas but would be out walking around in Port-of -Spain. "So like our leader who has said he'll be in the middle and midst of the festival, I will be too."
However, UNC deputy leader David Lee is playing J'Ouvert with clay mas in a Port-of-Spain band, he confirmed.
UNC MP Roodal Moonilal, who had been attending a lot of Carnival fetes and events, said he and others are hosting a J'Ouvert party at Barrackpore early Monday.
But several UNC MPs are overseas, or will be resting or participating in events in their constituencies. UNC's Ramona Ramdial also noted Hindus had been observing the festival of Shivaratri since last Friday and and she was involved in this.