All but 5 get refunds from Exodus

ALL but five of the approximately 400 masqueraders registered to play with the Republic Bank Exodus’ 2019 Carnival band have received their refunds.

The band, a usual part of the recently concluded Carnival celebrations, was scheduled to participate in the Carnival Tuesday parade of the bands with its 2019 presentation, World without Borders, but was refused approval for its trailer to be used on the road.

A previous Newsday article said it was the first time in 37 years that the band was not in the city for Carnival.

In an interview, Ainsworth Mohammed – the band’s manager told Newsday, “The challenge was the fact that the Transport Commissioner (Basdeo Gosine) turned down our request, despite the fact that we used the same trailer for the past eight or ten years and we got approval every year for it.”

He said the band eventually got approval on March 2. “They sent an approval with the officer to the panyard. My people called me to tell me, ‘Look we got approval.’

“When we were turned down, I had already called off the band. I could not wait and tell people Carnival Saturday.”

Mohammed said he could not do anything at that point, but thanked the officer all the same and asked for the approval to be taken back, as the band “did not need it any more”.

By Carnival Saturday, when the band received the approval, most of the masqueraders had already received their refunds, Mohammed said.