Hundreds of spectators who went to South Quay, Port-of-Spain, yesterday from noon to see revellers in their costumes were left disappointed for about four hours.

Between 11.30 am and 3.30 pm, just about ten mini bands had made their way past the judging point. And they did so sporadically. Despite the lulls, one thing was certain, Machel Montano's Waiting on the Stage was the song that had the handful of masqueraders' adrenaline pumping in the scorching Carnival Tuesday heat and seemed well on the way to securing him another Vibe CT105FM/TUCO Road March title.

Among some of the bands were Jus Wee and Friends, The Original Jab Jab, Cherish Griffith and Family Mas Band who presented Dis is Mas, and Vintage People who presented Warriors of the Mountain.

So dreary was downtown that even Desperadoes Steel Orchestra, the 2016 Panorama champs, rolled onto South Quay in front of the Ministry of Legal Affairs with no recognition or applause. They were also not playing. However, the announcer, on seeing the band, said, “There’s no way they could come here quiet, quiet so.”

The winning steel orchestra was then greeted with some scant applause from spectators in the stand around 12.23 pm and played for over ten minutes.

The female announcer then said, “There’s no band in sight so don’t move until I say so.”

Police officers were out in their numbers around the area, walking up and down with their batons and guns. Cepep workers also did not delay in cleaning up the streets.

The stand, though not filled to capacity, had young and old onlookers. Some elderly women were seen napping as there was nothing to see at times and only a DJ playing old soca tunes such as Baron's Sweet Soca Man.

Across the road, a few people were lined up outside of Courts; further up by City Gate, people were on the pavement drinking alcohol and waiting.

It was large mas band Ronnie and Caro which finally burst onto the scene around 3.35 pm bringing some energy and life to downtown Port-of-Spain, much to the delight of onlookers.

Blasting Montano's Waiting on the Stage, masqueraders took close to 30 minutes to make it past the judging point. The band portrayed Tears Of... with sections such as Rage, Happiness, Pride and A Lady.

Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams says Carnival 2016 was a “fantastic celebration” and defending Vibe CT105FM Road March champion Machel Montano and thousands of masqueraders will surely agree, as the international soca star was yesterday well ahead in the contest to retain the crown this year.

And today, Montano and his fans will wait for confirmation that Waiting on the Stage was indeed the top song, as the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation is expected to release the result.

From the start of the Parade of Bands early yesterday, the small but appreciative crowd was treated to a continuous flow of bands across the Queen’s Park Savannah stage. Among the bands to appear before 4 pm, in the large band category, was Day Dream Entertainment Ltd/A Fantasy Carnival’s presentation I Wish.

Montano was on the music truck to energize the masqueraders with his 2016 hit.

Other bands which excited the crowd were Paparazzi Carnival’s Disco Inferno, the Lost Tribe’s Secret Garden, IPMas’ Pantheon—Summon the Guardians and Passion Carnival’s Amazon.

House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George was among the masqueraders in the band K2K Alliance and Partners, which presented Searching For Shangri-La—Your Garden of Eden.

As each band was announced to enter the stage, masqueraders ran and jumped in excitement in the hope that their respective band would cop the Band of the Year title. There was also the traditional mas appearing on stage yesterday.

Montano’s song was way ahead of all challengers as the second day of competition took place under brilliant sunshine. There was a heavy police and military presence on ground and in the air as a helicopter was seen monitoring the proceedings throughout the day. However, there was one reported incident at the venue yesterday. (See other story) 

Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams and Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Rodney Smart, walked the stage yesterday. Williams said he expected the celebrations to end without any major incidents, as the citizens were displaying “more responsible behaviour for Carnival, (with) people appreciating the importance of enjoying the festive period and giving the necessary support to the law enforcement agencies.”

He said their presence was also to “demonstrate our support to the citizens too...at the end of the day Carnival 2016 ending up a fantastic celebration.”

Brigadier Smart said the Defence Force would “continue to push troops forward in support of the police,” adding that while there was a significant police/army presence at Carnival venues, there was also a strong security presence along the coastlines and in the air.

“While we are here at the Carnival (venue), we continue to be up in Laventille Hill and throughout Trinidad and Tobago,” he added.

A bandit was shot and his co-accused arrested after the swift intervention of a security guard attached to a Carnival band yesterday afternoon.

According to police reports, the bandit and an accomplice were about to rob a man at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, when the officer saw what was about to happen and intervened, warning the man of the impending danger. One of the thieves then stabbed the security guard, who pulled out his gun and shot the man. Both were taken to hospital, while the second bandit was apprehended a short while later. A woman who was standing close by was grazed by a bullet. She too was taken to hospital, treated and discharged. 

In an unrelated incident, the body of a homeless man was found near the lighthouse in downtown Port-of-Spain around 2 pm. Police said the man is believed to have died of natural causes as his body had no marks of violence. While masqueraders chipped away, Crime Scene Investigators were busy processing the area for clues as to the man’s identity and possible cause of death. 

According to police, up to 2 pm yesterday, 42 people had been charged for a range of offences committed since Carnival Monday, including possession of a weapon, resisting arrest, driving under the influence, overcrowding of vehicles and disorderly behaviour. The arrests came from seven of the nine policing divisions including Tobago, while the Western and North-Eastern Divisions reported no arrests. Tobago had the highests arrests with 14 people for various offences, while the Port-of-Spain Division had ten.

