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From: Webby, [200-50-71-70.static.caribsurf.com]
Subject: All that glitters is not gold
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received via e-mail What is happening to our Carnival? What went down this year as Spice Mas has left many people wondering if Grenada’s Carnival has become a Carnival that is failing very fast. The organization of this year’s Carnival was appalling, and please don’t judge the success of Soca Monarch as Carnival. Soca concerts can happen anytime of the year. I am talking about the overall, indigenous festival that was magnificent in the olden days. A Carnival that is uniquely Grenadian. I am just an ordinary citizen who has seen carnival from over forty years ago, it is purely a personal observation. I will only speak of the Monday and Tuesday day Mas for now. I understand that there was no money to pay for the stadium so they brought pageant on to the streets. Big Mistake - please do not change tradition, Pageant must be kept in the park where there is a proper stage so the bands can parade and present their Mas in all it’s glory, splendour and Fantasy – the enjoyment of a pageant is the crossing of the stage for masqueraders, it is part of the ritual of Mas, where spectators can sit and enjoy the pageantry and the telling of the story. Bringing it onto the street on both days kills it – it just becomes a repetition on Tuesday; it loses the magic of presenting the pageant. The majority of the people lost the presentation of the bands on Monday. All they saw was what they would see on Tuesday. The older folks and families who would normally sit in comfort at the stadium were denied that enjoyment. It is up to the GCC to make pageant and other shows work by having them produced properly, with imagination and stop blaming the lack of an audience. Now, what is this new thing with these massive, humongous trucks on the streets of Grenada -- where on earth did this come from? We are not Trinidad and we have got to stop trying to be like Trinidad. We do not have the streets for those kinds of trucks – these are the things that are killing Carnival. These massive trucks take up the whole street. They take forever to move, and when they get to the end of the Carenage near Nawasa, they cannot go up Scott Street, so they turn and come back along the Carenage causing chaos and madness to the vendors on the side of the street and other bands and revelers that are still coming along the Carenage -- which is very unfair to those bands. How on earth could the Police and the GCC allow these trucks to be on the road and then turn and come back against the on coming bands that have not crossed the Carenage as yet? The vendors on the side of the streets had to run with their wares , people were jammed up against Huggins trying to get away and not get crushed .This should never be allowed to happen. There is a Carnival route that must be followed – it makes no sense what went down on Monday and Tuesday. Where is the organization, and discipline? The police did a fantastic job this carnival but they should look into this... I am pleading with the authorities to please get rid of these gigantic trucks on the streets of Grenada or if they want to use them, they must not be allowed to come back against the oncoming parade, they must park up by Nawasa and stay there or go up Scotts Street . Let us be unique with our carnival. Remember we are not the only Carnival around the rregion anymore. People now have a choice, and what is happening to our carnival, trust me, if we don’t shape up people will be shipping out to other destinations. The late start is another killer of carnival – It was not a “wicked mas” it was a “wicked mess”. Jouvert bands moved late, Monday night mas bands moved late. Imagine pretty mas bands are moving off at 3 pm on Monday and Tuesday. What is the point of Carnival if you cannot enjoy the carnival day. Some people spend over $500, and jump for two hours, and before you can sing a chorus of a song, it is dark. Now I understand why Monday night Mas and Jouvert are becoming the magic of the Grenada’s Carnival. The government gave Tuesday morning off so people don’t have to come to work and rush home to change into costumes. They can get there on time and start playing Mas. If this time off is not being utilized, then those working hours should be taken back so at least the economy can gain something. It is a total waste to have a whole beautiful day and bands come out to play at 3pm. By the time they reach the Carenage it is dark,. Bands should have a specific time to start, 1 pm the latest – there should be a window for judging – between 1:30 pm to 4pm, if you cannot fit into those criteria then you are not judged. Who runs carnival? Rules should be put in place and stuck to. Last year, Panorama was the best ever -- now that has fallen through. Last year at Kiddies carnival, my kids were out of the park by 5:30pm. This year, there were still there at 8pm. I am warning Grenada, Spice Mas is becoming just a big gathering of confusion. Spice Mas is happening on it’s own energy, and not because of professional directorship – people will always have a good time once they have music and liquor in their heads (that’s another story -- the alcohol that the youth consume), but the product and professionalism, and organization, and controversy will be the down fall of this wonderful cultural event. I know Mr. Dowe is trying his best, but Mr. Dowe, if you don’t have people around you to support you, get rid of them, if you don’t have the belly Mr. Dowe to stick to your guns, when you make decisions, then this job is not for you. This is the biggest cultural event in Grenada and brings in the most money to the country; so the Government has got to take this seriously. Every year they make pledges to Carnival that are never met. There is always a lack of funds to run the Festival, so the GCC are not paid; they get no thanks, they are abused and accused for one thing or another. And the main culprit is lack of funds to really have free range to do a fantastic job. If I was in charge and this kept happening, I would just say no carnival. Government needs to take carnival seriously. They talk and don’t perform. All associations should remain active year round to raise money for themselves and encourage more sponsors so they don’t have to be so dependent on subventions in order to participate - especially if government is putting out the monies for prizes. Please -- if you love this thing we call Spice Mas, step up to the wicket and start hitting Sixes. Right now, you are not even hitting a four. We are just hitting one - one and some ducks. Maybe you will see me next year -- God willing! |
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Follow Ups:
- Re: All that glitters is not gold Just Askin 15-Aug-2010 15:51:45 (0)
- Re: All that glitters is not gold bobbys 15-Aug-2010 13:25:25 (0)
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