Stale Carnival routine

But sadly, little seems to have been done to capitalise on the attention.

Instead, there is the feeling that of all the years Bolt could have chosen to visit, this was one of the worst.

All around, there have been complaints that Carnival was simply underwhelming. So much so that National Carnival Commission Chairman Kenny De Silva was forced to confirm yesterday that he will be leaving the post once litigation matters in relation to this year’s events are concluded.

Notwithstanding this, we congratulate all of the winners of the major titles.

Ronnie and Caro’s second Band of the Year title is a reminder of what can be achieved by all bandleaders.

Ronnie and Caro always have a clear theme and make an effort to put on a dramatic presentation.

They have proven that relative newcomers can scale the heights of recognition once reached by George Bailey and Peter Minshall, to the extent that even veteran masmen like Brian MacFarlane can be eclipsed on the tally sheets.

The Road March went as expected to Ultimate Rejects led by MX Prime with Full Extreme. The song also broke the record for the most plays, surpassing SuperBlue’s Fantastic Friday. Last year’s champion, Machel Montano, had to settle for a distant second place, though he also copped third.

The victory of Full Extreme perhaps is a sign of the frustration being experienced by the citizenry.

With lines like, “The city could burn down — we jamming still,” it has been variously interpreted as satirical and uplifting: a sign of Trini resilience.

“We do care about the state of things in our country,” remarked Anya Ayoung-Chee in a Newsday interview in relation to the song.

“And we believe we can build on our history of activism in this region and stand up as individuals for what we imagine to be a better society.” If the song is about apathy and myopia, it has also clearly inspired activism, including on Ayoung- Chee’s part. But none captured the true essence of Carnival 2017 better than Roman Catholic Archbishop Joseph Harris.

“My dear friends, these two months of the year 2017 have been the bloodiest in our history,” he observed once the dust had settled on Ash Wednesday. “The recession has hit us with ensuing job losses and the gap between rich and poor widening every day. While some of us live very well, an increasing number of people, many of them our relatives and friends, are finding it extremely difficult to make ends meet.” Indeed, it is hard not to regard the Carnival 2017 festivities as one massive bubble in which people attempted, in vain, to hide from the realities facing our nation. True, this country has faced tough times before. And yes, Carnival has been regarded as a national catharsis, a moment when the nation breathes and finds what is joyful in life once more.

But this merry-go-round routine is getting stale. After a while, one cannot help but question how useful Carnival is to a society which is struggling in the most basic of things: safety, security, healthcare, environment and economic prosperity.

Our law enforcement agencies are yet to solve the murder of Asami Nagakiya, found dead one year ago in her Carnival costume.

Was this year’s Carnival a time for reflection? Did it refresh us as we resume the struggle to build our society? Or was it one massive logistical and cultural waste of time? It is for citizens to decide. Meanwhile, students have once more turned up absent on Ash Wednesday, perhaps needing a break from all of the merriment. But was the Greatest Show on Earth really merry this year?