23oCHistoric year for South
YVONNE WEBB
SOUTHERNERS accomplished amazing success in almost every sphere of competitions during the Carnival season. From pan to calypso, soca, extempo, King and Queen of the bands, the south artistes dominated.
For their achievement, San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello held, for the first time, a recognition ceremony at City Hall, to toast the success of the winners and those who represented with distinction. Franka Hills-Headley, leader of Golden Hands, the National Panorama winner in the small band category rechristened San Fernando as the cultural capital of TT.
Hills-Headley lauded the success of her own band, the first San Fernando steel orchestra to win this category in ten years. She also tipped her hat to Pan Elders, five-time Panorama champions in the medium category, the Naparima Combined Steel Orchestra which placed second in the Junior leg of the national competition in its debut year and CAL Skiffle Steel Orchestra which also placed second in the Large Band category.
Among the celebrants were mother and son, Gloria Dallsingh and Marlon Rampersad, who captured the South King and Queen of Carnival. Dallsingh, 71, who indicated plans to retire this year, also placed second in the National Queens final, while Rampersad placed third among the kings.
Although the mayor is yet to receive the Carnival subvention to pay San Fernando winners, Masquerader of the Year, Rosemarie Kuru-Jagessar, thanked Regrello for hosting the event.
“Because when you wait for six months to have something, you do not feel good. It’s like having a birthday and celebrating after,” Kuru-Jagessar said. Her family’s band Lionel Jagessar and Associates also won the San Fernando Band of the Year. Her son, Lionel Junior, said he was happy to mix and mingle with the winners.
Commenting on the band’s victory, Jagessar Jr told the audience which included former culture minister Joan Yuille-Williams, NCBA vice president Ainsley Matthews and TUCO public relations officer Steve Pascall, it was so much more meaningful because of the 19 years separation since they won the title. “When you are not expecting it, it feels so much better. You wait so long for it and you got it. It was not like the run-of-the-mill thing.”
Another player who waited 12 years to win the J’Ouvert Band of the Year, was Dev Harris, known as Dev’s Barber Shop and as the soca artiste Dev who really impressed with his 2018 offering, Jam. Southerner Kevan Calliste also distinguished himself as the National Junior Extempore champion. He also placed second in the south Junior Calypso Monarch competition which was won by Rivaldo London. In the adult category, Nerrimah Scipio successfully defended his South Soca Monarch title, as did Mr Shak (Selvon Noel) in the South Calypso Monarch category.
Although he did not win the National Calypso Monarch, title, former councillor and attorney Rondell Donowa celebrated his third place in the competition only after his second time in the Big Yard.
Regrello told Donowa, “You said you only came third, but you have no idea what you were able to achieve. Just look behind you, you would have seen Sugar Aloes, just look behind you, you would have seen Chalkdust, Duanne O’Connor, look behind you would have seen Sandra. That is how important that third place is.”
Similarly, Regrello said, “When you say Skiffle only came second, given what was behind us was All Stars, behind us was Phase II, behind us was Desperadoes, behind us was Exodus – That is the margin of our achievement. To the people of San Fernando we are the winners.”
“A wind of change is taking place and San Fernando and we are happy to be part of it. Congratulations to all the winners. Well done and let us work to make 2019 the best year ever,” Regrello said.