AFTER all the controversy and fears that Carnival could be affected by the reports of crime and possible terrorist attacks, the greatest show on earth gets going this morning.

Jouvert which started at 2 am in previous years, has been pushed back two hours because of the crime situation over the last year. Despite the high murder rate last year and the kidnappings which continue to be a concern, the managers of the Carnival festival are confident that everything will go well. Port-of-Spain Mayor Murchison Brown is anticipating a good Jouvert celebration in the city. Most of the winners of Carnival have already been announced. Iwer George captured the National Lotteries Soca Monarch title on Friday night with “Ah Home”. Rikki Jai had to share the Chutney Monarch crown with Heeralal Rampartap. Exodus won the National Panorama title on Saturday night for the second time in three years playing De Fosto’s “Pandora”.

The Calypso Monarch was crowned last night at the Dimanche Gras show at the Queen’s Park Savannah along with the King and Queen of Carnival. Skatie (Carlos James) and Roger George shared the Young Kings title, while Heather Mc Intosh walked away with the NWAC Queen crown. Chalkdust won TUCO’s Calypso King competition, while Singing Sandra dethroned Denyse Plummer to take the Queen title. Now, the battle begins for Band of the Year and Road March. There are really two contenders for the Road March title – Iwer George and Faye Ann Lyons, daughter of Super Blue. George, still glowing from the Soca Monarch triumph, has been ahead of the race during the latter stages of the season with “Ah Home”. But Lyons has gained considerably on him in the final week and if judging by the number of times the songs were played at the Junior Band of the Year Parade on Saturday, her tune “Display” is on the way to stardom. Her fourth place showing in the Soca Monarch competition is added incentive to her getting the Road March title which her illustrious father had won eight times before.

Last year’s Road March winner Naya George will depend on his brother Iwer to take the title and keep it in Point Fortin. After last year’s Band of the Year competition, chaos broke out when the results were announced. When NCB chairman Richard Afong’s band Barbarossa was declared the Band of the Year winner, the Legends bandleaders took court action over the results. With the court ruling that it cannot interfere in the internal wrangling, several bands broke away from the NCBA and formed a rival group. With a divided community among the bands, the National Carnival Commission (NCC) decided to form a management committee to run Carnival. This did not go down too well with the NCBA who went to court and sought to get $2.1 million to run certain shows in Carnival. But after several hearings, Justice David Myers ruled that the NCC was the lawful body to run the shows. Since then, the NCBA announced that it was taking a back seat and playing no part in the running of certain shows.

The main race will now be for the Band of the Year. Legends is coming with Bedazzled, while Poison will portray Fleurs de Passion. Masquerade and Funtasia have Colours of the Wind, while Barbarossa will depend on Comme Se Comme Sa. Peter Minshall will produce Ship of Fools with Trini Revellers hitting the streets with Gathering of the Tribes. This year, bands are required to visit both the Queen’s Park Savannah and the South Quay venues if they want to qualify for Band of the Year honours.

EXODUS Steel Orchestra was declared 2003 National Panorama Champion shortly after 2.30 am Sunday. Appearing in the 13th and last position among the finalists at Saturday night’s competition at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port-of-Spain, the St Augustine-based orchestra played a compelling interpretation of The Original De Fosto’s “Pandora,” arranged by Pelham Goddard, to score 476 points and take the title and $200,000 first prize.

It was the third Panorama win for Exodus. The reigning World Steelband Music Festival champion last captured the title in 2001. In second position and earning $150,000 was defending champion Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars with 471 points scored for its version of the same song arranged by Leon “Smooth” Edwards. Third place and $100,000 went to Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove which scored 468 points for its playing of “Music In We Blood,” composed and arranged by Len “Boogsie” Sharpe. Pre-competition speculation that the battle for the championship would have been fought between “Boogsie” and Clive Bradley, arranger for Witco Desperadoes which also chose “Music In We Blood,” came to nought, as Despers’ surprisingly poor performance could only manage a score of  443.5 points that pushed the band down to seventh position. Semi-final crowd favourites, TCL Skiffle Bunch and Excellent Stores Silver Stars, though offering commendable performances of  “Trini To The Bone” and “Identity,” respectively, were nevertheless unable to impress the judges sufficiently to place among the top five finishers.