Vendors along Broadway in Port-of-Spain yesterday complained bitterly about poor sales since Fantastic Friday.

Fried chicken, fries, fried fish and pelau were some of the foods still stacked high in glass cases around 4 pm.

Rhonda Sargeant, who said it was her first year selling, told the T&T Guardian that it made no sense for her to sell food because hardly anyone was buying. On Monday she made fish broth but said the sales were also poor.

“Sales not going good at all. We renting the spots and the bands passing somewhere else,” she complained.

Sargeant, from Belmont, said she felt better arrangements for the vendors should have been made by the Port-of-Spain City Corporation.

Her stall consisted mainly of preservatives and drinks.

Next to her was Sharon Daniels, who has been selling for over a decade. Daniels said she had put out close to $10,000 and was yet to see some profit.

“Look the day nearly done and I have not made much,” Daniels said.

She was selling BBQ, hot dog sandwiches, alcoholic drinks and snacks.

“Since Friday this place just dead,” she said.

The Curepe resident said since last year sales had plummeted.

Daniels said, “Sales slow, the place quiet and no masqueraders. It real bad.”

She spent close to $8,000 in stock and about $1,000 to acquire the spot, inclusive of a food badge and licence.

Not a patron was close to Frank James’ bar spot.

“Sales not good at all. It not supposed to be so. I lose out real bad,” James said.

He said while poor sales came as a surprise last year, this year was worse.

Another vendor, Malcom Worthington, of Laventille, chimed in with “nothing doing.”

He said while food was selling, drinks were not.

“It just really slow this year.”

Worthington has been selling for five years. He just shook his head and said, “Nobody passing so nobody buying.”

Machel Montano and Badjohn Republic’s Waiting on the Stage commanded the majority of airplay at the Adam Smith Square, Port-of-Spain, judging point yesterday, as the song was played by almost all the bands which crossed the stage.

The judging point turned into an explosion of colour and revelry as scores of masqueraders crossed that stage area. 

Ronnie and Caro, which presented Tears of..., crossed the stage at about 11.35 am with masqueraders wearing costumes in fluorescent green and others in blue and pink. 

Then came large bands Yuma, presenting Indulge, and Legacy, presenting Life is..., with both bands taking 45 minutes to cross the stage compared to other bands which took 30 minutes. 

Very visible was the police presence on horseback and some on patrol, as there were instances when the spectators lining the street started to spill over onto the streets. Overhead, national security helicopters also hovered frequently. 

The stands were packed to capacity with visitors as well as locals who came to T&T specifically to watch Carnival. Tourists came from California, New York, and as far away as Australia. 

Speaking to T&T Guardian, one of the visitors from New York, who did not want to be named, described T&T’s Carnival as “awesome.” 

The Socadrome, filled with soca music and real party vibes, yesterday set the perfect celebratory mood for a young couple.

Amongst scores of revellers in the large band Tribe, at about 11.45 am, 26-year-old Kareem Ali emerged from a music truck holding a sign towards the stage which read “Carissa marry me?”

Ali’s girlfriend, Carissa Housian, who was also playing with the same section, immediately shouted “Yes!”

The on-stage proposal caused a double dose of frenzy amongst the masqueraders who witnessed the life-changing event for the young couple.

Also, for the first time in three years, the Socadrome, held at the Jean Pierre Complex, Port-of-Spain, recorded the largest turnout ever since its inception.

There was an explosion of colour not only on stage but in the stands.

Children were seen dancing to the sound of Machel Montano’s “Waiting on the Stage,” the runaway Road March leader.

Some of the little ones, to their amusement, were seen catching the colourful confetti that came across the stage over the masqueraders into the stands. Their squeals of excitement and outbursts of laughter sometimes overpowered the music.

From as early as 7 am, spectators began arriving at the Socadrome to secure themselves that perfect spot in the stands so they could get a good view of some of T&T’s largest bands displaying their wonderfully designed costumes.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, George Baldwell, of Brooklyn, said he was basking in the Socadrome experience.

“I was here last year but this year is just so awesome. It is like one big party concentrated in one area, which is just perfect for my family and I,” Baldwell said.

Another spectator from Arima, Gemma Alexis, said she surely did not regret choosing to go to the Socadrome this year and promised to return next year. All the way from Australia, David Morgan said it was his first T&T Carnival experience.

“Socadrome is filled with so much energy. Just have to come again. The people are so friendly and I can see they love to party,” Morgan said.

South band leader Lionel Jaggessar, with his traditional mas of the Apache Indians, kicked off the day’s proceedings, crossing the stage at 8.13 am.

Rosalind Gabriel’s children’s band Another Day in Paradise then graced the stage at 8.40 am.

Large band Bliss, with their presentation Secret Garden, followed at 9 am. It took them about 35 minutes to cross the stage.

Yuma’s Indulge got on stage right after, lasting for close to one hour. A 90-minute presentation of The Forbidden by Tribe followed.

Two other bands, Lost Tribe and Harts, were also carded to cross the big stage. Hundreds of patrons passing through the Socadrome during the day were also entertained with portrayals by traditional mas characters, including Blue Devils, Bats and the Midnight Robber; extempo by Lingo and Black Sage; the Brimblers Steelband and Roy Cape All Stars featuring Blaxx and Ricardo Drue.

