Laventille Rhythm Section joins cultural team for Germany
(Express)
Friday, June 2nd 2006
THE LAVENTILLE Rhythm Section (LRS) will be going to Germany as part of Trinidad and Tobago's cultural contingent after all, Sports Minister Roger Boynes disclosed yesterday.
This comes in the wake of a citizens outcry, mediated on Power 102, calling for the group to be in Germany on the strength of their supportive performances both at home and abroad during the World Cup qualifying campaign.
Culture Minister Joan Yuille Williams has indicated that the LRS's trip is as a result of ongoing collaboration between her Ministry and Boynes's.
Boynes told the Daily Express that there was still some uncertainty about whether the group would be allowed to play in the respective stadia but the band's manager, Keith Smith, stressed that the matter does not arise since, from the outset, the plan was for the band to play outside the stadia and other venues in the cities that were hosting Trinidad and Tobago's football team.
However, Smith also indicated that should there be any last-minute change and the band allowed to play inside the stadia "we would be doubly happy since we would be maintaining the tradition of actually spurring on our players and supporters on the grounds themselves".
Smith said that the Government's reversing of its initial decision to leave the Rhythm Section out of this country's cultural contingent would be well-received both by Laventillians and the band's supporters, both here and abroad.
Band captain Trevor Mac Donald thanked all those people who took part in the spirited campaign to bring the LRS on board and singled out for special mention talk show hosts Ricardo "Gladiator" Welch and Anil Roberts.
He was also grateful to T&TFA Special Advisor, Jack Warner, who up to yesterday was still trying to gather the resources necessary to have the LRS take part in the historic event.