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From Saucy's blog entry for today..Saucy gal, I hope you don't mind but these ppl in here need a boost!

http://saucytrini.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Panorama Stays in the Savannah!

Well, there is one ray of hope at least I will be enjoying Panorama semi-finals in the Savannah, albeit in a new location it is still much better than any other alternative! As reported in today's Guardian, which I will from now on christen the Carnival newspaper:


" BY CORDIELLE STREET

The 2007 Panorama semifinals will stay at the Queen’s Park Savannah (QPS) in Port-of-Spain.

But the final of the event will indeed be held at Skinner Park, San Fernando.

And for the semis, instead of the Grand Stand and North Stand, patrons will have to accustom themselves to enjoy the “jamming” in West and East stands, Pan Trinbago president Patrick Arnold disclosed yesterday.

The Panorama semis—one of the major Carnival events traditionally held at the QPS—have been saved a trip down to the south of Trinidad and will be relocated to the western end of the savannah, he said.

Arnold said that Minister of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs Joan Yuille-Williams has finally agreed to the proposal sent to her months ago by Pan Trinbago, to utilise the western end of the QPS.

This means that the traditional exit point for steelbands leaving the Savannah, after crossing the stage, will now be their entrance via Victoria Avenue.

This paved area of the QPS will now become the main drag, and a stage will be constructed, possibly utilising a portion of the current QPS paddock.

This depends on how far the salvage demolition of the current QPS facilities by the Urban Development Corporation of T&T (Udecott) has reached, said Arnold.

The “new” home for Panorama will technically be sharing part of the current facilities while the new stage and stands will be erected less than a quarter-mile from the Grand Stand.

The paved area is enjoyed as a recreational facility by the general public and was a major point of contention for environmentalists and mas designer Peter Minshall when it was paved in 2000 by former National Carnival Commission (NCC) chairman Carlos John.

The price tag for the paving then was more than $5 million. The NCC will be in charge of constructing the new temporary facility for the Panorama semis.

“It looks like we are going to turn and go left and come off the stage. But we may have another plan, where we do not have to enter onto the grass,” Arnold said.

Details are still being worked out, but one thing is for sure: the North Stand and and Grand Stand have seen their last days and new East and West stands will be constructed with the stage dead centre.

Arnold claimed that construction of the stage and two new stands will cost significantly less than previous years when a grand stage and North Stand were erected.

Udecott announced on Monday its intention to demolish facilities at the QPS in the new year, to make way for the $450-million Carnival Cultural Centre.

It is left to be seen if the San Fernando Carnival Committee’s proposal of a $1 million first prize for the champion band in the 2007 Panorama competition holds, as the city will for the first time host the national Panorama final at Skinner Park.

“We were not going to take 34 bands to South,” said Arnold, dismissing finally any such idea of a Panorama semifinal round in south Trinidad.

Concerning the $1 million cash prize being offered by the San Fernando Carnival Committee, Arnold said: “That has nothing to do with us. We have submitted a Carnival budget and it was in our budget for $1 million first prize.”

Attempts to contact NCC chairman Kenny De Silva were futile.
©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited



Now, I don't want to hope too much, but seeing as they are going to be constructing stands and a stage for Panorama, could it be that FINALLY somebody has been listening to all our protests and that if we pray hard enough they will leave these stands and stage up for the rest of Carnival and we WILL get a stage to cross? One can only hope that the powers that be see some sense in this !

__________________
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The philosophy of 50 cent has them hook, line and sinker.
The young black men become like a sacrifice.
They love it; they living in a fool's paradise."
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