While a significant number of people were jumping to the sounds of soca in varying types of costumes yesterday, new father Jason Charles was jumping to the sound of babies crying: three babies in total.

Charles and his wife, Shinette Samuel-Charles, welcomed the first set of triplets for 2016 at the San Fernando General Hospital yesterday.

The babies, all girls, were delivered via C-section around 11.34 am, eight weeks early.

Yesterday, a beaming Charles, who is a lecturer and placement officer at the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT), told the T&T Guardian he felt overjoyed by the birth of his daughters.

“Everyone keeps saying ‘Jason, three girls is a lot of work,’ but I could not be happier right now,” he said. 

“Although I have been downgraded to number five in the house now,” he joked.

Charles said a C-section had been scheduled for February 16, but Shinette began having minor contractions last Wednesday. Her water broke on Sunday and the surgery, done by Drs Rampersadsingh and Jaggernauth, was done shortly after 11 am.

Samuel-Charles spoke briefly as she was still recovering from anaesthetic used in the surgery.

“I feel happy, excited and very tired,” she said with a smile.

Asked if she has any plans on how to manage the three babies, Samuel-Charles said, “Jason and I will do as much as we can and both of our mothers will pitch in as well. For now, there is no hard and fast rules, we’ll have to see how it goes.”

The Cocoyea couple, who have been married for ten years, have named their girls Niah, Aaliyah and Emma-Lee.

The infants’ pediatrician, Dr Barry Donahue, said all was well with the girls and they will hopefully be out of incubators in a week’s time.

“We are monitoring them very closely, as babies born prematurely are more prone to developing problems, especially respiratory problems, but so far all is well with all three,” Donahue said.

Despite the fears about the effect of the recession expressed by band leaders going into the Carnival season, the streets of San Fernando overflowed with masqueraders yesterday.

With bands such as the Kalicharans’ Call of Duty registering 1,500 participants, the Parade of Bands was quite a show as revellers in their vibrantly coloured costumes filled High Street.

The first band to cross the judging point on High Street in front of Scotiabank at 10.30 am was medium band Southern Mas Associates with A Tribal Bliss, designed by Roger Ramkissoon. 

Storming the stage to the tune of Machel Montano’s Waiting on the Stage, the front-runner for the Vibe CT 105FM/TUCO Road March title, masqueraders showed off their fancy Indian costumes in fine style to the delight of spectators.

One Barrackpore mother, who brought her four children to see the festivities, expressed joy that the bands had come out in their numbers.

“I was so happy to see the quality of the mas this year. This is the first time I am bringing the children to see it, but I will definitely bring them again,” she said.

Up next was the Nation People, with The Way it Was, another fancy Indian band. 

Although the band was small in number, the revellers were not small on energy as they jumped, waved and wined until their time was up.

The Kalicharans’ Reigning Band of the Year followed next with their presentation Call to Duty.

Portraying warriors defending the land, the band began with an intricate performance, complete with sword-wielding women and back-flipping muscle men. 

Not to be outdone, the band Fireworks brought ribbon-twirling belly dancers as part of their presentation of Tribu: The Forgotten People.

At 4 pm, a total of seven bands had crossed the High Street judging point stage.

At the judging point at the Southern Academy for Performing Arts, Lionel Jagessar’s presentation of The Hunting Party crossed the stage in the morning period.

In an interview after the presentation, Lionel Jagessar Jr said although the recession had affected the turnout of masqueraders, those who were loyal to the band still participated.

“We were worried and we did see a slight reduction, but we have so many people who are loyal to the band that we were able to pull off a great presentation,” he said. 

He said while the band hopes to nudge the Kalicharans out of the top spot for Band of the Year in San Fernando, plans are already afoot for next year’s King and Queen competition.

“My brother and I have already begun discussing the King and Queen for next year and what the band will be like.”

Andrew Kalicharan expressed a similar sentiment in an interview, saying the band had been able to attract 1,500 masqueraders.

Regrello: New judging points needed

Convenor of Carnival in San Fernando and deputy mayor, Junia Regrello, says although High Street offers the best viewing of mas for spectators, its uphill slope tires masqueraders too quickly.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian during the Parade of Bands yesterday, Regrello said the dilemma was to find a point where the bands and spectators could be easily accommodated. 

“High Street is the best in terms of the space afforded to masqueraders and spectators, but it’s the slope of the hill that makes it difficult,” he said. 

“We’re trying to find somewhere that offers us what High Street does, without the congestion of Coffee and Cipero Streets.”

Despite his concerns, Regrello said he was happy to see mas return to High Street.

“I think High Street is making its comeback in terms of popularity for viewing mas,” he said, gesturing to the spectators lining the streets. 

An empty North Stand, a too long Dimanche Gras, decrease in road spectators, violence on the road and zero mas on Monday. These are the complaints coming from Carnival stakeholders subsequent to this year’s festival. Most of the criticism was levelled at the National Carnival Commission (NCC), as the organisation took over responsibility of Parade of the Bands.

Prior to this year, the Parade of the Bands was organised by the National Carnival Bandleaders Association (NCBA.) In an interview yesterday, president of the T&T Carnival Bandleaders Association (TTCBA) Rosalind Gabriel said the NCC needed to work closer with bandleaders next year.

