Carnival 2004 officially open

An appeal has been issued for pirates to allow local artistes to make money from their music during the 2004 Carnival season.
Minister of Tourism and Culture Rene Baptiste issued the appeal as she addressed the launch of Vincy Mas 2004 on Saturday May 8th.{{more}}
Baptiste noted that every year these pirates deprive the artistes of the profits that they should be making from their music. She stressed that this is done in the face of the authorities, as many of the pirates are set up in the vicinity of the Central Police Station. Minister Baptiste said if this continues, serious action would have to be taken against persons guilty of this practice.
In the meantime, the Minister also appealed to the public to keep carnival clean, free of weapons and violence, and to be courteous and hospitable to
visitors.
Also speaking at Saturday’s event was Chairman of the Carnival Development Committee Denis Ambrose, who indicated that he was overwhelmed with the success of the launch, and hopes it sets the tone for the remainder of the festival. Ambrose also appealed to the public to make Vincy Mas a festival which all Caribbean people can look forward to.
President of Pan Kai Mas Hugh Raguette, whose organization is responsible for the Pan, Calypso, and Mas components of Carnival also addressed the launch. He gave the commitment that Pan Kai Mas would live up to this year’s slogan of “More Fun, More Flair, More Fantasy”.
The Carnival launch took place at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce Car Park. It was an all day affair which featured an exhibition of the National Commercial Bank’s Micro Business Programme. There was also steel band and string band music, games for children and several cultural performances.
There were also appearances from the Miss SVG 2004 contestants, and the contestants of the rural pageants including the Miss East St. George, Miss Marriaqua, and Miss North Windward.
Miss SVG and Miss Carival 2004 Shivern Peters, and this country’s representative in the Miss Universe 2004 pageant Laferne Fraser also made appearances. Fraser used the opportunity to thank the Vincentian public for supporting her, and promised to represent St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the best of her ability at the Miss Universe Pageant in Ecuador on June 1.
Models from the Image Modelling Agency presented a display of Taiwanese traditional wear, as a build-up to the Taiwanese Trade Fair, which would be staged here from June 17 to 23.
Some Mas bands had the opportunity to display samples of their presentations for 2004. These included SVG Players, High Voltage, and Melbourne Artisans.
As part of the launch there were also whistle stops from the windward and leeward side of the island to Kingstown.