Stubbs captures another win at ‘Best Nine Mornings Community’

Stubbs has firmly held onto its title of “Best Nine Mornings Community” for the seventh year in a row, amidst recognition that all communities “stepped up their game” in 2017.

Last Saturday, at a ceremony at the Peace Memorial Hall, $55,255 worth of prizes were distributed to the winners of the different judged categories in the Nine Mornings Festival, with some categories being announced for the first time.

The Nine Mornings Committee, before distributing the prizes, thanked the 47 communities that took part and commented on the success of the festival in 2017.

“What a great Christmas 2017 was!” deputy chair of the Nine Mornings Committee (NMC) Lennox Bowman exclaimed, continuing, “A few committees and areas throughout the country really upped their game this year and in most cases people maintained the high standard they had.”

The deputy also lauded the communities for upping their game with regard to their lights, commenting that “villages in St Vincent were transformed at Christmas time.”

However, what really stood out as a change in the game this Christmas, Bowman stated, was children’s participation in the communities.

“Children’s participation was second to none in 2017,” he said.

“Let me tell you there’s nothing to stop those kids now. There’s nothing. That’s when we know our Nine Mornings is assured.”

Chair of the NMC Michael Peters, also dubbing the festival a success, noted, “It takes a tremendous amount of effort and love to get this thing going. Therefore, it is a successful festival.”

Thanks to their effort and hard work, a very excited Stubbs community was able to gain recognition for the seventh consecutive year as the ‘National Lotteries Best Nine Mornings Community’.

“Actually, we are excited, although we knew for sure we’re gonna win, because we put our best foot forward all the time, and it’s a lot of hard work, a lot of commitment and we have a lot of people in the group who are very committed, especially our president,” admitted Marsha John, cultural representative for the Stubbs committee.

Winning two more awards to add to their list of first place prizes in the lighting and nativity scene categories, Point Village also took centre stage, scooping up ‘Best Community on Parade’ and ‘Best Community Song’.

“I’m proud, I’m so proud,” said Tamicka Lavia, president of the Point Village committee, in describing the feeling of taking back all their prizes to the community.

“Some people doubted us, because we started kind of late, but I always knew we would be on top.”

Singing his way in to first and second place for the ‘Most Popular Local Christmas Song’, was prominent soca artiste Rondy ‘Luta’ McIntosh, with his songs ‘Christmas Rub Down’, popularly known as ‘Don’t touch the centre’, and ‘In de morning,’ respectively.

A special mission for ‘Luta’ this year was to create Christmas songs unique to St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), the artiste explaining, “This year is just all about going a bit outside of the box, changing the style of music and we’re accustomed to the foreign influence, the ‘Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer’, and ‘Dashing through the snow;’ we don’t have snow here you know, and although that is nice music, we wanted music that is unique to us.”

A readiness for 2018 was expressed by the winners, McIntosh intoning, “When Carnival done, I zoom back into Christmas, because once the Almighty give me health and strength, I will be coming again, I will be singing again.”

Other winners in the Best Community on Parade category were Owia coming in fourth, Stubbs in third place and Green Hill in second. Stubbs placed fourth in ‘Best Community Song’, with FItz-Hughes and Rosebank in third and second place, respectively. Carriere took fourth place for ‘Best Nine Mornings Community’, Coulls Hill placing third and Richland Park landing in second.

‘Best Christmas Community’ went to Coulls Hill; Richland Park, Carriere and Fitz-Hughes in at second, third and fourth, respectively. ‘Give’ by Roland ‘Rolly’ Bowman was fourth place in the Local Christmas Song category, while ‘You tell a lie’ by Roger ‘Landlord’ Thompson took third.(KR)