BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - YESTERDAY (Dec. 30), downtown Basseterre came alive when scores of future leaders donned their festive costumes and danced in the streets in celebration of the annual National Carnival festivities and signalling the beginning of the end of this year's 40/40 Sugar Mas.
Under the theme “St. Kitts-Nevis Culture and Future”, the troupes brightened the Basseterre area with their vivid, eager faces and colourful costumes that portrayed various topics in Carnival style.
Like every December, the troupes were presented in Zones.
Zone One being schools from East Basseterre to Central Basseterre including St. Peters, while Zone Two was represented by schools from West Basseterre.
Zone Three were schools from Old Road to St. Paul’s, Zone Four from Newton Ground to Cayon, and Zone Five were of private schools as well as children from Nevis.
The parade was led by the newly-crowned Miss Talented Teen, Junika Berry, masquerades and the Majorettes Cheerleaders while music was provided by the Kollision Band.
Carnival Masquerade was the first troupe seen and was represented by Zone One.
Decorated in the peaceful colour purple complete with masks, the children in this troupe represented the old time Mas tradition - masquerade.
Zone Two embodied Information and Technology with light blue and silver costumes and head gear symbolising the opportunity for creativity and growth for the Federation through this field.
Zone Three, the Soca Music Troupe, displayed fun, frolic and pure excitement in their attire that came in shades of red, green and blue complete with head pieces carrying music symbols, portraying that listening to Soca music brings that 'kick up your heels' feeling.
Illustrating Agriculture and Self-Reliance was Zone Four.
The boys wore farmers’ hats while the girls wore head-pieces adorned with garden provisions that signified the men and women who toil in their gardens to reap fruits and vegetables for self-sustenance.
Zone Five depicted Industry and Commerce, and their outfits surely did scream money in their gold and black costumes and head-dress displaying dollar signs, that, at first glance looked royal.
Starting at the Patsy Allers Playfield on Wigley Avenue, the parade went East along Cayon Street, right onto Church Street, left onto Liverpool Row, left onto Fort Street, right onto Cayon Street, right onto West Independence Square Street, right onto the Bay Road, right onto Fort Street and ended at Warner Park.
The children from each Zone and the Majorettes were scheduled to complete the parade with a performance, but they were unable to do so due to the inclement weather.
