Popular T&T Carnival band breaks the rule

(Trinidad Express) Popular Carnival band Tribe was yesterday disqualified from crossing the Queen’s Park Savannah stage for going off-route and later declined to parade across the major judging point when it was invited to.

The band’s action was condemned by Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Winston “Gypsy” Peters and bandleader Brian MacFarlane.

Masqueraders were disappointed, with one lamenting to TV6 News that crossing the Savannah stage was like the culmination of the whole day of Carnival activities.

The 5,000-plus band broke the rules and went off-route yesterday morning, forcing police to intervene for fear that the band was too close to the Frederick Street prison.

The Express understands that Tribe, whose 2012 presentation was Take Me To…, went up Frederick Street to get to the Queen’s Park Savannah grand stage, the first judging point. However, Frederick Street was restricted this year and bands were instead supposed to make their way up Abercromby Street.

Police on horseback and those on foot patrol were forced to intervene and direct the large band up Frederick Street to the Savannah.

Many Tribe masqueraders seemed confused as to what was happening, as others continued to revel in whichever direction they were shown.

Tribe, which started in 2004 and has become one of the largest Carnival bands in the country, did not get to cross the Grand Stage at the time it was scheduled to do so. Instead, it was forced to go around the Savannah, in the vicinity of Queen’s Royal College, where band members had lunch.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Tribe official told the Express the band was eventually allowed to cross the stage, but decided against it.

Speaking to the Express at the grand stage at the Queen’s Park Savannah, David Lopez, president of the National Carnival Bands Association (NCBA), said although the band broke the rules, provisions were being made so that it could have still crossed the stage.

“I know for a fact Frederick Street was not part of the route from Brian Lara Promenade to Keate Street. As far as I understand, Tribe was coming up Frederick Street and was by the prison. There were major concerns about that, so when they reached to the top of Frederick Street, they were allowed to go around the Savannah,” said Lopez.

He said the band will lose points because of its indiscipline.

However, Lopez noted that for Tribe, “taking away points doesn’t make a difference, so we need to restructure the whole thing so we could have some discipline. Bandleaders can be their own worst enemy. If all the bandleaders stick to what we arranged, they all agreed before and when we reach on this stage, everybody do differently.”

Since its inception, Tribe has never won Band of the Year.

Lopez stressed that in order for this country to move forward, rules must not just be created, but enforced.

He said the masquerader is the one who loses because this person pays to perform. “The masquerader has a choice if they will continue to be involved in an indisciplined band that doesn’t want to cross the stage because some people just come for the party, some people not interested in the competition,” said Lopez.

He said despite Tribe’s trouble, there was generally smooth sailing at the Savannah. “So far, all the bands have been complying with the rules. The band that stayed the longest on stage thus far was Yuma. They spent one hour and ten minutes,” said Lopez.

Arts and Multiculturalism Minister Winston “Gypsy” Peters was stern in his response on the Tribe matter, saying if it were up to him, the band would not have been allowed to continue on the streets. “There are always people who would not want to follow, and we have to deal with those people who do not follow. When you break the rules, there’s a penalty. As a matter of fact, they should kick them off the road because I am a drastic person,” said Peters.

“When people fail to comply with the rules, there’s chaos. It is important to follow the rules,” he added.

Peters said he has been constantly urging people to police themselves when on the streets. He said while Carnival cannot be regimented, measured discipline was crucial.

“Carnival is a time when people release their inhibitions. They release their pressures of life and they need to do it in certain way. We shouldn’t have to legislate or dictate to people every step of the way… measured discipline is always the way to go,” said Peters.

Also condemning Tribe was bandleader Brian MacFarlane, who told TV6 News it served the band right.

He said it was time somebody starts to enforce the rules. “They right, they damn right,” an angry MacFarlane said of the decision to disqualify the band.

He said his band, Sanctification—In Search Of, waited hours to get in the Savannah and it was a total chaotic mess. “Not because it is Carnival we do what we want,” he said.

Commenting generally on the Carnival celebrations, which ended at midnight last night, Peters said the expenditure of some $100 million on the festival this year was worth it.

The post-mortem of Carnival, he said, will begin today. “Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is about the best export we have out of this country and when oil and gas is done, that is what we have to fall back on. That is why I am placing so much of emphasis. One hundred million dollars is nothing to spend on Carnival. Carnival brings in hundreds of millions of dollars each year,” said Peters.

Peters also expressed pride in Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s decision to play mas on Monday with All Stars pan band. “We should be happy when we see the Prime Minister taking part in Carnival and playing mas and doing what have you. It means that she is taking part in the cultural aspects of our country, but you know Trinidad is so frivolous… If she play mas, they say how the Prime Minister playing mas; if she ain’t play mas, they say why the Prime Minister not playing mas,” he said.

“I’m one zillion per cent proud. I wish she would play every year and I wish she would enjoy herself because this is a strenuous thing we are doing and just like everybody else who needs time to recreate, the Prime Minister is no different. The Prime Minister is a Trinbagonian who needs time to do that as well and she is doing it well. I am very proud of our Prime Minister,” he added.

National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy told the Express there were no major incidents and law enforcement was doing an excellent job.

On the Tribe controversy, Sandy said it is the spectators of mas and masqueraders who lose out. He said everyone at the Grand Stand was looking forward to seeing Tribe because of its popularity. “We cannot have Carnival without a little bacchanal,” said Sandy.

Sandy, Sport Minister Anil Roberts, Oropouche West Member of Parliament Stacy Roopnarine, Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial and Cumuto/Manzanilla MP Collin Partap were among the Tribe masqueraders yesterday.