[UPDATED] Guaico Presbyterian Primary scores hat-trick in Junior Panorama

Youthful energy swarmed the Queen’s Park Savannah on Sunday as schools across TT competed for the title of National Junior Panorama champions in the Primary Schools, Secondary Schools and Under 21 (non-school) categories.

When the sticks were finally put down after a long day, which began at 9 am, Guaico Presbyterian Steel Orchestra won in the Primary category, completing a hat-trick. They previously lifted the winning trophy in 2019 and 2020. There was no competition in 2021 and 2022 owing to the pandemic.

Naparima Combined, comprised of students of Naparima Girls High School and Naparima College, the 2019 winners, topped the Secondary Schools category once again.

Guaico played the late Dexter “Blaxx” Stewart’s 2020 hit Same Way, while Naparima Combined played Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez’s Big Bad Soca.

In the Under 21 (non school) category, T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps Youth Steel Orchestra outperformed the rest playing Mash Up by Blaxx.

The day began with the Primary Schools category with Carenage Boys’ Government opening the competition playing the Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin and Skinny Fabulous 2019 Road March, Famalay.

Pan Trinbago’s president Beverley Ramsey-Moore said Sunday’s turnout was the largest the organisation had seen for a junior Panorama in a long while.

She attributed that to the competition’s absence over the last two years because of covid19.

The Primary and Secondary competitions were held collaboratively with the Ministry of Education through its Pan in Schools Coordinating Council.

Asked if she was pleased with the level of playing on the day, Ramsey-Moore said the organisation recognised the importance, with respect to the primary schools, of the Ministry of Education’s Multicultural Music Programme Unit (MMPU).

“Since after covid they have not reopened the unit where you have those young musicians going out to the various schools to keep the pan going and the other artforms going. There was a lapse in that and I think it affected the playing of the primary schools.”

Ramsey-Moore said the primary schools did not execute to the level they are accustomed owing to the absence of that unit.

As president, she called on the Education Minister to have that unit staffed as soon as possible so that pan and other artforms can continue.

“There is where we have the nursery so it can trickle up until they get into the conventional large, medium and small bands.”

However, she said the turnout at the competition foretold well for the upcoming National Panorama Semifinals: Savannah Party to be held on February 5 at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.

Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly was also at the event and delivered the feature address.

Speaking with Newsday, she said she was ecstatic at the day’s happenings. Gadsby-Dolly said TT, the children and schools needed the event this year.

“You are seeing school pride just bubbling over, seeing children involved in positive activity – cultural activity, revelling in their national culture, and it is a wonderful thing after three years,” she said.

The heart of Margaret Gopaul-Mohammed, Guaico Presbyterian’s principal, filled with pride looking on at her students.

The students were looking forward to the competition after being away from it for two years, she said.

“The children were hyped, really excited to be here again. And to have won a third time, making it a hat-trick, is unexplainable.”

The school has been participating in the competition since 2015, and even though it did not make it to the finals that year, it steadily progressed and eventually became winners.

Gopaul-Mohammed said music plays an integral role at the school.

“Our school always has observances, and music, especially, has played an important part in how we do things at our school. We have taken part in many different music festivals and we have been here with the pan all of these past few years. We really like to expose our children to all of it.”

The school tries to give its students a holistic education, she added.

Gopaul-Mohammed said the competition pushed the children to achieve their best, helped them to learn to love TT a little more, and develop as individuals.

Ministers Camille Robinson-Regis, Stuart Young and Lisa Morris-Julian also attended the event. Shurwayne Winchester and Edwin “Crazy” Ayoung also appeared on stage with bands in the Secondary Schools category. Song choices varied, but Blaxx's Mash Up was a popular one.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Guaico Presbyterian Steel Orchestra completed a hat-trick on Sunday when it took home its third National Schools Panorama title in the primary category.

Fellow Presbyterian schools – Naparima College and Naparima Girls High School, known as Naparima Combined – won in the secondary category.

The competition took place on Sunday at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, and saw a huge turnout from students, parents, educators and communities in support of the different bands.

Look out for more from Newsday on this.