She added: “There was no meeting with bandleaders this year to discuss the parade route.

“The route was decided by the NCC and the police with no input from bandleaders so if there was confusion on the road, it was because we weren’t consulted.

“Bandleaders need to be involved in the process. We have been before. This is the first year we haven’t been involved.”

Gabriel said this year she had been able to watch mas on television for the first time in years.

“I was shocked and distressed when I watched on Monday. There was literally nothing to see.

“There was nothing, no mas. Monday wear is killing Carnival Monday,” she said.

Gabriel said the situation made her very unhappy. She said she was also unhappy about the Dimanche Gras event, sentiments echoed by NCC chairman Kenny de Silva.

“It was long and boring. Also, Dimanche Gras is supposed to have the three elements of Carnival — mass, calypso and steelpan — but all that was left was calypso.”

Gabriel said suggestions had been made before Carnival 2016 to decrease the number of finalists and limit the number of performances in the Calypso Competition to one song. She expressed hope that the suggestions would be taken into consideration by the NCC in 2017.

“I think the mas being excluded was a big mistake and then there was this disturbing skit that was inappropriate for young audiences in the middle. Something was very wrong,” she added.

President of NCBA, David Lopez, said he witnessed congestion on the road on Carnival Tuesday and noted that streets previously used as emergency streets, such as Maraval Road, was used by some bands.

“Where was the route? It was total chaos in Carnival.”

Lopez also criticised the NCC’s reversal of decisions to put structure in the competition. 

“We had a rule that in order to win the band of the year competition, you had to play mas for two days,” he added.

He said Monday mas had nothing to offer spectators. 

“The North Stand was empty because there was nothing to see.  Why would people come out to watch mas when there is no mas?” he asked.

In an interview yesterday, NCC chairman Kenny de Silva said stakeholders would soon meet for post-analysis of the festival.

“From what I observed though, I can tell you the North Stand was completely empty and that concerns us.

“We had a fair number of bands despite the Socadrome and the extempore finals was really good,” he said.

He added that the NCC would take another look at improving the Dimanche Gras in terms of the length of the show.

With the official end of Carnival, Roman Catholics marked the beginning of the Lenten season yesterday, Ash Wednesday. For some fish vendors it was a slow start to sales as they complained yesterday of few customers. Fish is a traditional Lenten staple. King and carite were priced at $40 a pound while red fish was sold for between $30 and $35 a pound.

Cavalli sold between $15 and $18 a pound. At the Cocorite Fish Depot, fishmonger for the past ten years, Desmond Ryan, said the slow sales could have been attributed to people visiting the various beaches as is customary on Ash Wednesday.

“So people may not really be thinking of stopping to buy fish now. What you would see is tourists coming and buying fish to take with them before they go abroad,” Ryan added. He was optimistic, however, that at by the end of the week sales would pick up.

“Although the sales start off slow we would see it increasing especially as Lent come in full swing,” Ryan said.

Fish prices have been generally the same since November 2010, again because of the scarcity of fish due to rough waters. But for fishermen, a day’s catch was sometimes a difficult chore.

One fisherman said over the years he had to go out further into the sea to get a decent amount of fish but that meant more gas to be used.

“It difficult out there. Is more gas to go further which is more money and then there is the weather which is a challenge by itself,” he added. 

The Opposition UNC’s executive meeting tomorrow will consider calls by UNC groups and civil society organisations to boycott businesses which haven’t reduced VAT from 15 per cent to 12.5 or who may be abusing the new VAT regime, UNC chairman Khadijah Ameen says.

She said no decision has yet been taken and the meeting would examine perspectives of both consumers and businesses. 

Ameen said the party had received expressions of concern from groups in the party and civil society organisations about businesses violating the VAT system prescribed by Government. She noted calls for a “boycott” of sorts. She said complaints have come from consumers in the East- West Corridor, South and Central.

A post on UNC’s Facebook page has called for consumers to “Shop Local” — supporting small family run businesses —  which would help families rather than shopping otherwise, which could help a “CEO buy a third holiday home.” The post generated a number of “likes”.

Also, one restaurant patron on checking her receipt found that VAT of 15 per cent was added. The person queried it on Facebook but got no explanation. Government’s Communication Minister Maxie Cuffie said last week  fast food businesses should have dropped the VAT on products from 15 per cent to 12.5 per cent.  

Ameen said: “Not only have people complained VAT is being placed on some items which still remain on the list of zero-rated items, we have also received reports that people’s bills from eating places are generating VAT of the previous 15 per cent level rather than 12.5 per cent. 

“Those particular complaints have come mainly from Port-of- Spain and some from Central,”

Ameen said complaints have also been received of VAT placed on electronic items, though this is supposed to be 12.5 per cent,

She added: “We have called on Government to ensure proper pricing, not only at supermarkets but at every place of commerce,  and that pertains to items on which VAT is reduced from 15 per cent to 12.5 per cent plus items on which VAT has now been implemented.

“The other side the argument we have to consider is that some business people and vendors are telling us that while VAT on some products have been reduced, the price of the ingredients now have VAT and it’s difficult to keep the price of a product down. 

“We saw bread merchants rasing certain prices resulting from this. So the situation is exactly what we had warned about, when Government made the  VAT announcement, that everything would increase with this measure.