The programme began at 7.15 pm and ended some seven hours later, during which time the 13 finalists showcased their pan talents before an audience that was uncharacteristically subdued and well below the capacity intake of both the Grand and North Stands. Meanwhile, out on “the track,” the area traditionally used by members of the public to listen to the bands run through their songs before going on stage, the crowd was thick,  the atmosphere vibrant and the food booths seemed to be doing a brisk trade. Reference by vendors to the about-face decision by Pan Trinbago, producers of the event, to revert to the east-to-west approach to the stage by competing orchestras was subtly made by a large sign attached to a fence that read  “Pan Back On Track -Thanks.”

Following are the official placings and points scored:
1 Exodus – 476
2 Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars – 471
3 Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove – 468
4 BP Renegades – 462
5 Solo Pan Knights – 455.5
6 Tropical Angel Harps – 447.5
7 WITCO Desperadoes – 443.5
8 Excellent Stores Silver Stars – 441.5
9 RBTT Redemption Sound Setters – 440.5
10 NLCB Fonclaire – 440
11 TCL Group Skiffle Bunch – 437.5
12 Birdsong – 437
13 Nutones – 427

PRESIDENT of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO), Michael “Protector” Leggerton yesterday gave the assurance that calypsonians appearing at all TUCO-sponsored events for Carnival 2003 will receive all monies due to them.

Leggerton’s assurance came as reports surfaced about a possible boycott by calypso finalists at last night’s Dimanche Gras Show at the Queen’s Park Savannah, due to the prize monies being offered to them. But in an interview with Newsday at the Savannah in the midst of Dimanche Gras preparations yesterday, Leggerton said TUCO has $1.7 million set aside to pay prize monies to calypsonians and expects to receive additional revenues. “People are going to be paid their money. It was bandied around that the prizes should be cut but it’s not necessary to do it. For the first time, the calypsonians will get their money on the night of the presentation.” he said.

The TUCO president attributed the reports to persons within the organisation who are resisting efforts by his executive to clean up the organisation. “I found that there has been a URP mentality where people believe that the taxpayers of this country must continue to hand out to them year after year with absolutely no returns. I refuse to endorse that. We put out over $300,000 to each zone for its operations for Carnival. When I called for figures, I am told that each of the zones has not been bringing in more than $30,000 per year. Total madness! I have been micro-managing and once you start to micro-manage, people will get upset,” Leggerton declared.

He stated that TUCO has a financial shortfall every Carnival and he intends to get to the bottom of the matter before the end of the season. Leggerton said Carnival 2003 will be a turning point for TUCO and outlined some of the measures being taken by his executive. He said while TUCO’s average returns from the annual Calypso Fiesta in Skinner Park has been around $350,000, this year TUCO’s revenues from the show were approximately $400,000. The TUCO president attributed this success to arrangements with  a security company not to make tickets for Calypso Fiesta available to the public until the day of the show. Leggerton also said TUCO was also able to boost its earnings from this year’s extempo finals.

FOLLOWING Exodus’ victory at the National Panorama 2003 competition last Saturday night, manager Ainsworth Mohammed and arranger Pelham Goddard journeyed with the players to their St. Augustine panyard to celebrate their third time around as National champs.

