Elite Steel Orchestra, with renditions of Lloyd “Caribbean Hawk” Providence’s “Ding Dong” and Cornwall “Professor” Padmore’s “Soca Anita” won the Panorama version of the 2004 Carnival opening.
Three bands took part in the competition held at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce Car Park in Kingstown. {{more}}
The pannists were paying tribute to two of the country’s stalwart calypsonians. The pan contest was part of the homage to the cultural pioneers.
Elite, based in the West Kingstown area of Edinboro, beat AT&T Rhythmix into second place, and National Lotteries Authority Sion Hill into third.
The Pan contest followed tributes to the two calypsonians. Vida Bernard from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture did a citation on Hawk, while former Road March and Calypso King Carlton “CP” Hall did one for Professor.
Saturday’s function was marked by a series of events including two trucks, one each from the Windward and Leeward sides of mainland St. Vincent.
The Culture and Tourism Minister Rene Baptiste declared the 2004 Carnival season officially opened. She urged persons to keep the carnival clean and to obey those in authority. She used the occasion to ask persons not to pirate compact discs from calypsonians and to allow them to make some money. Baptiste also urged the taxi drivers to take care of the passengers who use their services. Also addressing the carnival start was Carnival Development Corporation’s Chairman Dennis Ambrose.
The opening also saw the staging of an all-day exercise including an exhibition of Mas-related projects.
Displays and drawings from the several bands taking part in this year’s festival were on hand at the car park.