“Some merchants are also telling us their delay in implementing the proper VAT rate is due to an electronic hitch since they have to recalibrate their cash registers to reflect the new VAT regime.”

 Ameen said her personal position ewas that the consumer had the ultimate power whether to buy or not,

“However, Government’s position on the VAT regime implementation has so far been reactionary. They only implemented a VAT hotline for complaints and published the list of VAT-rated and non-rated items after complaints began pouring in. 

“We call on them to establish proper regulator and monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance and consumer protection and that all businesses will be in line with the law.

“As a result of all of  what’s been occurring, we are also calling on Government, in its mid-year review soon, to reconsider their position on VAT on basic items as well as food.”

Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon was not available for comment yesterday.

Imtiaz Mohammed, 59, and his luxury, burgundy Lincoln Town car are a daily fixture at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad and the Cruise Ship Complex on the Port-of-Spain waterfront.

Dressed in the white and black uniform of the St Christopher’s Taxi Co-operative Society, Mohammed, driver/tour guide, transports tourists to and from the Hyatt and the Cruise Ship Complex every day. He is courteous and professional as he goes about taking tourists sightseeing in different parts of the country. 

However, he also carries a strange peace about him and he is always ready to tell anyone willing to listen the reason behind it. Mohammed said he once roamed the sleazy alleys of San Juan as a hopeless cocaine addict. 

One desperate night, after many years of being a slave to drugs, he had an eight-hour ordeal with his God. It was only after that experience that he completely lost all desire for drugs, he said.

“For seven-and-a-half to eight hours I challenged Him, telling Him to fix me or don’t let me wake up in the morning.”

Recalling the story, Mohammed said from a young age he lived close to a notorious San Juan drug empire (now crashed). He was promoted to manager of a popular fruit and vegetable stall the drug lord operated in the area and, by 21, he was married. He had also become a desperate drug addict.

“I started off with marijuana and then I started mixing cocaine with it. I would buy the coke, bake it in a test tube, mash it up and mix it with the weed.”

Mohammed said he got a nice feeling when he smoked that combination but it was never as nice as the first time he smoked coke. Sub-standard cocaine was responsible for that, he said. 

“Pushers mix the coke with baking soda and glucose sugar. When you get hooked it’s very hard to decipher the difference.”

The night his life changed
Mohammed reached a point where he began to steal and beg from relatives to support his habit. “People on the drug block also gave me weed.”

In the meantime, his family life was crumbling. He had a beautiful three-year-old daughter but neglected her, he said. 

“I used to walk the streets at nights about a hundred times buying cocaine. I would buy five straws at $50 a straw or some times $100 a straw.

“I would go in the bush, bake it and smoke it. I would not buy milk for my daughter. I would take the money for coke.

“I always wanted to come out of drugs and always tried in my own way but anytime I made up my mind, the boss used to pass by my house with a gun resting on his car seat and tell me, ‘Kid, I have the hardest here. I have the best Colombian weed.’”

One night Mohammed’s life was to change forever. He smoked his cocaine and weed, as usual, and put on the television to watch the news. He was high.

“But there was no news. Instead, an American evangelist and a local pastor were conducting a programme. They talked about how powerful God is.

“It sounded good in my ears. I taped the show and when everybody was asleep, played it over and over again.

“Late into the night, I kneeled down in front the television and decided to challenge God. I said, ‘Father, if you can’t deliver me tonight, take my life, don’t let me wake up in the morning.’

“I cried out to Him like this for nearly eight hours.”

Mohammed said afterwards he felt a light travelling down his spine and something coming out his chest.

“When I got up from my knees I was a brand new man,” he said. 

Mohammed went on to reopen his car repair business and build a house for his family.

“I bought the Lincoln Town Car and eventually did what my father did. He used to work as driver at the Hilton.”

As he goes around on his daily trips, Mohammed shares this story with almost everyone he meets, giving hope.

Japanese pannist Asami Nagakiya was last night identified as the masquerader found dead at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. Homicide detectives were able to confirm her identity last night, having sought the public’s assistance earlier, after her body was found under a tree around 9.30 am.

Nagikiya and some of her friends have made headlines over the years as they traditionally visit T&T to play in the National Panorama competitions, including with former champions Phase II Pan Groove and PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars, and partake of the Carnival festivities. 

According to reports, Geoff Adams, of Tamana, was walking through the area when he noticed a homeless man screaming while pointing at a patch of bushes. 

“The guy say he see something in the bushes. I say it was a manicou or iguana but when I look I see a bikini bottom,” Adams told reporters in a brief interview after being interrogated by police on the scene. 

The grisly discovery was made mere metres away from Queen’s Royal College and the Maraval Road roundabout, as crews from the Community-based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (Cepep) were busy cleaning up rubbish left over from Carnival celebrations. 

The area was cordoned off by police for several hours as crime scene investigators combed heaps of discarded food and beverage containers, which surrounded Nagakiya, for evidence. Nagakiya was found lying face down and was subsequently taken to the Forensic Science Centre, St James, where an autopsy will be performed today.

Adams, who said he slept on a nearby park bench between Sunday night and yesterday morning to fully immerse himself in this year’s Carnival celebrations, said he had not seen the woman in the area when he went to sleep late Tuesday night. 

