Afong has doubts

Is the National Carnival Commission (NCC), in light of the lifting of a National Carnival Bandleaders Association (NCBA) restraining-injunction against it, truly able to stage the mas shows from now until Tuesday including Dimanche Gras and the Parade of Bands?

Yes, said NCC chairman Kenny de Silva, a view immediately challenged by NCBA chairman Richard Afong. Asked if the NCC ready and able to host the mas shows, De Silva replied: “Yes. We are in a state of readiness to run all the Carnival shows as of tonight. We have had a tremendous response to the NCC of qualified people coming forward to help. We have several hundred people, including 180 judges and 200 ushers. All the security, infrastructure, lights, sound system and hospitality are in place. Everything is in place. As I speak there are three meetings going on. Not for one moment did I have doubts the NCC could handle it. In 1991 to 1995 I was NCC deputy chairman.  I had absolutely no problems running that. I am heartened by the number of people coming forward to help”.

De Silva said the 180 judges had indicated their willingness to serve under the NCC  by attending a recent NCC seminar.  He said these judges offering to serve the NCC included the same judges who had been judging under the NCBA, emphasising: “I never said ‘new’ judges. These are people who have been judging Carnival all the time” He said the NCC had received some score-sheets from the NCBA and he was confident of receiving those outstanding. Would the NCC accept the previous judging results made by judges under the NCBA auspices? De Silva replied: “Certainly. We have been doing the due registration all the time with the understanding that they will be accepted”. Asked what the NCBA had to hand over to the NCC, De Silva said: “We need to get some information on the Junior Parade and Senior Parade registrations. I’m sure they will cooperate. We see no problem. If there is a problem we will ask all those people who had registered with the NCBA to now register with us”. As to whether he thought the NCC was capable of staging the mas shows, NCBA chairman Richard Afong opined: “I have strong reservations about that...” But the NCBA would still seek judicial review on the substantive issue on whether the NCC could overrule a Cabinet Minute which allocated responsibility to each Carnival group like the NCBA.