Bottles fly at Soca Swing

Chairman of the Carnival Development Corporation CDC, Dennis Ambrose saw his worst fears about bottles being used as missiles come true last Sunday evening at the Victoria Park.

During the staging of the Soca Swing show, organized by Hitz FM, several bottle throwing incidents left patrons razzled and discomforted at an otherwise great evening of local entertainment.{{more}}

The unfortunate incidents prompted two quick releases from both the CDC and Hitz FM, one distancing itself from the incidents, and the other expressing outright condemnation.

It was only last week that Ambrose, at a media briefing, promised a Vincy Carnival filled with Mas, Action, Thrills and Vibes while reiterating that the corporation had a No Bottled Drink policy in effect at the Victoria Park.

He had pointed out that glass bottles could be used as missiles, hence the reason for not selling beverages in bottles.

Ambrose expressed concern about safety for patrons at the national festival, stressing that the safety of patrons was a priority at the venue and urged patrons to keep the festivities free of violence.

The CDC said in its release Monday, it wished “to distance itself from the [bottle throwing] incidents”. It stated its dissatisfaction over the issues and regretted any injuries, which may have resulted.

The release further emphasized that it will “enforce its ‘No Glass Bottles policy’ at the Victoria Park when made available to other promoters for shows.”

HitzFM, meanwhile, has ‘strongly condemned the two incidents of fighting that erupted at Soca Swing 2005”. The station said it regretted the “breach of the CDC’s No-bottle policy, which it claimed was observed “for the most part” by the beverage supplier contracted to provide bar services under this policy.

CDC chairman, Dennis Ambrose, had sought to encourage Vincentians to show visitors the “good ole’ Vincy hospitality” as they come to the country for what he described as the “greatest festival in the region.”

The Soca Swing is one of the major pre Carnival shows and is organized annually by Hitz FM. It attracts very large numbers of young people who flock to the Carnival City to see some of the country’s better Soca acts perform.