“If a woman was making noise that hour of the night I would not have think something was wrong because all kinds of different things does happen in Carnival,” Adams said. He said from his brief observations of the body before he contacted police, the woman appeared to have marks of violence on her right forearm and waist. 

“She had a laceration on her elbow and black and blue marks on her waist. It look like a rape/murder to me,” Adams said. 

Police sources said based on the state of decomposition of the body, Nagakiya probably died on Tuesday night but they refused to speculate on the cause of death or the possibility she may have been sexually assaulted before they receive the results of her autopsy. Homicide detectives said last night, however, that they had received information that she had a medical condition.

When she was initially found, there were no identification documents on or near the body, save a band from the Carnival band Legacy. In a telephone interview yesterday, before she was identified, Legacy bandleader “Big Mike” Antoine said he was searching his registration database to see if he could assist police in identifying her. 

“We have a lot of people who play mas with us,” Antoine said as he explained that he was using the victim’s costume measurements to help identify her, as bands did not take pictures of individual masqueraders. 

While he maintained his band ensured the safety of its masqueraders during the Parade of the Bands, he noted that they could not ensure revellers’ safety once celebrations had ended.

“We had a smooth and incident free Carnival. A bandleader cannot do anything if someone gets killed or injured on their way home. The most I could do now is help identify the masquerader for the family,” Antoine said. 

He suggested that the victim possibly had her fateful encounter after leaving the band’s Las Lap which ended at its Woodbrook mas camp around 7 pm.  

“The only time we were at the Savannah was when we crossed the stage after Ronnie and Carro around 10 am in the morning,” Antoine said. 

Insp Michael Veronique, Cpl Stanley Romeo and PC Kendall Abraham, of the Region One Homicide Bureau, visited the scene and are continuing investigations. 

One of the victims of alleged abuse at the hands of Yuma security guards said yesterday she would not rest until she received justice for what happened to them on Carnival Monday.

In a brief telephone interview with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Nzunaki Tuitt, a Canadian national, said she went to the Canadian Embassy yesterday as she had promised to but was told she had to return with a copy of her police statement for the matter to be taken any further. 

She added that two other women who were assaulted by the security guards were scheduled to leave the country soon but she would stay to fight the matter to the end. Tuitt said the two other women were making the most of their stay in the country but also would do all they could to ensure that they received justice.  

Tuitt, along with People’s National Movement (PNM) councillor Jason Alexander and Jenice Parker, along with another woman were  assaulted at Taylor Street, Woodbrook, on Monday afternoon by security guards working in the Carnival band after it was pointed out that Alexander belonged to another Carnival band. 

A masquerader began recording the assault after he saw Parker being punched in the face by a security officer. It was this punch that forced Alexander, who had left the band having been put out by the guards, to return to defend his friend. However, he was severely beaten by the guards when he returned.

Alexander suffered cuts and bruises about his body from the attack while Tuitt also suffered some minor injuries.

The 49-second video was subsequently posted on social media and went viral, prompting YUMA management to issue a release apologising for the action of the guards. It also sparked a call from Opposition Senator Wayne Sturge for legislation to deal with the issue of band security.

Tuitt, who said she had been told the guards were fired after the incident, said she would not be allowing the incident to be swept under the carpet as someone must be held accountable for the injuries she and her friends sustained. 

The T&T Guardian understands that the victims have all reported the matter to the Woodbrook Police Station but the incident occurred within the St James Police Station area so they must continue their complaint at that station. 

A jubilant Ronnie McIntosh could hardly contain his excitement as it was another thrilling moment when he and his wife Caroline, copped a hat-trick in the Downtown Band of the Year title with their 2016 presentation Tears Of...

While this was the third such win for the husband and wife team it was, however, the first time they copped the National Carnival Commission’s (NCC) Band of The Year Competition in the senior category.

Last year, the band won the Downtown Parade of the Bands title with their offering Ah Come Back Home. In an interview yesterday, McIntosh said his wife was also blown away by the news as she "could not stop screaming down the house. 

"It is such a tremendous feeling. We really worked hard not only to bring out the best mas band but as a must we ensure our masqueraders have a great all round experience... from the music, food... the whole works," McIntosh said.

On what he believed also pushed him over the edge to beat out the other contenders the veteran bandleader said his costumes were a mixture of bikini and beads and full fabric pieces.

"Our band has sexiness but we also supply full coverage. We cannot turn a blind eye to the bikini and beads because that is what people come to the country for.

"We also do presentations in other parts of the world and bikini and beads are what people want. 

“But our band is much more than that because it must be balanced. We have creativity and we keep the mas alive... in essence we are preserving our culture that is Carnival," McIntosh added. He said throughout his presentations over the years the theme was kept simple.

Saying the win was for his "loyal masqueraders and those recently joined," McIntosh said his band has grown over the years, adding that was in itself a blessing.

"Without them we have no band and we have no Carnival. We have to always treat our masqueraders top class so they could go back and spread the word and always bring back more people," McIntosh added.

Placing second in both venues was Lost Tribe while Trini Revellers came third at the Savannah. NCC's chairman Kenny de Silva said he was pleased with the crowd turnout at both Downtown and Piccadilly at the Greens.

