5 days of Carnival in Couva

SEETA PERSAD

The Couva Carnival Committee (CCC) will not host two major events for Carnival because of the lack of funding from Government. CCC president Rajbal Ramchand said the Chutney Explosion and calypso tent have been cancelled because the committee did not receive any allocation from the National Carnival Committee (NCC).

“We cannot host our usual South/Central calypso tent,” Maraj said, adding the tent which had been a fixture in Couva Carnival for 18 years. Even so, the CCC is promoting its season as five days of Carnival. This will kick off on Carnival Friday at 7 pm with the annual calypso monarch competition.

The Couva Carnival Queen show takes place on Saturday from 8 pm. There will be the children’s Carnival on Sunday and on Monday morning there will be the annual J’Ouvert competition. Also on Monday there will be an all night party for Monday Night Mas. The final event will take place on Carnival Tuesday with the parade of bands. Maraj said businesses in Couva and other central Trinidad communities stepped forward to sponsor many of the events.

“Without the intervention of the business community, we cannot host Carnival in Couva,” Maraj said, adding the people in central look forward to celebrating Carnival in their hometown instead of travelling to Port of Spain or San Fernando. He said the NCC did not provide any information on funding and many large bands from Couva have opted out of Carnival. But he is expecting a successful J’Ouvert.

“We are expecting a bumper J’Ouvert competition because people can express themselves without having to spend a lot of money in costuming,” Maraj said. “Among the bands signing up for Couva Carnival are Madness Crew, Jab Jab Band, Whip Masters and Salima Alfred with Fancy Indians.

Fourteen calypsonians will be in the senior monarch final.