The St. Maarten carnival development Foundation (SCDF) and the Festivités Carnavalesques de Saint-Martin (FCDSM) will host the Unity Jump-Up upcoming Saturday, January 26.
The annual event, which takes Carnival lovers on a trek involving both sides of the island, is being held as part of the French Carnival festivities this year. Annually, the two organizations alternate the Unity Jump-Up. Next year it will form part of the Dutch carnival festivities.
The Unity Jump-Up will start on the Dutch side this year in the vicinity of the St. Maarten Festival Village. It will then make its way down Walter Nisbeth Road (Pondfill), Bush Road, AJC Browers Road (Cole Bay Hill), Union Road, past the border at Bellevue and makes its way through Marigot and end at the water front.
All bands that will be taking part in the Unity Jump-Up are advised to inform the SCDF and FCDSM of their participation post haste. Thus far three band have confirmed to be on the road for the jump-up, the Dutch side Band of the Year Official Band and two bands from French St. Martin, Power Band and Madness Band.
All bands will also have to go through inspections with strict inspection guidelines from the Fire Department. Inspections will take place on Saturday a few hours before the jump-up. These guidelines are available from the SCDF and FCDSM who have also provided them to the bands.
President of the FCDSM Phillipe Richardson and President of the SCDF Mike Granger both expressed pride at having been able to host this event for a number of years now. They stressed that both committees cooperate whenever and wherever possible and the Unity Jump-Up is just a way to remind everyone that though both sides have separate festivals "we are still one island, one people."
They also stressed that law enforcement from both sides of the island will employ a zero-tolerance policy towards anyone who have any intentions to start any trouble. Bands can contact SCDF on 5225133 or FCDSM on 5819587.