Machel Montano has won the Road March competition for the third consecutive year with his song Waiting on the Stage. He became the fourth artiste to win a hat-trick, joining the likes of Austin Lyons (SuperBlue), Aldwyn Roberts (Lord Kitchener) and Christopher Herbert (Tambu)

The only person to win the competition four consecutive times is the late Roaring Lion whose real name was Raphael de Leon. It came as no surprise yesterday when Montano ran away with the Road March title for the third consecutive year.

Montano’s tune Waiting on the Stage was clearly the most popular song as it was played 328 times. His closest competitor was Kees Dieffenthaller’s People, People, which was played 29 times.

Even before the results were announced by Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) yesterday, the public had already suspected that Montano won as his tune was heard blasting repeatedly at judging points throughout the country during Carnival Monday and Tuesday celebrations.

Montano has won the title eight times, Austin “Super Blue” Lyons nine times while Aldwin “Lord Kitchener” Roberts won it ten times.

Machel wins:

Machel Montano Road Marches: 
2016 Waiting on the Stage
2015 Like Ah Boss     
2014 Ministry of Road (MOR)    
2012 Pump Yuh Flag
2011 Advantage
2007 Jumbie
2006 Band of De Year (with Patrice Roberts)
1997 Big Truck

Veteran mas designer Rosalind Gabriel says she is happy with her band placing first in the Junior Bands category (Large) of the NCC Band of the Year competition. She said so yesterday shortly after the results were announced at a media briefing at NCC’s offices, St Clair.

Gabriel, who was celebrating her 18th win in the category, said she was extremely happy.

“I never take winning for granted. I do my best and I hope for the best. I would love to congratulate everyone who placed in junior and senior categories.

“This is my 18th title in the NCC band of the year and each time it seems like my first time,” Gabriel said.

She said her presentation, titled Another Day in Paradise, was part of her focus on the beauty of the country.

“Every year I try to focus on a different part of life in T&T and I choose different places which are like national treasures. They are exquisite places to visit and I try to showcase that,” she added. 

NCC results:

Senior Band of the Year — Large:
1. Ronnie and Caro: Tears of...    
2. The Lost Tribe— Magical Experience Ltd: The Lost Tribe,  
3. Trini Revellers:  A Touch of Woodbrook, Now and Then.
4. Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra: Sailors Ashore at Elmina.
5. Legacy: Life.

Senior Band of The Year — Medium:
1. K2K Alliance and Partners: Searching for Shangri La Your Garden of Eden.
2. Just Wee and Friends: Celebrating We Own.
3. Flirt: Classic of Soca.
4. Mas Passion:  Jubilation, The Celebration of Life.
5. D KREWE:  Flashback.

Senior Band of the Year — Small:
1. Tribal Connection Cultural Promotion: Through Indian Eyes.
2. Cat in Bag Productions: Dog Show.
3. Splash-D-Mas Band: An Enchanted Journey.

Senior Band of the Year — Mini:
1. The Original Jab Ja: Traditional Warriors.
2. Cheyenne People Native of the Plains:  Cheyenne People Native of the Plains.
3. Rhapsody in Blue:  Doctor Devils.
4. 2001 Jab Molassie: It In We Blood

Junior Bands Competition:
Large
1. Rosalind Gabriel Carnival Productions Ltd: Another Day in Paradise.
2. Carnival Babies TT: From One Island To Another.
3. Zabapique Production: Let’s Celebrate.

Medium
1. Classix Production: Out of Africa.
2. Baps Mas Committee: Bluetifully Blessed.
3. Mt Lambert RC School: Play Nah! We  Doh Want To Forget. 

Small
1. Bits and Bites Productions: Imaginarium.
2. Spoilt Rotten Kids: The Big Easy, New Orleans.

Mini
1. A Touch of India.
2. La Ta Caille Kidz: Mother Nature And Her Wonders.
3. The Reservation: Totems.

With 12 guns recovered for the year, four during the Carnival period and over 300 in the past two years, the head of the Northern Division Senior Supt David Abraham has labelled his area as a gun hot spot.

During a media briefing at the Maloney Police Station yesterday, Abraham thanked both his officers and the public for their roles in recovering over 300 illegal weapons and said he was concerned that the number of guns found in his division although it was not surrounded by water and guns were not manufactured locally.

“I am telling all those who are involved in criminal activity to put down the guns and turn your life around away from crime. Make a change because we will be arresting you and coming after you” Abraham threatened.

Also at the briefing was ACP Surajdeen Persad in charge of Northern, Eastern and North-Eastern Divisions, who said the police would try to not only make the division and by extension the country free of crime but also of the fear of crime through their patrols and door-to-door policing. He added that they would be targeting those in the illegal narcotics trade. 

Abraham said for the Carnival weekend the police seized four guns, including an AK-47, a 9mm pistol and two sho guns, one of which was homemade. The officers also seized 19 rounds of assorted ammunition. 

For the Carnival period, 31 people were arrested, eight for drunk driving, three for narcotics, eight for possession of weapons and the rest for outstanding warrants and other offences. 

Concerning the guns, two people—a 63-year-old man and a 24-year-old man—were held in separate instances for a shotgun and the pistol.

A man and woman were up to last night being questioned for the murder of Japanese pan player Asami Nagakiya. However, police were careful not to label the duo as suspects as they both went in voluntarily to offer information.

