... Strong return after eight years

Some theft reported as marchers joined by passers-by

LAST YEAR, Jamaica Carnival pledged to come back in full force and, for the most part, on Sunday the organisers delivered at the road march. Jamaica Carnival’s Julianne Lee said “Everything went seamlessly, and to see the crowd that we were able to get after eight years of absence. Today was a testament that Jamaica Carnival is here to stay.

We will be looking at all our strengths and weaknesses from Jamaica Carnival 2017 and formulate a plan that will be greater than this one”.

The day’s proceedings was not without mishaps, as personal items were stolen from some revellers by passers-by. As the march made its way from Hope Gardens to Half-Way Tree several onlookers joined in on the action.

COMPLAINTS

Most persons who were a part of the band did not seem to mind, but a few complained about the extra persons for security reasons.

When The Gleaner spoke to one of the Milex security officers about the concerns, he said everyone was having fun and he could not possibly pick out all the extra people who joined in along the way.

Those issues aside, revellers seemed satisfied with the overall execution of the event. Stacy Morgan told The Gleaner “It’s their first time back on the road, so, of course, there are things that could have been better in terms of how they catered to patrons. I’m looking forward to next year to see how they improve, but I had fun and that’s all that matters at the end of the day.”

Minister of Culture, Entertainment, Gender and Sport Olivia Grange expressed satisfaction to The Gleaner with the growth of carnival over the years and described it as a good look for entertainment in Jamaica.

In the weeks leading up to the march, Julianne Lee expressed how much it meant for her team to deliver quality entertainment on the road. Shying away from the fancy costumes to deliver just that, they had Alison Hinds and Beenie Man performing from music trucks during the march.