Junior Panorama: 12 bands tie for 11 places

BP Renegades Youth Steel Orchestra took the top spot with a total of 285 points at the Junior Panorama finals on February 2.

A total of 12 primary schools, ten secondary schools and twelve 21-and-under steelbands competed at the Grand Stand and North Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.

The second place, however, was shared among four bands, with Shell Invaders Youth Steel Orchestra, Trinidad All Stars Youth Steel Orchestra, T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps Youth Steel Orchestra and First Citizens Supernovas Youth Steel Orchestra each scoring 278 points.

Desperadoes Youth Steel Orchestra placed sixth with 271 points and Fonclaire Juniors seventh with 266 points.

The eighth place also saw a tie, among Heritage Petroleum Siparia Deltones Juniors Steel Orchestra, RBC Redemption Sound Setters Youth Academy and Hilltoppers Steelpan, with 264 points each.

Similarly, Birdsong Academy and Phase II Pan Groove Junior Steel Orchestra shared the 11th place, scoring 261 points each.

The four-way, three-way and two-way ties caused a stir on social media, with some criticising the competition’s results and calling the judging unfair.

But Pan Trinbago president Beverley Ramsey Moore defended the results.

“Pan Trinbago’s judging system is one of the fairest in the world,” she said.

“There is no bias, and what the results say to me is that the music is improving. Good work from our bands and excellent job by our young arrangers.

"The standard of music has definitely increased and I feel great about that.”

She explained the judging process, which includes six judges.

“One of the judges draws from a box and if that judge pulls ‘alternate,’ that judge’s score is not added. Then you throw out the highest score and you throw out the lowest score. This leaves you with three judges' scores to be counted.

“Not even the judges know what the results are until they have been announced.

"So the judges sit and they themselves are listening to hear who is first, second and third. They are not aware.”

She said the judging is well-monitored, leaving no room for unfairness.

“Pan Trinbago officers are always sitting and looking at what is happening, so the judges cannot even speak to each other.”