With only a handful of steelbands turning up on time for last Sunday’s ComPANions Steelband Sports & Family Day, proceedings actually got started three hours after the scheduled 10.30 am opening. Bands setting an example by being on time were T&T Defence Force, bpTT Renegades, CAL Invaders and First Citizens Supernovas.
Among the other 15 bands participating in the month-long competition were Massy Trinidad All Stars, Desperadoes, Pan Elders, Republic Bank Exodus, Deltones, Curepe Scherzando, Diatonics Pan Institute, Pamberi, Belmont 5th Dimension, Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille and MHL Starlift. Pulling the event together were Julie William, Shivon Bourne (Republic Bank Exodus); and Jabez Williams, Denise Hernandez (Massy Trinidad All Stars). The organisers were also assisted by the Tunapuna Piarco Regional Coorporation, T&T Fire Services and Ensphere Events.
The most unique aspect of this annual ComPANions event is that, despite being a steelband event, not a pan is played. The venture was conceptualised to nurture and stimulate togetherness and unity amongst the nation’s steel orchestras. The togetherness was evident all day as bands walked with food and drink and readily shared all with their colleagues. Throughout the day music and audio were supplied by DJ Dynamic Sounds.
Sunday’s programme opened with a Fun Past with four steelbands competing; costumed and dancing to the theme of Up The Islands. The salute was taken by Peter Ray Blood, the Fun Past was judged by Ben Jackson, Renee Edwards and Robert Riley. Each team did some creative performances but the judges were most impressed by the well choreographed routine staged by the combination of bpTT Renegades and Pan Elders. With a ship and passengers in tow, the team visited several Caribbean islands, each time presenting the music and culture of the island visited.
Aside from the Fun Past, another event to create much excitement was the Tug of War, won for the third consecutive year by CAL Invaders. All of the pre-Sports Day activities were well supported with large crowds turning up at panyards for the last two months to witness the steelbands compete in events like draughts, scrabble, cricket, football and All Fours.
After a day of wholesome, clean family fun and cameraderie between 19 of the nation’s steel orchestras, First Citizens Supernovas emerged as the day’s overall champion and winner of the Neville Jules Challenge Trophy.
Congrats to Dr Kumar Mahabir and the Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre on the publication of another Indian Arrival Day magazine. The 2016 edition highlighted Hindu and Indian-formatted radio stations in T&T. Of the 36 registered FM radio stations locally, nine of them fall within this category, including Sangeet 106.1 and Aakash Vani 106.5, both members of the GML Group.
103.1FM is said to be the nation’s first Indian-formatted music station, followed by Sangeet 106.1FM in 1995. Radio Jaagriti 102.7FM is owned by the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha and all its profits are donated to Hindu activities and institutions. One unique element of Jaagriti is that it does not advertise alcohol and meat products as well as fetes and parties.
Mahabir’s glossy-paged magazine carries a greeting from Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts Dr Nyan Gadsby Dolly, as well as biographics of the country’s nine Indian-formatted radio stations.
Fathers who care
Sebastian Ayoung is a seven-year-old child who was recently diagnosed with Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection (PAPVC). This is a rare congenital cardiac defect. In PAPVC, the blood flows from a few of the pulmonary veins and returns to the right atrium instead of the left atrium. Without early surgical correction, Sebastien’s lifespan will be shortened.
His parents, grandparents, and friends have organised a fund-raiser concert since his surgery is unavailable locally and it will be held on June 18, at 7 pm, at Trinidad Country Club, Maraval. The fund-raiser is titled Fathers Who Care and among the artistes billed to perform are David Rudder, Blaxx, Crazy and Frenz in Music.
All funds raised go directly towards Sebastien’s medical expenses. An account has been established in the name of Sebastian Ayoung at Republic Bank and the account number is 440 013 393 201.
This weekend, hopefully with fair weather, is filled with fun activities for the children. Tomorrow, the Candice Clarke Academy of Dance is staging its Let It Flow concert at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA), at the corner of Todd Street and Rienzi Kirton Highway, San Fernando, at 6.30 pm. Featuring the children of the Academy, this entertaining production will be repeated on Sunday at the same time.
It’s the perfect family outing tomorrow when the St James Community Improvement Committee (St James CIC) premieres WeBeat St James Live 2016 with Film Night (A Story About Wendy), under the auspices of the Trinidad + Tobago Film Festival. Showtime is Saturday at 8 pm and the film will be screened at the St James Amphitheatre.
On Sunday, following mass and breakfast at 8 am, St John the Evangelist RC Parish, Diego Martin, & OLMM will host their Family Day Fiesta on Church Street Diego Martin. Similarly, after a 9 am mass, Fr Matthew D’Hereaux and parishioners of Our Lady of Mt Carmel RC Church hosts their Family Day, at the church compound, at St Mary's Junction, Freeport.
WeBeat St James Live continues on Sunday at 3 pm with the staging of WeTreat, for children aged 12 and under, at St James Amphitheatre, Western Main Road, St James.
Rounding off the weekend’s family fun is the St Martin de Porres Community Building Ministry with its Sunday Afternoon of Elegance—A Whimsical High Tea, at 3 pm. This takes place at the Holy Name Convent Hall, Upper Charlotte Street, Port-of-Spain.
ComPANions Steelbands 2016 results:
Pre-Sports Day activities:
Scrabble: Republic Bank Exodus
Draughts: Courts Sound Specialists of Laventille
All Fours: Desperadoes
Six-a-Side cricket: First Citizen Supernovas
Five-a-Side football: MHL Starlift
Overall champion: Desperadoes
Best Flag Waver: Desperadoes
Sports Day:
Fun Past champion: bpTT Renegades and Pan Elders combined
Tug of War champion: CAL Invaders
Aerobics Burnout champion: bpTT Renegades
Sports Day champion: First Citizens Supernovas
Overall champion (Pre-activities & Sports Day): First Citizen Supernovas