A permanent home
As far back as 1976, it had come to the realization of Mas Bands here that the availability of tent space, operation bases, had diminished.
By the next year, with the situation not improved in any way, Mas Bands began turning to the governments of the day for assistance, whether in actually providing space or facilitating same.
It was not until the 1990s that a spot in Walvaroo, (Sion Hill) was identified for the construction of buildings that could house Mas Tents.
Three unfinished structures – steel framed – stand at the site construction halted for a number of reasons, not least being that a series of rock falls from the nearby quarry highlighted the danger of operating from that location.
“We have to have a permanent solution for costume bands in order for them to produce better quality work,” Hugh Ragguette, the Chairman of the Carnival Bands Incorporated (CBI) said.
Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves acknowledged on radio on February 1 that members of the CBI had raised the issue of a place for them to operate saying that it had been expressed to him that about half of the 15 registered Mas Bands require permanent homes.
According to Ragguette, some band leaders were expected to meet with Chief Surveyor Keith Francis to explore the proposal of two prospective sites.
Prize money
Perhaps the one issue that continually features in preparations for the annual carnival is prize money.
Not since 2013 has there been effectively an increase in prize money for Mas Bands, according to the CBI Chairman.
He said that they decided to back away from making any request for an increase in 2023 due to the lingering repercussions attributed to COVID-19 and the volcanic eruption in 2021.
“We know and we realize that we may have to wait awhile before we see an increase…we understand how things are,” he said.
Notwithstanding the fore-mentioned, the CBI is holding the CDC to honour a request dating back to 2006 that the winner of the ‘Band of the Year’ competition be the highest paid single award.
At present, the Panorama Competition has EC$33,000 as a first prize compared to EC$26,400 which is awarded to the Mas Band taking the Band of the Year title.
“We wish to have that (request) attended to this year,” he said.