Tobago Correspondent
The Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation is denying claims by National Carnival Commission chairman Winston “Gypsy” Peters that the commission was excluded from the planning and execution stages for its October Carnival.
In a release yesterday, the division said Peters’ comments on Sunday during the Parade of the Bands to the media were misleading, as it made approaches to the NCC but did not receive the support it expected.
During the Parade of the Bands activities on Sunday in Scarborough, Peters said he was unhappy with certain aspects of the 2023 Tobago Carnival.
“I think the organisation last year was better than this year to be honest. There were a lot of shortcomings because Carnival is not something that starts on Carnival,” Peters said.
He said, “I’m just looking on but still we have to help because regardless of what, this is Trinidad and Tobago. We cannot allow one part of my country to look bad with something that we offer the world and is renowned for, which is Carnival. We are a Carnival country, so we need to make it better, we need to work out whatever. I am sure next year will be better.”
Calling for more collaboration between the NCC and THA on the 2024 event, he said, “We are the National Carnival Commission of Trinidad and Tobago, our input to Tobago’s Carnival is very minute really and I think that is one of the problems because the expertise for Carnival really resides in Trinidad because that is it.”
However, in the release, the division said planning for the October Carnival began in May and it invited the NCC to be a part of the activities.
It said there was a meeting in July between the Secretary of the Division, Tashia Burris, and the Tobago representative on the board of the NCC. Following the initial meeting, a subsequent gathering took place in early August to further discuss areas of collaboration.
It said Peters and NCC CEO Nigel Williams, as well as and commissioners Jacqui Springer-Dillon and Davlin Thomas, were present in the meeting in August. Peters, it added, committed to providing training in logistics, road management, and procurement. He also pledged assistance in securing the participation of the 2023 National Kings and Queens champions for a special display during the Parade of the Bands.
The division said it submitted a proposal in September but said there was no formal acknowledgement or response to the proposal. The division said it made efforts to follow up on the proposal but received no positive response. The release added that Burris even had a phone conversation with Peters, but it did not yield any fruitful results.
As a result, it said there was no formal agreement for collaboration or partnership between the THA and the NCC for the planning and execution of the Tobago Carnival.
In light of this, the division said it took it upon itself to establish a relationship with the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Band’s Association, who provided assistance in ensuring the participation of the National Kings and Queens at the Parade of the Bands.
The division noted that despite the lack of collaboration, official invitations were extended to the NCC to attend the culminating week of activities for the 2023 Tobago October Carnival. However, the division said the NCC declined these invitations.