The THA, through its Secretary Tracy Davidson-Celestine has done its part well by allocating over seven million dollars to finance the Carnival celebrations in Tobago.

The calypso organisation also played its part by holding auditions and selecting singers for their calypso Tent. They have also begun holding their shows.

At the same time, the steelband organisation has begun to stage the Panorama competition at the various pan yards which have drawn huge crowds. Months ago, when Terrance Sandiford was elected as head of a new executive of the Tobago NCBA, he has led a constant process of seeking to breathe life into the half dead Tobago carnival. He got good assistance from Alloy Johnson, Lisa Mills and other executive members in getting the 2012 Tobago carnival process on the way In fact, for the first time, Tobago mas band leaders began to launch their mas bands months before the festival. One of the first band leaders to launch was the youthful Avion Gordon. Let us remember that name as we move on.

Some time ago yours truly pointed out how the Festivals Commission was making a major blunder by accepting the so-called Tobago Bandleaders Association from representing band leaders on the Festivals Committee.

Clearly, this is utter madness because it is the NCBA which is recognised by the national parliament as the legitimate representative of the carnival band leaders. Now, the last time I checked Tobago was still part of the unitary state of Trinidad and Tobago. Well that is unless someone staged an undercover coup d'état and ceded Tobago from Trinidad.

This is serious business we are talking about and the Tobago Festivals Commission is setting a dangerous precedent by going down that road. Is the Tobago Festivals Commission saying that any group of steel band representatives or calypsonians can form a rival association and seek to represent these groups on the Commission? Well if that is not a recipe for chaos and confusion, I do not know what is.

After Terrance Sandiford took his leave from the NCBA in 1998, weak and ineffective leadership in which nepotism prevailed, led to the factionalising of the organisation. The responsibility for organizing the mas aspect of the Carnival was taken over by the then Tobago Festivals Committee and subsequently passed on to the Festivals Commission.

Now that the Tobago NCBA has been reorganised, revitalised and has proven that it is ready to rumble, the only logical move is for the NCBA to be given back its due responsibility to organise the mas aspect of Tobago Carnival. If not this year, but certainly next year, this must happen in 2013.

Here is where we return to young, creative mas bandleader Avion Gordon. Anyone who takes an interest in the activities of Tobago mas bands must be aware that this young Mt Grace woman is indeed a revelation in terms of mas band production in Tobago.

Last Carnival Tuesday I stood in amazement when I saw the creative artistry of her production on the streets of Scarborough. I then learnt that this Tobago youth has taken a decision to make a career out of mas making. So I was surprised when I saw her being the first Tobago bandleader to launch the 2012 band. She has also taken every opportunity to showcase her mas at different events, such as the Radio Tambrin Soca Under the Samaan Tree and the recent Machel Montano Soca Spree.

Lo and behold the Tobago Festivals Commission issued a call to bandleaders to gather at the Fairfield Complex last Friday for financial assistance for their 2012 mas production. But when it was all said and done there was no cheque for Avion.

As is expected the young lady was totally devastated. How could the Festivals Commission make such a hurtful blunder?

Yours truly is not surprised by what transpired. From the moment the Tobago Festivals Commission decided to visit the mas camps of Tobago with members of the Tobago Bandleaders Association; why is the Tobago Festivals Commission intent on bringing the name of the THA into disrepute with their senseless actions. Let me repeat, according to the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago, it is the NCBA which is the recognized body for mas bandleaders in this nation.

In Trinidad, some of the disgruntled bandleaders have formed the NCDF to rival the NCBA. However, unlike the Tobago Festivals Commission, the National Carnival Commission in Trinidad has completely ignored the NCDF.

Frankly, one of the main problems we are faced with in the Tobago culture setup is the lack of given rank in that setup. Here was how Senator Embau Moheni, the Minister in the Arts and Multiculturalism Ministry spoke about our cultural art-forms and artistes at a recent function. What he said was a far cry away from how these jokers in Tobago culture operate.

He said, "We have to draw upon the striving of our artistes over the years for excellence and utilise it as a vehicle that could permeate our society with the same spirit of excellence which we now experience."

He continued, "We need to utilise our art-forms in a manner that recognises its power and potency to bring about national unity which is so essential to the development of any nation."

Continuing on the theme of the art-forms he noted "we need to think of all children because the works of art will survive us all. We have to see our art forms as something our children could view as something that could inspire, enlighten and motivate our young people to continue uplifting the society."

Moheni went on to hail "the sole critical role that women have played in transmitting culture from one generation to the other."

He reminded women of the critical role they have to play in the forward movement of national cultural development.

In this regard yours truly remembers our young mas maker Avion Gordon.

Opoku Ware is

a freelance writer