Unification made Carnival clean

THE EDITOR: This letter is a direct response to Ken Smith who wrote about his disgust towards the band “Poison” on Carnival Tuesday. First of all let me say that I played “mas” with Poison and had a great time.

Regarding Mr Smith though, although I do believe that Poison had to share some blame concerning the “mess” that was created on Carnival Tuesday, I sincerely believe that the majority rest squarely on the shoulders of the NCC or whichever organisation is in charge of the Grand Stand. Imagine Carnival Tuesday when my section of Poison was on stage I looked up at the clock and saw that the time expired was 1 hour 37 minutes. I laughed because I knew that the limit was to be 2 hours for every band yet we, Section 14, were on stage with 23 minutes to go in a band with 37 sections. Impossible! This Mr Smith, had nothing to do with Poison, because after we left the stage it is then I realised what resulted in the delay of exiting thus resulting in the backlog.

You see, at the exit of the savannah stage, where any competent committee would deem necessary to have security and barricades, stood hundreds of spectators like yourself. They left a space too small for the masqueraders that not even a truck could pass. Poison security should be commended since no one was crushed in that crowd. Where was the security responsible for clearing this area? Where were the police that helped to make Carnival such a safe one this year? I turned and I voiced my concern about the police to my nearest accomplice who immediately responded, “Boy Carnival was safe because all the police drunk and sleeping. Them is de biggest crook” . . . I left that alone.

No police officer was in sight in the savannah, yet they praise themselves for the safe Carnival we had. Carnival is the one time of year when everyone unifies and that was the result of a safe Carnival, not the crooks . . . ah sorry . .. I meant police. As for the NCC, this crowd has been a consistent problem when exiting the stage throughout the years yet nothing has been done. Put up barricades throughout the length of the exit route until the band hits the street again. Bring out the cops and have them clear this area. All in all I had a great time and I will be there again next year. Thanks Poison, for the great time.

ANIL RAMHARCK
Port-of-Spain