Minister pleased with Carnival preparations

CULTURE MINISTER Joan Yuille-Williams got an update on the National Carnival Commission’s (NCC) preparation for Carnival 2004 when she toured facilities at the Queen’s Park Savannah on Thursday. 

Accompanied by NCC Board members and executives, Ministry of Works supervisors and contractors, Yuille-Williams got a first hand view of the infrastructure being developed by the NCC.  She was told work on the facilities should be completed by January 31, eight clear days before the first major Carnival event at the venue, the Panorama semi-finals. The Minister later said she was very satisfied with what she saw. NCC chairman Kenny De Silva later commented: “The NCC Board, like the Minister, is very happy with the stage we are at in terms of the facilities. 

It was very heartening to hear the representative of mas on the NCC Board Richard Afong indicating that his bands and members will be giving total compliance to the NCC parade route. “When one realises the level of success Carnival 2003 enjoyed pertaining to the parade, where you had little if any congestion and the parade finished at 5 o’clock in the afternoon, compliance is imminent. “We are getting the guarantees of the respective stakeholders that we will get the level of compliance necessary to ensure a smooth and enjoyable parade. “There will be different clusters of bands that will have different starting points, hence easing the congestion.”