BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WINNERS and participants of the recently concluded Sugar Mas 40:40 are expected to receive their cash and prizes, finally this Friday, March 2 at Independence Square.
The committee is expected to dish out in total some EC$200,000 in cash and prizes to carnival participants.
Some of those prizes will include a Hyundaii Accent and Mitsubishi Lancer.
It was about two months ago that the climax of National Carnival was held with the Last Lap celebrations on January 3.
This long-awaited prize giving ceremony seemed to be a first for the history of carnival, as the ceremony is usually held in January, as carnival winners look forward to their prizes.
However, according to an official from the committee they wanted to “ensure everyone got their prize that night and there were no issues after” as happened in the past.
The ceremony is expected to begin at 6:00 p.m. and will award the dozens of participants and winners of Sugar Mas 40:40 who were a part of the queen and calypso shows, soca monarchs and street activities and more.
Some of the winners include Konris Maynard winner of the Calypso Monarch who will receive a Mitsubishi Lancer for his win, while the newly crowned Kalia Huggins of the National Carnival Queen Pageant will receive the keys to a brand new Hyundaii Accent.
Although the carnival committee wanted to make sure they had all the money and prizes before they held the prize giving, several carnival participants were displeased with the long wait and spoke out against the committee on local talk shows and on social networks including Facebook.
There were several rumours and speculations of when the prize giving ceremony would occur including one that said it would be held in the form of a cocktail affair, Feb. 4 hosted by the Governor-General at Government House.
The 2011-2012 National Carnival Sugar Mas celebrations was held under the theme ‘Sugar Mas 40:40, Non-stop Carnival and Party’ and officially began from Nov.25-Jan. 3.
However, the much advertised 40 days and 40 nights celebrations quickly dwindled as some of the events did not live up to expectations or had poor turnouts and there was even the cancellation of one event- The Digicel Band Clash.
Hopefully, if all of the prize money is distributed at the Prize Giving ceremony it would go a long way towards ending the Season on a good note – even if a bit late.
