T&T emancipation committee says gov’t TT$1m not enough

(Trinidad Express) The Emancipation Support Committee (ESC) has refused a TT$1 million cheque from the government for Emancipation celebrations as it was not enough.

Khafra Kambon

Leader of the ESC, Khafra Kambon on Tuesday said he and his committee were beyond disappointed and now angered by the lack of financial support again for Emancipation celebrations from Friday through August 1.

Speaking at a press conference at the Lidj Yasu Omowale Village at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain, an emotional Kambon said the festival, which has profound meaning, has been treated with disrespect along with the people of African descent.  Like he did last year, he repeated that the Emancipation commemoration be a budgeted item and all “systemic obstacles” that are in the way of the committee receiving funding be removed.

Kambon claimed the present government reneged on a promise to include funding for the Emancipation Day celebrations in the annual budget. When asked what was done by the group in light of this, Kambon said he had been clamouring for meetings and held one with former minister of multiculturalism Winston Peters but that meeting was seemingly a waste.

He added that maybe the group was not “making enough noise” and yesterday’s press conference was the beginning of a campaign to ensure they were not left out again.

Kambon said the Emancipation celebration was a national festival and as a result the State must fund it.

Kambon said this year’s production may cost a total of TT$7 million and he has refused to accept a TT$1 million cheque offered to the committee without a commitment that the sum was just a downpayment for a larger sum.