The Daily News Of The Virgin Islands

IT'S OUR CARNIVAL

Carnival plans are progressing. A hard-working carnival committee is meeting with many civic groups and commercial organizations to work out intricate details.

A late Easter has caused problems which have not descended upon the chairmen before. There is some heckling, some criticism, some apathy. There are the usual financial problems. There are the usual signs that some will want to ride the bandwagon, but few are willing to grease the wheels.

Much of this is normal, natural, and standard operating procedure each year.

There are disquieting rumors that many of our friends from other islands may not be with us this year. Hotel reservations are down, and off-island advertising is at a minimum. In many ways this is regrettable, because we've enjoyed having our neighbors at the party.

But let's remember — as we nurse our headaches — that this is a people's Carnival and we asked for it.

We said, "We want a Carnival for fun. We don't want so much commercialism as in years past. Give us our own Carnival." And so, our own Carnival it is.

If this is to be our own Carnival - if this is to be truly a "people's carnival" let's give the chairmen and their committees our full support. Let's show our pride in our island and our true St. Thomas spirit.

Yes, we'll tramp with the trampers, we'll applaud the parades, we'll sing the catchy tunes, and we'll wiggle in the dances. But before any of this can take place, before those first musical notes sound out to tell us that carnival week is officially under way, let's realize right now that it doesn't just grow. Many enthusiastic and hard-working men and women are putting in long overtime hours so that all of us can have a good time.

Let's go along with them one hundred per cent.

Carnival is more fun if everyone is in on the planning and the ground-work.