Schools to showcase old time mas today

Port-of-Spain Mayor Joel Martinez said the three schools will come through the city from different points and culminate at Woodford Square.

Officials said the parade routes remain the same as last year except that instead of going all the way up Frederick Street into the Savannah, the Kiddies Carnival parade tomorrow will turn right onto Oxford Street and into Charlotte Street and enter the Savannah.

The first judging point for the Downtown Kiddies Carnival will be at the South Quay venue.

On Sunday the children’s parade will be judged downtown and then go to Tamarind Square where they will also be judged. Martinez, at a news conference at City Hall, Portof- Spain yesterday, said he will read the proclamation to launch Downtown J’Ouvert at 4am on Monday and set off the rocket to launch Carnival 2017.

He said patronage of the Downtown Carnival has been growing in recent years and he is hoping that this year the Downtown Carnival authorities could send some patrons uptown to the Queen’s Park Savan- nah where there might be some space. Officials said the Downtown venue is the safest place to play and view mas.

And the Port-of-Spain City Police will not be doing any wrecking for Carnival although the TT Police Service will be wrecking illegally and improperly parked vehicles, said Superintendent Dexter Charles of the Municipal Police.

He said, however, that the police will use their discretion in doing so.

The wreckers, according to Charles, will concentrate on cases where people are parked in gateways and the homeowners need to get out but other than that they will allow some leeway within the capital city.

In response to a question about cases where there are fetes and vehicles are not causing any obstruction, Charles said he had discussed such matters with the Senior Superintendent for the Port-of- Spain Division and had been assured that such concerns would be addressed.