The Antigua Observer
Reigning Panorama champions Hells Gate Steel Orchestra will become the first steelband in Antigua and Barbuda to receive a national honour, after the government decided to confer the accolade on the 75-year-old band during the 2020 Independence celebration
Antigua & Barbuda, W.I. - The reigning Panorama champions will make history by becoming the first steelband in Antigua and Barbuda to receive a national honour.
The Cabinet, during its meeting on Thursday, decided that the Caribbean Union Bank Hells Gate Steel Orchestra, the oldest steelband in the world, will be honoured during this year’s Independence celebrations in November.
The band, which hails from the Point community, was founded in 1945, and is celebrating its 75th year of existence. It “is deserving” of a national honour, the post-Cabinet notes read.
In addition to the national honour, Cabinet has decided to grant the non-profit steelband a long-term lease or ownership of the parcel of land at Dredge Bay where its instruments are stored and where the band practices.
Veron Henry, son of one of the founding members, Eustace “Manning” Henry, shared his elation on hearing the good news.
“I am very honoured and proud that the government would have seen it fit to bestow such an award on the Hells Gate Steel for being not only the oldest band in the region, but the ‘winningest’ in Antigua as well, in the world even, because I don’t think any other band would have the amount of championships that Hell’s Gate has; so I am very honoured,” Henry said.
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Replies
SHUCKS!!! i was always a BRUTE FORCE SUPPORTER!!!
But CONGRATULATIONS to HELLS GATE!!!
Did I read that right: "THE OLDEST STEELBAND IN THE WORLD!!!"