Newly-elected president of Pan Trinbago Beverly Ramsey-Moore is assuring that this year’s Panorama competition will be a success.
Ramsey-Moore, who spoke in an interview yesterday, said, “We look forward to having a great time with our patrons so we look forward to the delivery of a solid product to our patrons and I think we would have a successful Panorama.”
Set to take the stage at the Queen’s Park Savannah tomorrow are 14 large bands that would be vying for the million dollar prize and 14 medium bands vying for the $600,000 prize.
Gates open two hours before the event and Ramsey-Moore assures there will be a prompt 1 pm start to the competition.
A few months ago, a decision was made to scrap the North Stand as National Carnival Commission (NCC) chairman Winston “Gypsy” Peters said it cost $4 million to construct, maintain, and dismantle the structure over the Carnival period.
However, the North Stand has consistently been one of the major revenue earners for Pan Trinbago. Last year, tickets for the North Stand for Panorama semifinals were sold at $350. This means a sold-out North Stand could have earned $2.8 million for that event from tickets sale alone. In its absence, there would be a new layout in its place called North Park.
“The North Park would be a covered area for fans or patrons that is $400 - that is the covered area. Then there would be North Park Grounds. That is the uncovered area where you would be up-close and personal with the bands. That area will be $300 and then you have at the back, behind the North Park the avenue - Pan Avenue for those persons who just want to come and enjoy the vibes, to sit and listen. That area is $250. We catered for all categories of pan lovers,” she explained.
While Ramsey-Moore is hopeful that the competition would be a success in light of the missing north stand, she said the true test would be at their semi-finals on Sunday.
The finals of the competition will take place on Carnival Saturday— March 2.
