St. Thomas 2015 Adults’ Parade Was Disjointed And Unorganized

ST. THOMAS — The definition of ‘disjointed’ reads: “lacking a coherent sequence or connection,” and it perfectly sums up the 2015 Carnival Adults’ Parade on Saturday morning, which started at 10:00 a.m. from the Western Cemetery to the Lionel Roberts Stadium.

Kings and queens, princes and princesses of various competitions first made their way through Market Square on fancy cars, waving at crowds — including Governor Kenneth Mapp and his cabinet members, who were sitting underneath a tent setup to accommodate dignitaries.

St. Thomas Carnival Adults’ Parade 2015

But the parade quickly descended into a chain of embarrassing events as troops were seemingly missing in action, only to find that while they were set to perform — and would do so at some point — troupes members were not prepared on time, leaving wide gaps with no performances that completely threw the entire event off balance.

The most glaring faux pas occurred when all activity went dead for about an hour, leaving onlookers gazing in the hot sun, confused as to why other troops hadn’t arrived. However, when VI Consortium investigated the situation, the Rising Stars Steel Pan Orchestra, the award-winning group that was next line to perform, was on break as members could be seen drinking refreshments to rejuvenate themselves.

The problem was not the break; it’s the notion that there could be a pause of over an hour during the territory’s most important showcase of culture — and when thousands of visitors, both locally and abroad were paying attention, that we would have such humiliating mishaps. And the Rising Stars are not to blame; it’s the St. Thomas Carnival Committee’s responsibility of making sure that carnival events run smoothly and without hiccups.

The parade never quite gathered itself following the dysfunctional start, and some residents expressed their disappointment as to what was occurring.

One radio host, during the hour-plus wait, said St. Thomas residents were already accustomed to the troops’ tardiness, and gave the notion that such behavior was acceptable. Well, it’s not.

Carnival is promoted heavily by the Department of Tourism as one of the key attractions the islands offer. If such promotions are to continue, as they should, then it’s paramount that the carnival committee rework its strategy to make for a more seamless, more professional parade in 2016.

— VI Consortium’s Editorial Board.