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Revellers from Bago Limers during J'Ouvert celebrations in Tobago on October 25. - Photos by Alva ViarruelALVA VIARRUEL
“Pure niceness!”
The words of Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro probably best sum up the fourth staging of Tobago’s J’Ouvert celebrations on the streets of the capital, Scarborough, on October 25.
Thousands of revelers and spectators thoroughly enjoyed the wide open parade route circuit, which started from the Shaw Park Complex, along the Claude Noel highway, down Wilson Street, and then along the waterfront Calypso Rose Boulevard, which gave them room to play mas.
Fog Angels masqueraders on show.
There seemed to be no anxiety among masqueraders of the military action of the US Navy in the Caribbean Sea and the build-up of assets in the conflict with narco-traffickers streaming from Venezuela.
By far the biggest and most colourful band was Fog Angels’ Wild Wild West, which also meant they had the largest complement of music and support trucks to facilitate the 6,000-plus masqueraders.
Guevarro, who walked along the Calypso Rose Boulevard and interacted with his officers, commended ACP Oswain Subero and Snr Supt Earl Elie for their work. Several officers were sent from Trinidad to augment the strength of the Tobago Division.
“I felt the love…felt secure…it seems like everybody from Trinidad came to Tobago,” he laughed, praising the excellent crowd control on what was largely an “incident-free” event.
Secretary of the Division of Education, Research and Technology, who was given the “temporary responsibility” for culture to manage Tobago’s carnival, Zorisha Hackett, was also elated at the largest street parade ever on the island.
“This was an excellent display of Tobago hospitality, Tobago energy, and thus far, it has been a remarkable outcome of all our efforts. I think all in all it was an extremely successful start to the weekend and I feel really good that in year four we’ve grown from strength to strength,” she said.
Just a little dash of mud to get ready for the road during J'Ouvert street party, in Scarborough, Tobago on October 25.
The parade, she added, “ended a bit earlier than we bargained for in discussions with the police, but they used their discretion” as the morning wore on, so by 10.30 the music bands were compelled to shut down.
“Our carnival is still in its infancy stage, and this year it has grown exponentially. It was huge. I’ve spoken to many people who say we’re just two weeks after the Miami carnival, and now they have to choose one in October, and they’ve opted out of Miami and come to Tobago. Now we have to work on that direct airlift because while we commend Caribbean Airlines, which put on additional flights to bring over hundreds who were on standby to the end of the week, we need direct airlift for the foreigners.”
She said the intention of the THA executive is to grow the local talent and encourage Trinidad bands to lend their expertise and collaborate with Tobago bands by bringing their own sections “because at the end of the day we want to be very cautious to maintain it as ours so we don’t want Trinidad bands come here and dominate the space. Let’s collaborate and share the expertise,” she said.
Tobago Festivals Commission CEO Kern Cowan also described the J’Ouvert celebrations as being “very successful, very smooth in terms of execution of our plans and the flow of the bands.”
He said the bottleneck that occurred in past parades at the junction of Wilson Road and Calypso Rose Boulevard in front of the Scarborough ferry terminal was alleviated significantly with the use of barriers.
By his estimation, there may have been in excess of 10,000 masqueraders, not counting spectators, who took part in the festivities.
Taking a little wine during J'Ouvert celebrations, in Scarborough, Tobago on October 25.
“Going forward, as the bands are expected to continue to grow, and we have had the involvement of all bands thus far, the Commission will be looking at expanding the route,” he said, noting too that its road management system, which included signage to redirect motorists, also worked towards making the staging of the event a success.
Carnival festivities continue with Pan and Powder later on October 25 and the culination of the carnival with the parade of the bands on October 26.
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