BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — FOLLOWING an entertaining night of steel pan competition in which EBJ Harmonics secured a sixth consecutive national title, Minister of the Creative Economy Samal Duggins said the artform is in a strong position locally.
His comments came as all four bands that competed on Sunday night were made up largely of young performers, including several teenagers. Speaking with SKNVibes shortly after the event, the minister noted that both the turnout and the demographics of the players point to a healthy future for steel pan.
“When you look at tonight, they had to stop selling tickets. That tells you something,” Duggins said. “At the public level, the interest is clear. Look at the makeup of these teams — teenagers, young people, and even more mature players. That tells you there is longevity.”
The steel pan competition has become one of the marquee events on the carnival calendar, drawing large crowds, including a contingent from Nevis. Sunday night’s (Dec. 28) Panorama recorded the largest attendance of any event so far this carnival season.
Fans were not disappointed, as EBJ Harmonics amassed 424 points to retain the title and claim the $30,000 top prize. Nevis Development Steel Orchestra placed second with 381 points and earned $20,000.
Chair of the Steel Pan Subcommittee, Anthonio Liburd, praised the performances of all four bands.
“All of the bands brought their A-game this evening,” Liburd said. “The winning band delivered an excellent performance, but all of the bands were exceptional. The support from the audience was also tremendous. We had a sell-out crowd and had to stop online ticket sales so persons without tickets could purchase physical tickets at the gates.”
Minister Duggins also commended the performers, telling SKNVibes News that the audience witnessed a high level of excellence.
“Tonight, what we saw was a wonderful display of talent and steel pan at its finest,” he said. “While all the performances were exceptional, the judges’ decision once again placed EBJ at the top.”
Reflecting on the event, Duggins said the strong turnout was a victory in itself.
“When I look on, I do so with pride. Another year, steel pan has delivered the highest attendance at Warner Park, and for me, that is a win,” he added.
The minister dismissed suggestions that steel pan is in decline in the Federation, despite the smaller number of competing bands this year.
“What we have actually seen is an increase in participation,” he said. “The absence of additional teams from Nevis meant fewer bands overall, but when you look at the number of players within the bands, it is clear that the artform remains well attended and well supported.”
Carnival activities continue this evening with the staging of the Miss Haynes Smith Pageant at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort.
