Carnival Tuesday told the tale of two cities, one where the nation’s capital brimmed with people, colours, revelry and splendour, while San Fernando paled in comparison.
Shortly after midday, while several major mas bands had already crossed various judging points in Port-of-Spain, masqueraders in the southern city began chipping into their assembly position while music trucks blasted Road March contenders Bunji Garlin’s Hard Fete, Nailah Blackman and Skinny Fabulous’ Come Home and Shake the Place from Machel Montano and Destra Garcia.
As the blazing sun warmed up masqueraders, band leaders told Guardian Media Carnival in San Fernando was in urgent need of attention from the authorities, as its future seemed to be fading.
Kalicharan Mas bandleader Ayana Kalicharan said it was time Government place focus on San Fernando too.
“They have to do a lot to pump and boost San Fernando Carnival,” Kalicharan said.
“We are trying as bandleaders but the Government needs to focus on San Fernando Carnival, all the energy, everything is pushed into Port-of-Spain Carnival. There is no activity, you are driving through the streets, there are no banners, no flyers, there is no feel of the attention on San Fernando.”
Kalicharan said while her family’s band was thrilled to be back on the road following two years of inactivity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were challenges.
“A major challenge was with people and their salaries, because remember they have not yet received their February salary so they asked us to do payment plans and we did. Another major challenge was the administrative process to get things on the road, permits, passes for the trucks, as you know we had a problem with the licensing of trucks so that delayed us a lot.”
She said a major take away from this year’s celebrations was the need to plan earlier, adding work for Carnival 2024 will begin from as early as next week.
Jagessar mas bandleader Rosemarie Kuru Jagessar meanwhile said she no longer knew what it would took to bring back mas in San Fernando.
“You can see for yourself who is on the road to look at us? But we love mas so we here. I don’t know what to do again, we try all kind of thing, we try everything we could, we change the costume, we made them skimpy for the young ones, we did all we could have done but yet it hasn’t changed, I mean after 45 years I don’t know what to do again,” she said.
The band portrays iconic Indian mas costumes, a staple of her late husband, legendary masman Lionel Jagessar, who passed away last year.
David Tiboo, a spectator along Cipero Street, said it was heart-breaking to witness the decline of San Fernando Carnival.
“Seeing how everything was being hyped as the Mother of all Carnivals, I came home thinking everything would have changed, expecting to see a steady flow of mas and nothing has changed and I think it’s getting progressively worse, as every year I come home for Carnival and it’s like I’m seeing less mas and productivity.”
However, San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello and National Carnival Commission chairman Winston “Gypsy” Peters contended that Carnival was far from finished in the southern city and that the numbers did not necessarily reflect a cause for concern.
“How can it be dead and your band is 3,000-4,000 strong and your band sold out. I don’t know where that information is coming from, it may just be propaganda to raise controversy,” Peters told Guardian Media.
“I just see a set of living people pass, I ent see Belgrove behind them or Dass funeral home...I seeing people, lots of them.”
Peters also acknowledged the benefits to a southern Carnival.
“I want to tell you how fortunate you all are to have this kind of hub to have almost a freeway with big wide streets to have Carnival in San Fernando, other than what it used to be before. I grew up in San Fernando, I am a south boy and you know I prefer this and you have a planned place where you can have all your mas. I wish this was in Port-of-Spain.”
