BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ON Saturday (Jan. 29) the Small-Axe Band, adjudged the ‘Sweetest Band On The Road’ during the 2010/2011 Carnival celebrations, would be leading a jam session through the streets of Basseterre from 4:00 p.m. prior to the Carnival Prize Giving Ceremony.
However, many people are asking, “When did the Carnival Committee come up with the ‘Sweetest Band On The Road’ category and why it was not announced amongst the other winners of the street activities?”
In a recent SKNVibes’ article headlined ‘Jam session and carnival prize giving this Saturday’, an individual commented, “Everybody was born with a conscience! From since when another band is allowed to have the victory jam? Bout best band on the road! The committee very well knew that Small-Axe won the Road March hands down but as the saying goes let your conscience be your guide. I'm not a Small-Axe fan I actually support Konris. I was on the railing when he won the Soca Monarch cheering for him but people must give jack its Jacket, the Axe was deserving of the title.”
When SKNVibes contacted Chairman of the National Carnival Committee Clement O’Garro for an explanation to the added category, he said the committee came up with the idea during its first meeting after the carnival ended.
O’Garro declared that the new category resulted from one of the recommendations made by the committee, whose members pointed out that many people saw the carnival as a success and some extra awards should be given out as well as prizes. He added that the committee suggested that the extra awards and prizes should be termed the Chairman’s Award.
The Chairman said that the category has nothing to do with the Road March title.
When asked why the Road March Champion would not lead the jam session as was normally done in the past, O’Garro said, “King Konris would be performing on stage and this Carnival Committee is not a normal one. There are certain things on which we are going to impose our own mark, as to the normal way things were done for years.”
He said they are contemplating on keeping the Sweetest Band On The Road category and would definitely announce it along with the other winners of the street activities in the future. He further mentioned that the category would carry a monetary prize which would be announced on Saturday.
SKNVibes also spoke to Mr. World of the Small-Axe Band, who said he was not aware that they were adjudged the Sweetest Band On The Road, as nothing was said to them by any official of the Carnival Committee. He noted that all he knew is that they are scheduled to jam on the road Saturday.
The singer of the band however stated that he would make some calls to get more details on this new development.
