A final decision on the route for the Parade of the Bands for Chaguanas Carnival was reached after an emergency meeting with bandleaders and police on Monday at the Chaguanas Borough Hall. Bandleaders and the Chaguanas Carnival Committee have been at loggerheads for the past few weeks over which route the bands would use on Carnival Monday and Tuesday. Chairman of the Chaguanas Carnival Committee, Orlando Nagessar, said 20 bands were registered to take part in the competitions. However, he said many of them wanted to stay off the Chaguanas Main Road for various reasons and keep the Parade of the Bands confined to Ramsaran Street.
Nagessar said the committee wanted to keep part of the parade along the main road so celebrations could be enjoyed by a wider cross-section of the community. Following the meeting, he said, it was agreed that for small bands, the parade would start on Ramsaran Street turn into Saith Park and then head to the Chaguanas Main Road and turn right to the next judging point.
Larger bands will start on Ramsaran Street, head to the Chaguanas police Station and turn right onto the Chaguanas Main Road. Nagessar said the committee had been assured by the Chaguanas Police that there would be a heavy police presence during the celebrations. Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodhan appealed for good sense to prevail during all Carnival activities, adding all systems were in place for an excellent celebration.