Jouvert band leaders are still unhappy with the decision to move the start of their celebrations down to 5 a.m...
News Source: Trinidad Express
Although they admitted that they had no choice but to obey the law and guidelines set by the National Carnival Commission this year, they still hope that they would be allowed next year to start at 4 a.m.
Cletus De Four, of Chris Humphrey and Associates, said the band-leaders had arrived at the conclusion at their last meeting two weeks ago and were still sticking to it.
"Jouvert this year was all right. For 2005, 4 o' clock will be a better time to have Jouvert," he said.
"The problem (yesterday) morning was that there was too much hustle," he said, explaining that his band and others ran into problems in getting DJs and music trucks to accompany their bands on the various parade routes.
He continued that the DJs had made commitments with other mas bands scheduled for the Parade of Bands, and the 5 a.m. start to Jouvert meant that the DJs had less time to go from Jouvert celebrations to the parade of Bands.
Chris Humphrey and Associates' entry for this year was "Trinidad, 'D' Melting Pot" in the large band category. The camp has copped the winning title for the past 11 years.
When asked their views on Jouvert celebrations, Port of Spain Mayor Murchison Brown and Commissioner of Police Everald Snaggs were in high praises of the protective services.
As Snaggs said, almost 2,000 police officers were deployed in and around the Port of Spain area, in addition to the large number of officers who conducted road block duties.
Random searches of pedestrians for weapons at the Port of Spain Transit Facility also did much to stave off any possible criminal activity, Snaggs continued, adding that he had received no reports of violent crimes.
Asked what the public may expect from the police for the duration of Carnival festivities, Snaggs stated that citizens and tourists "may expect very committed police officers who realise their responsibility to provide security".
Brown, in a brief interview at the Lord Kitchener Stand on South Quay, said he was happy that the Jouvert bands moved smoothly.
He refused to say whether he would support a change in time for next year's celebrations.
