Tribe, was banned from crossing the Savannah stage after members strayed from the designated parade route at about 8.30 am.

The band’s music and beverage trucks went onto Frederick Street – a street which was out-of-bounds to mas bands – and stopped in front of the Port-of-Spain Prison, triggering a security concern for police officers on duty in the area.

Officials of Tribe were told they had to turn back and proceed to Abercromby Street, the designated route to the Savannah.

The police allowed the band to head up Frederick Street when the Tribe officials said it would have been difficult to get the nearly 5,000 masqueraders back on to Abercromby Street.

However, as Tribe got to Keate Street, near Memorial Park, officials of the National Carnival Bands Association (NCBA) stopped the band and prohibited the masqueraders from entering the Savannah.

Tribe was told to proceed east around the Savannah.

NCBA president David Lopez said Tribe was penalised for breaking the rules for the parade route.

As their leaders happily crossed the stage in the elite band, Bliss, masses of Tribe masqueraders were prevented from entering the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain at yesterday’s Parade of the Bands. Tribe, was banned from crossing the Savannah stage after members strayed from the designated parade route at about 8.30 am.

The band’s music and beverage trucks went onto Frederick Street – a street which was out-of-bounds to mas bands – and stopped in front of the Port-of-Spain Prison, triggering a security concern for police officers on duty in the area.

Officials of Tribe were told they had to turn back and proceed to Abercromby Street, the designated route to the Savannah.

The police allowed the band to head up Frederick Street when the Tribe officials said it would have been difficult to get the nearly 5,000 masqueraders back on to Abercromby Street. However, as Tribe got to Keate Street, near Memorial Park, officials of the National Carnival Bands Association (NCBA) stopped the band and prohibited the masqueraders from entering the Savannah. Tribe was told to proceed east around the Savannah. NCBA president David Lopez said Tribe was penalised for breaking the rules for the parade route.

Source: RED News Room