Ban on oversized coolers at today’s Panorama semis

Oversize coolers, containers, water tanks and receptacles as large as kitchen refrigerators will not be allowed into the Grand Stand and the North Stand for Sunday’s Panorama Semi Finals, according to a statement from National Carnival Commission (NCC) Chairman, Kenny De Silva. The statement revealed that those and other measures will be in force from the first big event of the Carnival agenda today. Police and Fire Service officials have also warned patrons against carrying weapons, or articles usable as weapons, and said electronic body scanning by security officers will figure in the extra scrutiny at all gates.

Noting the North Stand’s approved capacity of 10,000 patrons,  Fire Service officials said this limit will be enforced and that incoming patrons will be turned away when Fire Officers determine the Stands to be overcrowded. The NCC appealed for co-operation with these and other measures, applied by security and safety officials, in a renewed effort to ensure the safety and enjoyment of members of the public attending Carnival 2004 events. Twenty nine conventional steel bands will compete in the Semi Final round of the National Panorama competition which takes place today at the Queen’s Park Savannah. Bands in the Medium category will play first when the competition commences at 11 am, followed by the semi-finalists in the large band category. After the first round of competition which ended February 1, both Exodus and Valley Harps captured top places in the large and medium categories respectively. However bands will be going all out today to capture one of the final eight places in each category. Here is the order of appearance for today’s Semi-Finals as per Position/Band/Selection/Arranger:

Medium Bands
1. Point Fortin Tornadoes - Pan on the Road - Victor Antoine & Jason Constantine
2. Tokyo - Pan in meh Blood - Carl Caton
3. Laventille Sound Specialists - Don’t Touch We Carnival - Cary Codrington & Kareem Brown
4. Five Rivers Modern Symphony - War - Keith Salcedo
5. Sforzata - War - Merlin “Mutt” Gill
6. Potential Symphony - War - Carlon Harewood & Anslem Campbell
7. Silver Stars - Pure Party - Edwin Pouchet
8. Melodians - War - Renrick Lewis
9. Parry’s Pan School - Play on Mr. Pan Man -Selwyn “Parry” Paul
10. Harmonites - Jamboree - Kenneth Guppy
11. Valley Harps - We Like To Play - Michelle Huggins-Watts
12. Curepe Scherzando - Jamboree - Douglas Redon
13. Belmont Fifth Dimension - Pure Party - Brian “Bean” Griffith
14. Dixieland - War - Emmanuel Ector
15. Siparia Deltones - Hornerman Crying - Carlton Alexander

Large Bands
1. Bp Renegades - Pan on the Road - Jit Samaroo
2. TCL Skiffle Bunch - War - Liam Teague
3. Birdsong - Jamboree - Rudy “Two Left” Smith
4. WITCO Desperadoes - Cocoyea - Clive Bradley
5. NLCB Fonclaire - War - Darren Sheppard
6. Pamberi - Cocoyea - Brian Villafana
7. N&M Trinidad All Stars - Ah Pay Meh Dues - Leon “Smooth”
    Edwards
8. Petrotrin Hatters - In De Savannah - Dr. Jennine Remy
9. Solo Pan Knights - Rosie - Robert Greenidge & Carlyle “Juiceman”
      Roberts
10. Exodus - War - Pelham Goddard
11. PCS Starlift - Turn Around - Lincoln Waldron
12. BWIA Invaders - War - Earl Brooks
13. Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove - We Like To Play - Len “Boogsie”
      Sharpe
14. RBTT Redemption Sound Setters - War - Winston Gordon.