PHILIPSBURG--The Carnival committees of Dutch St. Maarten and French St. Martin as well of the people of both North and South set records on Saturday night, when thousands of revellers took to the streets to take part in the 2012 Unity Jump-Up from Marigot to Philipsburg.
According to one estimate from Carnival officials, it is believed that as many as 20,000 revellers participated.
The long-anticipated event also featured five bands, the most ever to participate in a Unity Jump-Up, with the reigning Band of the Year from the Dutch side, Official Band, easily carrying the largest share of the revellers.
The lead players in St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) and Festivites Carnavaleques de Saint Martin (FCDSM) are basically the same as when the event was first held a decade ago, so their reflection on the historic night brought extra meaning.
FCDSM President Philippe Richardson and SCDF Treasurer Erno Labega started the Unity Jump-Up. Labega was president of the SCDF at the time.
In brief comments at the border monument at Bellevue, Richardson said it was an honour and pleasure to be still part of the Unity Jump-Up today. He urged Carnival lovers and revellers to support both organisations as they continue to strive to provide the public with the best Carnival product. "It's not easy. We need your help," Richardson said.
Current SCDF President Stuart Johnson congratulated the FCDSM for a successful Carnival season on the French side and expressed the SCDF's commitment to building a closer working relationship with the FCDSM.
For his part Labega jokingly wondered, "Where did all these people come from?" He said the Unity Jump-Up had started as a crazy idea years ago and it was pleasing to see that the people of North and South still embraced the concept to this day.
The jump-up started in Marigot in the vicinity of Home 'N Tools at approximately 8:30pm and arrived on Soualiga Boulevard in front of the St. Maarten Festival Village at approximately 2:45am.
Despite a few skirmishes between young boys, the jump-up flowed smoothly most of the way. The SCDF and the Police Force will issue stern statements to the public and "wild revellers" in the coming weeks for the upcoming Carnival season that acts of bad behaviour will be met with the full force of the law.
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