Carnival parade route changed

At a press conference at Queen’s Park Savannah, NCC chairman Kenny De Silva announced that the traditional parade route of Richmond Street will not be used this Carnival and instead will be substituted with St Vincent Street.

De Silva revealed Carnival bands moving East on Ariapita Avenue will continue onto Park Street and turn south into St Vincent Street en route to the judging centre at South Quay. Bands proceeding to Piccadilly Greens will bear East on Independence Square (South) at the Cipriani Statute.

De Silva said the change was due to continuing construction work on Richmond Street south which rendered that road inconvenient and dangerous especially given the fact that thousands of spectators and band members will literally choke the streets of Port-of-Spain on Carnival Monday and Tuesday.

Construction work on Richmond Street has gone at such a pace that certain areas have been designated as "hard hat" areas for construction workers.

"As a result of proactive planning and consultation between bandleaders and the NCC, commissioner responsible for the Parade of the Bands, a schedule of starting points at various judging venues, will apply on Carnival Tuesday," De Silva said.

"The nine bands in the Large Band category will assemble in pre-arranged groups of three at Adam Smith Square, downtown South Quay and the Queen’s Park Savannah respectively," De Silva said.

On Carnival Monday and Tuesday, at 8 am, Harts, Island Events and Poison bands will be at Adam Smith Square for judging; Island People, Mc Farlane and Associates and Tribe will be at South Quay for judging and Trini Revellers, Masquerade and Legacy will be judged at the Queen’s Park Savannah.

De Silva said small, medium, and mini bands will be advised of their entry into the parade route in relation to the judging venues.

Regarding the parade of Kings and Queens across the Savannah for Dimanche Gras, De Silva said instead of eight Kings and eight Queens crossing the stage twice, ten Kings and ten Queens will cross the stage once this year.

He also said there were no rules in place regarding the number of music trucks crossing the stage for any band.

However, this matter will be discussed for the 2007 Carnival season. De Silva noted that bands could be penalised for staying on the stage too long by means of deducting points from the overall tally.

In other Carnival parade news, bands competing in South mas have also been given a new parade route.

Junior Parade of Bands on Carnival Sunday commences at Paramount Building, OWTU Circular Road, then right onto Royal Road, right onto Coffee Street and left onto Cipero Street, and ending at Skinner Park.

The route for Carnival Monday Parade of Bands begins at Independence Avenue then right onto Harris Promenade parading in an easterly direction on Promenade then left onto Coffee Street, left onto La Couille Street, right onto Carib Street, right onto Kelshall Street, right onto Royal Road, right onto Coffee Street, left onto Cipero Street and right onto Sutton Street, back to Independence Avenue.

On Carnival Tuesday masqueraders are to assemble at Independence Avenue, then right onto Harris Promenade in an easterly direction to the promenade, left onto Coffee Street, left onto La Coullie Street, right onto Carib Street, right onto Kelshall Street, right onto Royal Road, right onto Coffee Street, left onto Cipero Street, right onto the Rienzi Kirton Highway, and then to Independence Avenue.