Heat on the road

The rumbling SOLES and gyrating waists of 15 000 revellers told the story of a hot Kadooment Day. To put it simply, feet were on fire yesterday.Little wonder Anderson Blood Armstrong’s Foot On Fire proved to be the soca song of Crop-Over 2010, earning the Headliners artiste his first Road March title, as Jump Promotions’ Spirit Of The Gap took Large Band Of The Year and Ooutraje’s The Many Movements Of Land Ships, the Best Band On The Road, to climax this year’s premier festival that started from Warrens, St Michael, instead of the National Stadium.Thousands too heeded the call of Li’l Rick, going down, sticking, coming back up; and under overcast and humid conditions took his Guh Down to second spot in the Road March competition.Third was former triple-crown winner Edwin Yearwood, who encouraged kaiso fans to “christen” women, sidewalks, and even stalls, with his popular Chrissening.Blood earned $7 500; Li’l Rick, $5 000; and Edwin, $2 000.People’s Monarch Mr Dale also added to the revelry in this year’s festival, though not finishing in the top three, with his popular Drop It.In the bands category, Jump Promotions’ designer Renee Ratcliffe won Festival Designer Of The Year, while designer Doug Hoyte’s Renegades took Small Band Of The Year with Tings Brown.Ashanti Trotman, the National Cultural Foundation’s senior festival and events planner, was a pleased man after the final Kadooment truck had passed the judges. “Things have gone pretty well,” he told the DAILY NATION. “So far, I don’t think we were met with any significant challenges,” he said just before 4 p.m. yesterday.He did note that timing was a concern, as the road master truck (the last truck) was on the road a bit too late. “We were delayed because of the start at Warrens,” Trotman said, adding that because of the extended route it would have taken much longer to reach Spring Garden Highway.Because of the new route, the first truck hit Spring Garden at 1 p.m.; the first band to face the judges there arrived at 2:46 p.m.; and the last reached Spring Garden just after 6 p.m. as dusk fell.Regarding security, the Royal Barbados Police Force had to respond to a number of incidents, but public relations officer Inspector David Welch said yesterday was “not exceedingly difficult”.Welch said eight people who collapsed on the road from heat-related causes had to be taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH).In addition, police had to respond to one shooting, one stabbing, and an accident involving three pedestrians along Brighton, Black Rock, St Michael. None were life-threatening: a man was stabbed in the back, another shot in the buttocks, and the pedestrians treated for minor injuries at the QEH and discharged.Police also had to warn a number of disorderly masqueraders along Station Hill, St Michael.