Playing De Fosto’s (Winston Scarborough) “Pandora” Exodus amassed a whopping 476 points to beat out their nearest rival Neal & Massy Trinidad all Stars which also played “Pandora” and was awarded 471 points. Mohammed said yesterday that it was a great feeling: “The hard work that the players put into it paid off with great results. The execution of the music was great, we had a great arrangement from Pelham Goddard, great drilling from Pat Bishop and with the commitment and hard work from the players, it was only a matter of proper execution on the night and that was done”. Goddard shared the feeling, stating: “It’s one way you feel when you win. You feel great, knowing that you worked towards it”. He said “Pandora” was chosen because it was popular and he introduced the song to the panyard on January 13. From there on everyone was serious with rehearsals every day up to last Saturday. Goddard went on: “Pandora had nothing to do with a box. When I heard the lyrics, I realised that Pandora was a jamette and plenty bacchanal so with a song like that my intention was to create that mood of Carnival and bacchanal on the stage”. He also recalled meeting with De Fosto last September, who predicted back then that “Pandora” will run 1-2 in the Panorama competition. When contacted yesterday, De Fosto confirmed the prediction, explaining that: “It was the best tune for the Panorama. It (the prediction) was easy because the right arrangers chose it and the song lends itself to the pan. I also believe in God and nothing comes to me without the Father”. De Fosto said when Pandora’s melody came to him, he knew it was from the late Kitchener’s medium and therefore was certain that the song would have ruled the Panorama competition. Four bands selected for the finals of the competition last Saturday played the song.

THE Nation’s top security officials, including National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee, Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Ancil Antoine, Commissioner of Police Hilton Guy and ACP (Crime) Oswyn Allard, have all expressed confidence that this year’s Carnival Season would run smoothly.

Newsday spoke to the top security officials yesterday during a Carnival brunch held at the Commissioner of Police’s residence, St James Barracks. “You cannot stop people from committing crime, but we have the necessary man-power out in full force to deal with any and all incidents and reports,” Commissioner Guy assured. “All contingency plans are in place…all security measures have been implemented and I can safely say that this year’s Carnival will be a safe one,” Minister Chin Lee told Newsday. Brigadier Ancil Antoine went further and said that the police service would be supplemented with resources from the TT Regiment. “Officers from the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment have been deployed and are working the streets with their police counterparts,” Antoine said.

Top Government Ministers headed by Prime Minister Patrick Manning and his wife, Education Minister Hazel Manning were present at the brunch, which also saw a wide-ranging list of VIPs in attendence. US Ambassador Dr Roy Austin and his son Roger, mingled freely with the crowd. Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) Sandra Marchack was seen in animated discussions with CoP Guy and Director of the Forensic Sciences Centre, Yolande Thompson, during the function. Local dishes with an East Indian, Spanish and Creole flavour as well as grog aplenty, were enough to keep the happy crowd near the food and drink tents. And while his security colleagues spoke among themselves, Commissioner of Prisons Leo Abraham walked around filming the activities with his video camcorder, prompting ACP (Crime) Oswyn Allard to jokingly ask Abraham if he had gotten permission from the Copyright Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT) to record the activities. Prime Minister Manning, his wife Hazel and National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee, limed together while the PM’s security detail kept a close watch. Also invited to the brunch were retired senior police officers.

ANGOSTURA Woodbrook Playboyz are the new National Panorama Single Pans Bands Champions.

Playing in position number ten , and beating the tune “Music in we Blood” the Port-of-Spain band was a hot favourite with the crowd at the Basketball Court in Arima on Friday night. They beat the other 11 bands participating in the competition for the first place. The sweet rhythm of steel filled the compound of the Arima Basketball Court with pan music played by the 12 Single Pan Bands finalists. They were; San Juan East Side Symphony, Peake Yacht Services Scrunters Pan Grove, La Horquetta Pan Grove, Arima All Stars, Trinidad Nostalgic, Shades in Steel, Laventille Serenaders, TT Defence Force, Woodbrook Modernaires, Angostura Woodbrook Playboyz, Gonzales Sheikers and La Creole Pan Grove.

The final results were as follows;
1st Angostura Woodbrook Playboyz scoring  275
2nd La Horquetta Pan Grove-271
3rd Peake Yacht Services Scrunters Pan Grove- 270
4th La Creole Pan Grove-269
5th Laventille Serenaders-268
6th Woodbrook Modernaires-266
7th Shades in Steel-263.
8th Gonzales Sheikers- 260
9th T&T Defence Force-259.
10th Arima All Stars- 257.
11th Trinidad Nostalgic -252
12th San Juan East Side Symphony-250.