Chaos and paranoia mar Panorama

February 12, 2001
By Fulton Wilson
Trinidad Express

CHAOS and paranoia marred the latter half of yesterday’s national Panorama (conventional bands) preliminaries at the Queen’s Park Savannah.

The chaos took place when patrons who had tickets, exit stamps and those seeking to get tickets to get into the popular North Stand were told they could not do so because the stand was too full.

A number of officials were paranoid that the North Stand would suffer the same fate as one of the stands at the infamous Machel Montano concert last year, and collapse.

An official was heard on his two-way radio warning another official that he was afraid the North Stand would fall, although the crowd in the stand was less than that of last year.

One of the security officials claimed the stand was overcrowded and was being reinforced. Then a senior police officer said the stand was swaying.

But NCC commissioner Azard Ali said stress tests were done around 4.30 p.m. and the stand was found to be secure, but he wanted to play it safe and gave instructions not to allow any more patrons in to the stand.

At the scheduled 11 a.m. start, there was no sign of the chaos that would take place later. In fact, the North Stand was unlike previous years, half-full at that stage, while the Grand Stand was about quarter full.

It seemed most planned to arrive at the venue in time to hear defending champions Witco Desperadoes, which eventually played just before 6 p.m.

The trouble at the entrance to the North Stand began just before 4 p.m.

As the evening went on more people began to converge on the venue, but it still could not be compared to last year.

At 3.46 p.m., Master of Ceremonies Mervyn Telfer announced that those on the western side of the North Stand should try to distribute themselves evenly in the stands because too many people were concentrated in that area. The announcement fell on deaf ears.

Then Telfer announced that no more patrons would be allowed in the North Stand and those seeking to do so should instead go to the Grand Stand.

Pan Trinbago employees who were at the gates were asked to leave and SWAT security guards took their places. Then the guards left for some unknown reason and a mass of people entered free of charge.

A short time later the SWAT guards returned to the gates.

Hundreds remained outside the gates trying to get in.

A SWAT security guard beat patron Ancil Baptiste when he attempted to get in.

Baptiste said he had already been inside the facility and had gone to check on his car. He said when he returned the guards refused to allow him in so he pushed down the door and was beaten by a SWAT guard.

Police Guard and Emergency officers who were stationed on the stage were then told to man the gates to the North Stand and that brought some calm to the situation.

Those attempting to leave the North Stand on the northern side were redirected to pass on the eastern side.

Hundreds began to leave right after Desperadoes played around 6 p.m.