By E. Glenford Prescott Kingstown, St. Vincent

The popular US president was portrayed by the Mas Band Singer Lynx in a section named Hope.

The section in the children's category showed the boy masqueraders carrying the US flag dressed in blue with Obama face masks.

Band leader Pete Jacobs said they had decided to use Mr Obama for the children's section since he is being seen as the greatest hope to world peace.

The section did not place in the top four of the 12-band competition but had a good reception from the crowd as they took the stage both in the Junior Carnival event last week and again on the final day, Tuesday.

Calypso tributes

The US president had come previously come to the fore when Fitzroy Joseph, going by the stage name ‘Brother Ebony”, won the New Song Competition at the launch of the festival on 30 May with “Message to Obama”.

	President Obama was prominent in the Carnival celebrations

Joseph was a finalist at the Dimanche Gras show Sunday evening, where he placed sixth.

In his song, he called on President Obama to pay more attention to the poorer nations of the world including taking “some of the millions being sent to Israel every day and send some to Haiti” so the people will continue to love and appreciate him.

He also urged the president not to forget the role white voters in America played in getting him elected and encouraged him to continue looking for ways for solutions to the problems of all races.

T-shirt homage

On Monday afternoon, the picture of the US President adorned the t-shirts of the revellers in the Vincy Foreign Band.

This was a band organized by Vincentians who reside in North America and return each year to take part in the festival and especially in the Monday Evening Street Party.

Ezzie Roberts is co-coordinator of the event through Global Carnival Link.

He said the election of Obama to the presidency was significant not only for the USA but the Caribbean as well and they thought it was only fitting to show some appreciation for that in their mas'.

Vincie tributes to Mr Obama started last year ahead of his election to the US presidency.

Songs last year by Kenneth "Vibrating Scakes" Alleyne and Winston "Papa Iston" Lewis all started the tribute train rolling.