The two were being interrogated after an autopsy revealed Nagakiya, 30, was manually strangled to death before she was thrown into some bushes under a tree around the Queen’s Park Savannah between Carnival Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, when she was discovered.

Police last night said they were also being “assisted generously” by citizens seeking to help piece together the hours before, during and after Nagakiya’s killing.

Nagakiya was a trained musician by profession and arrived in Trinidad on January 8 to participate in Carnival related events. She was from Sapporo in the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. 

Nagakiya’s autopsy was carried out by pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov at the Forensic Science Centre, St James. However,  Alexandrov referred all questions from the Guardian to the Japanese Embassy.

The pathologist said he could not confirm or deny whether Nagakiya was sexually assaulted as had been suggested in some reports, saying it was “beyond his competence.” 

However, the T&T Guardian understands swabs would have to be taken and analysed to determine whether there was sexual assault.

At the centre earlier yesterday, two Japanese men said to be representatives of the embassy did not speak with the media after viewing the body and quickly left the compound in a black Toyota Pajero, escorted by police in a white Nissan Xtrail.

Contacted later yesterday, a spokesman for the Japanese Embassy said they did not wish to comment on Nagakiya’s case as the police investigation was at a sensitive stage. 

“We are checking the status of the incident with the local police authority. We cannot say anything definitive at this moment,” he said. 

The spokesman refused to reveal if the embassy had contacted Nagakiya’s family in Japan and if the embassy was involved in organising her funeral arrangements. However, the T&T Guardian was told  her body will be flown back to Japan as soon as arrangements are made.

House searched

Meanwhile, Crime Scene Investigators investigating Nagakiya’s murder visited a house at 40 Woodford Street, Newtown, yesterday searching for clues in the case.

Shortly after 4 pm, three police vehicles arrived outside the property, which has been abandoned for a couple years, since Nagakiya had reportedly been seen there. 

The officers were at the property for several hours and captured photographs and other sensitive material which are most likely to be submitted as added evidence in the investigation.

An investigating officer at the scene told the T&T Guardian that the house is known to be frequented by questionable characters. Another officer said they had information that Nagakiya also went there, hence the reason a team of CSI officers were despatched to process thoroughly  the venue.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, a nearby resident said the building was once occupied by the Rape Crisis Society.

“The organisation moved out about two to three years and since then it has been left abandoned,” the female resident said.

Another resident, a male, said he saw Nagakiya in the area a few times during the season and added only once he had seen her enter the compound and exit alone.

According to reports, Geoff Adams, of Tamana, was walking through the Queen’s Park Savannah when he noticed a homeless man screaming while pointing to a patch of bushes. 

It turned out he was pointing to Nagakiya’s body, which was found metres away from the Queen’s Royal College and the Maraval Road roundabout, as crews from the Community-based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) were busy cleaning up rubbish left over from Carnival celebrations. 

The area was cordoned off by police for several hours as CSIs combed through heaps of discarded food and beverage containers, which surrounded Nagakiya’s body, for evidence.

JENSEN LA VENDE and RHONDOR DOWLAT

Murdered Japanese pannist Asami Nagakiya was among a group of her compatriots who played mas with Legacy on Carnival Tuesday and had been with the band up to 1 pm that day, but wasn’t seen after that, Legacy bandleader Mike “Big Mike” Antoine said last night.

Dressed completely in black, Antoine spoke about Nagakiya’s last Carnival to a gathering at PCS Nitrogen Silver Stars’ Newtown panyard, where pannists from Silver Stars, All Stars, four other bands she played with on occasion, friends and others paid tribute to her.

Members said the Rosary and sang hymns before testimonials about the young musician.

Antoine opened his contribution by saying the last time she was seen was in one of his costumes, so it was fitting for him to speak. He said Nagakiya was one of 12 Japanese visitors who played in his band.

“I would always look after the group,” he said twice.

Antoine said on Carnival Tuesday he was still looking out for the group and when they left the Queen’s Park Savannah and went to Adam Smith Square, Nagakiya was still with the band up to 1 pm. But he said when Legacy went downtown “I didn’t see her”.

He said after assisting police with trying to identify the body all day, he finally got confirmation it was Nagakiya late Monday.

He said the Japanese group were “the sweetest girls.”

“They give everybody ah wine and a kiss and jump up ... Today is a sad day for T&T and for Carnival,” he said.

A female bandmate of Nagakiya, Nikita, broke into tears when she related moving text messages that Nagakiya had sent to her asking to be her friend and for her to stay in touch since she wanted to learn more English.

“She was a gem, a true gem,” she said.

Band arranger Marcus Ash, another Silver Stars colleague, said: “She was more Trini than the average Trini. She knew all about chaddon beni and our culture. I took the group to the beach and gave them a sip of puncheon rum and Asami screamed and ran into the water. She played with many bands and it was never for a price. She was very well known in the pan fraternity and she did it all out of love.”

Ash, colleague Junior “Peppy” Goolcharan and other Silver Stars colleagues also slammed comments made in relation to Nagakiya’s death by Port-of-Spain Mayor Raymond Tim Kee, saying they were “out of place”, “disrespectful”, “very disgusting” and “completely inappropriate”. They added that she never engaged in vulgar behaviour, didn’t even know how to wine and dressed modestly, but knew her way around the city. (See Page A5)