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San Fernando, Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. - “Put your steelband on a trailer with singers and bring out your own mas and hit the road for carnival.” Such were the sentiments of the Southern Marines Steelband Foundation leader in his capacity as the new voice of Pan Trinbago South Central Region (SCR) on December 7.

In delivering an address to the audience at the Band Launch of Darren Sheppard & Associates Monday Night Mas, the newly-elected Chairman of Pan Trinbago SCR, Michael “Scobie” Joseph, referred to the Fusion Steel Orchestra leader/arranger as a ‘troublesome fellow’ for enticing him [Scobie] to present his maiden speech mere hours after his inaugural meeting with his newly-elected executive.

Scobie applauded the efforts of Sheppard and his youthful members not only for bringing their own mas, but also for the auto-mobility of the orchestra backed by vocalists… a first for San Fernando, south Trinidad.

“Scobie” joked … that his band, “….Southern Marines, will also be going that way but not copying from Fusion,” whilst admitting that Fusion was given the head start. “That’s the way steelbands should be going. I don’t want to say it’s my position, but steelbands should be focusing more on coming out on the road for carnival. Carnival is our festival … our national festival; Panorama is the competition within the festival and somehow we tend to put more emphasis on the Panorama.”

“If I get the kind of cooperation that I feel that I should get, we will be emphasizing on the roads … getting more bands on the roads for carnival, getting bands into mas instead of packing up in the yard and doing nothing,” declared Michael “Scobie” Joseph.

For this Joseph congratulated Darren Sheppard and his group wishing them success. He concluded by encouraging the audience to enjoy the rest of the evening urging them to remember to eat, drink and be merry responsibly.

All images supplied by Hollis Clifton

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