BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A suggestion has been made to shift the street activities section of the Sugar Mas festivities from downtown Basseterre to the F. T. Williams Highway.
The suggestion was proposed by former Commissioner of Police Austin Williams.
He said his first area of concern is with the containers (booths) which were placed in The Circus by the Carnival Committee during the Carnival season.
Williams told SKNVibes that rather than have the containers in that area, they should be placed somewhere along the F. T. Williams Highway where there is more space and where the movement of individuals would not be inhibited.
“It is very congested in town and allowing the booth operators to set up across the sidewalks forces people to walk in the road. People want to walk along but they cannot walk on the sidewalk. So that congested the whole place. More and more people are coming to carnival for whatever reason so that lends to the congestion as well.
“The containers are set up or placed there maybe three days before Carnival and then they take forever to be removed from there, after. But along the highway, that is a good, long stretch of road and so people can take their time and do whatever they need to do without impacting the movement of others.”
Carnival Chairman Noah Mills, when asked about the practicability of the suggestion, said there are pros and cons which must be considered before such a decision can be made.
“We are always willing the listen to feedback from the public. One will have to – of course – consider the pros and the cons… It is done downtown because of proximity and many of the booths were open during the course of the day so workers could go and lime and hang out and have lunch, whatever the case is.
“Downtown also makes it in walking distance for tourists where we were able to have folklore down there and persons playing music... Additionally the containers allowed for co-existence this year meaning the taxi drivers were indeed allowed to park along side of them and operate still… where(as) in the past, the…tents and bars used to obstruct their presence and operation. Moving it up there (F. T. Williams Highway), yes, we would have space… In terms of traffic, it would not be hindered at all.”
The Carnival Chair expressed however, that transforming The Circus in that hub of carnival activity has nostalgic and historic value. He said the Carnival Committee is open to the suggestions from the public and that this particular suggestion would be discussed with the relevant stakeholders.
The former CoP said the Last Lap, J’Ouvert and Grand Parade events should also be moved to the Highway as the area is less restrictive and it would make the job of the security forces, in policing the events, easier.
