Police Drum Corps swinging again after 16-year lapse

By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AFTER a 16-year dormancy, the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force’s Corps of Drums is up and swinging again and has made several public appearances since its comeback.

Just a few weeks ago, the nine-member Drum Corps made its debut and persons were reintroduced to the idea of having yet another added to the list of drum corps existing in the Federation.

In exclusive interview, Leader of the Drum Corps Sylvester ‘I-Tobago’ Huggins told SKNVibes that the idea for re-establishing the Corps was birthed by him. Huggins explained that he was a member of the Police Drum Corps, which existed between the 70s and early 90s, and felt the need to reinstate a drum corps.

Huggins told SKNVibes that he joined the previous Drum Corps in 1978 when it was under the leadership of Melvin Benjamin, and after he departed this life, “Sergeant John” took over”.  Owing to what Huggins described as “controversy”, the band was disbanded in 1992.

“One day an idea came to my mind and I went to speak to the Commissioner of Police, Austin Williams, and I told him that I am trying to reform the Police Band but at the moment we would only get drummers. 

He gave the ‘ok’ and I went to Minister Astaphan sometime around May and he sent me to get some information about the cost of the drums.”

Huggins explained that two days after, Astaphan told him he had gathered some money for the procurement of the instruments. He added that assistance was received from other individuals, after which the instruments were purchased.

“I did my research and I also spoke with Sylvester Charles and Carol Adams and they said they would give me some assistance.
 
A gentleman was contacted in Miami and former drummer of the Police Band Alph Arthurton also provided assistance. At the end of that we were told that the drums would cost more than US$1 500. I gave the funds to the relative individual who added monies from the police and the drums were purchased.”  ~~Adz:Left~~

SKNVibes understands that the members of the band are former members of the Defence Force Band who left “because of problems they were having”. 

Huggins said he and other members of the Corps were disappointed with their exclusion from the Independence Military Parade.  

“We were not on the Parade. The Colonel decided that a band is coming from the United States and we can’t take part in the Parade. We told the Colonel that we just want to parade with the unarmed units and he still refused. We went to Sam Condor, Cedric Liburd and they said they will get back to us and nobody did get back to us concerning that. We are disappointed but we are looking forward to the next Independence Parade.”

Leader of the fledgling Drum Corps indicated that plans are already afoot for the expansion of the band.

“The Police Drum Corps started sometime in July 2008 and now we have nine members but we are hoping to expand. The Police Boys Club is raising money to see if they can buy more drums and expand the Drum Corps. They are also training, so when they join they would be aware of what is going on.”