tidings
Melissa Doughty
Youthful energy took over Queen’s Park Savannah on Sunday as schools across the TT competed for the title of Panorama Junior National Champions in the primary, secondary and under 21 (non-school) school categories.
When batons were finally put down after a long day, which started at 9am, the Guaico Presbyterian Steel Orchestra won in the Primary category, completing a hat-trick. They previously raised the winning trophy in 2019 and 2020. There was no competition in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Naparima Combined, made up of students from Naparima Girls’ High School and Naparima College, the 2019 winners, topped the secondary school category once again.
Guaico played the late Dexter “Blaxx” Stewart’s 2020 hit Same Way, while Naparima Combined played Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez’s Big Bad Soca.
In the under 21 (non-school) category, the T&TEC Tropical Angel Harps Youth Steel Orchestra outdid the rest playing Mash Up by Blaxx.
The day started with the primary schools category with the Carenage Boys Government opening the competition featuring Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin and Skinny Fabulous 2019 Road March, Famalay.
Pan Trinbago president Beverley Ramsey-Moore said Sunday’s turnout was the biggest the organization had seen for a small Panorama in a long time.
She attributed this to the lack of competition over the past two years due to Covid19.
The primary and secondary competitions were held in cooperation with the Ministry of Education through the Pan-School Coordinating Council.
Asked if she was satisfied with the level of playing on the day, Ramsey-Moore said the organization recognizes the importance, in relation to primary schools, of the Ministry of Education’s Multicultural Music Program Unit (MMPU).
“Since Covid they haven’t reopened the unit where you have those young musicians going to different schools to hold the pan and other art forms. There was a mistake in that and I think it affected the primary school game.”
Ramsey-Moore said elementary schools did not function at the level they are taught because of the lack of that unit.
As president, she called on the Minister of Education to have that unit as soon as possible so that pan and other art forms can continue.
“There are where we have nurseries, so it can trickle down to the conventional large, medium and small groups.”
However, she said taking part in the pageant augured well for the upcoming semi-finals of the National Panorama: Savannah Party to be held on February 5 at Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.
Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly was also at the event and delivered the speech.
Speaking to Newsday, she said she was ecstatic about the day’s events. Gadsby-Dolly said TT, children and schools needed the event this year.
“You’re seeing school pride just swelling, seeing kids involved in positive activity — cultural activity, enjoying their national culture, and that’s a wonderful thing after three years,” she said.
The heart of Margaret Gopaul-Mohammed, principal of Guaico Presbyterian, filled with pride seeing her students.
The students were looking forward to the competition after being away from it for two years, she said.
“The kids were excited, really excited to be here again. And to have won for the third time, making it a hat-trick, is inexplicable.”
The school has participated in the competition since 2015 and although it did not reach the finals that year, it steadily progressed and eventually became the winner.
Gopaul-Mohammed said music plays an integral role in the school.
“Our school always has parties, and music, especially, has played an important role in the way we do things at our school. We have participated in many different music festivals and have been here with all of them for the last few years. We really like to expose our kids to it all.”
The school strives to give its students a holistic education, she added.
Gopaul-Mohammed said the competition pushed the children to achieve their best, helped them learn to love TT a little more and develop as individuals.
Ministers Camille Robinson-Regis, Stuart Young and Lisa Morris-Julian also attended the event. Shurwayne Winchester and Edwin “Crazy” Ayoung also took the stage with bands in the high school category. The song choices varied, but Blaxx’s Mash Up was a familiar one.
This story has been adapted to include additional details. See original post below.
The Guaico Presbyterian Steel Orchestra completed a hat-trick on Sunday when it took home its third National Schools Panorama title in the elementary category.
Other Presbyterian schools – Naparima College and Naparima Girls’ High School, known as Naparima Combined – won in the secondary category.
The competition took place on Sunday at Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, and saw a great turnout from students, parents, educators and communities in support of the various groups.
Watch for more from Newsday on this.
