Young and old enjoy PM’s Christmas party

Some 800 invited guests were treated yesterday at the Prime Minister’s residence during the annual Children’s Christmas Party and Senior Citizen’s Rec-eption. Two hundred and fifty disabled children, 250 young children and 300 senior citizens made up the guest list.

This year’s theme for the event was “Teddy Bear’s Christmas Picnic” and indeed the entire party area was tastefully decorated with teddies as table centre-pieces, teddies suspended from the top of the tents and teddies perched on pedestals strategically placed under the tents. On arrival, guests were entertained by the BP Renegades Youth Orchestra, whose music had several senior citizens merrily chipping towards the seating area. Some of the children otherwise made an immediate dash for the two bouncy castles, while others had their faces painted or just mingled with the cartoon characters.

The stage entertainment was provided by the Exchange RC Parang Group, Bishop’s Anstey High School Choir, Naparima Girls East Indian Dancers, Pan Family Steel Orchestra and the Sacred Heart Boys’ Paranderos. Two students from that group, Aron St Louis and Kevin Bovell thrilled the guests with their acrobatic skills while playing the chac chacs before Santa arrived aboard a fire truck, complete with siren.

Upon entrance a crowd of children converged on Santa before he was met by the Prime Minister’s wife, Hazel Manning, who led him into the party area. In the absence of her husband, Manning played host to the invitees. She said: “Mr Manning has sent his greetings. He is in Spain, which is very cold now but he will be coming home soon.” Manning also lauded the secondary students who accepted an invitation to assist with the senior citizens and young children during the event. Guests were treated to quite a bit of Christmas goodies including pastels, turkey and roast pork, as well as roti, doubles, ice cream and hot dogs.