08th
July 2010
Cleaning
Up Carnival
We
are experiencing a carnival season that
seems as disorganized and rife with problems
as probably none other in all the years
since the celebration of the event began
in St. Lucia. Discord seems to be the
watchword that governs the proceedings
this time around.
Whether it is confusion over funding,
prompting some participants to threaten
strike action, or differences between
the Cultural Development Foundation and
the Carnival Bandleaders arising out of
the choice of venues for the various events,
or the failure to have the Panorama competition,
or the tawdry tone that this year’s
calypso offerings have adopted, juxtaposed
with the vulgarity and scantiness of the
costumes of the revelers who are expected
to gyrate with expected ultimate abandon
on our streets, almost every aspect of
this year’s festivities seems to
reek with controversy.
Finally, out of all the morass, one of
the organizations most important to the
success or failure of Carnival has come
out and taken what we consider a significant
and sensible stance regarding some of
the laxity that has so far been allowed
– if not condoned – by the
Carnival authorities. We present a release
issued yesterday by the Carnival Bands
association:
“At its general Meeting of Saturday
July 03, 2010, members of the St. Lucia
Carnival Bands Association voted to adopt
a common position regarding the playing
of songs with indecent lyrics during the
Carnival Monday and Carnival Tuesday Parade
of the Bands. |
