Top band leader Brian MacFarlane has got an apology from National Carnival Commission (NCC) Chairman Kenny De Silva.
De silva apologised to MacFarlane and other mas men for the long delays in crossing the big stage at the Queens Park Savannah on Carnival Tuesday. Mac Farlane, who won the Band of the Year title, complained that he had to wait five hours to get ion stage; his band was the last on stage.
Mac Farlane had complained about the arrangements and suggested that he may have to rethink his position on going back to the savannah for 2012.
De Silva said 10 new large bands and as many as 30,000 additional masqueraders contributed to the high level of congestion on the parade route.
"We had between 20,000 and 30,000 more masqueraders this year and the same real estate had to accommodate them. There was bound to be congestion," he told the Trinidad Express.
He said the NCC tried to get additional routes but did not get approval from the protective services. "They advised that it was too late to do anything for 2011, but that would have to be revisited for 2012," he said.
De Silva also noted that his board was appointed in November, by which time the National Carnival Bands Association (NCBA) had the parade routes locked down. "We tried to address it but it was outside the purview of the NCC," he explained.
"This Carnival is the biggest I have seen. My jury still out on whether it was the best, cause in my 30 years in Carnival I have seen really good ones, but this was definitely one of the biggest," he said.
De Silva also said he would investigate allegations that certain NCC officials did favours for certain bands once there is a formal complaint was lodged. "We would not allow one of the officials to break the rules like that," he said.
At least two band leaders have charged that officials on the route were allowing non-competing bands access to the official parade route and leaving competing bands waiting behind.
De silva apologised to MacFarlane and other mas men for the long delays in crossing the big stage at the Queens Park Savannah on Carnival Tuesday. Mac Farlane, who won the Band of the Year title, complained that he had to wait five hours to get ion stage; his band was the last on stage.
Mac Farlane had complained about the arrangements and suggested that he may have to rethink his position on going back to the savannah for 2012.
De Silva said 10 new large bands and as many as 30,000 additional masqueraders contributed to the high level of congestion on the parade route.
"We had between 20,000 and 30,000 more masqueraders this year and the same real estate had to accommodate them. There was bound to be congestion," he told the Trinidad Express.
He said the NCC tried to get additional routes but did not get approval from the protective services. "They advised that it was too late to do anything for 2011, but that would have to be revisited for 2012," he said.
De Silva also noted that his board was appointed in November, by which time the National Carnival Bands Association (NCBA) had the parade routes locked down. "We tried to address it but it was outside the purview of the NCC," he explained.
"This Carnival is the biggest I have seen. My jury still out on whether it was the best, cause in my 30 years in Carnival I have seen really good ones, but this was definitely one of the biggest," he said.
De Silva also said he would investigate allegations that certain NCC officials did favours for certain bands once there is a formal complaint was lodged. "We would not allow one of the officials to break the rules like that," he said.
At least two band leaders have charged that officials on the route were allowing non-competing bands access to the official parade route and leaving competing bands waiting behind.
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