That is the message we will like to send this weekend as we prepare to celebrate the wonderful festival that is Caribana.
           This year's celebration of Caribbean culture is made even more wonderful by the new spirit which seems to surround it.
            It is also the first time in recent years that we are entering the festival on such a positive note, with new management at the helm, news of funding coming from the federal government and heightened corporate involvement which will automatically bring increased Canadian interest.
             It is also the first time that we in the Caribbean community can be confident that at last, 31 years into the festival, Caribana is getting due recognition from society as a valuable cultural showpiece as well as a major revenue earner.
             It took last year's fiasco, no doubt, to bring this to the fore. But last year is past, this weekend is the present and the party is on. And yes, this is our time to show-off our creativity in art and song, to continue to set an example of harmony in diversity.
              And as we welcome the tens of thousand of visitors to our shores for Caribana, we ask that not only do they enjoy the parade and the shows that we're staging, but that they recognized the efforts of the Caribbean community by showing their support, whether through the simple purchase of a t-shirt and a piece of art from a community member or a visit to one of our many fine West Indian restaurants, night clubs or stores.
               After all, every dollar spent with the community during this time adds to its economic power which in turn translates to a bigger and better festival next year.
               It is no secret, too, that  the business which usually benefit from the visitors that Caribana brings in do not spend any of it back through sponsorship of the festival. So while we can't tell anyone where to shop, all we're asking is that intelligent choices are made.
               Business aside, we now turn the focus inward to remind members of our community that while they are going forth in their numbers to enjoy the summer's biggest weekend, remember that we are the hosts; and that as good hosts, we should ensure that those visitor us are comfortable and safe in our environment.
                We must continue doing our utmost to ensure that this entity, our biggest show in North America, maintains its reputation as one of the safest carnivals in the world. The bottom line, however, is that Caribana is for all of us, black, white and in between, to have a good time. And that is what we wish for all as we enter the summer's greatest weekend to celebrate the 31st staging of the Toronto Caribana festival.
                 play yuhself. JULY 30 -AUGUST 5, 1998