(Trinidad Guardian) Government allocations for Carnival 2017 have suffered yet another cut. According to National Carnival Commission (NCC) chairman, Kenny de Silva, allocations for Carnival bodies have been cut by just under 25 per cent.
This is a further reduction from the Government’s $270 million budgetary allocation for Carnival 2016.
In 2015, the allocation for Carnival was $314 million.
Culture, Arts and Community Development Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, responding to a question in the Senate on Monday, did not get a total overall figure but said Pan Trinbago will get some $23 million, the National Carnival Bandleaders Association (NCBA), around $9 million and the Government will give another $7,290,000 for groups facilitated by the NCC, like the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Association (Tuco).
The minister said allocations are paid in tranches and, so far, Tuco has received over $1 million, Pan Trinbago, over $7 million and the NCBA $233,722.
De Silva said it was initially proposed Tuco gets $9 million but Government decided to reduce it to $7,290,000 because of the state of the economy.
Pan Trinbago’s initial figure was cut from $30,780,000 to $23,085,000.
The NCC’s own costs for putting up infrastructure, security and sanitation were usually around $100 million and the commission would normally get the necessary funding to cover its expenses, he added.
De Silva said the allocations for the various bodies were just around the same as for the 2016 Carnival and he did not complain, preferring to say instead the NCC and all bodies are working in harmony to produce a good Carnival 2017.
“We also have a helpful minister who understands our challenges,” he added.
The T&T Guardian got a slightly different picture from the Carnival bodies.
Keith Diaz, Pan Trinbago’s president, stressing he was not criticising the minister, said they have only received $501,000 in their hands so far.
Further, the pan body is still owed $2.8 million from the 2016 Carnival.
“In October, the minister paid us $5 million out of the $7.8 remittance for 2016.”
Noting this was a problem over time, Diaz said Pan Trinbago had an initial budget of $31 million but made their own cut to $24.7 million.
He said out of that figure, $2.5 million goes towards bands from Tobago that come down to Trinidad for Panorama.
“It means that we (in Trinidad) will really be working with about $22 million.”
Asked how he would feel about accepting the minister’s figure of $23 million for both Tobago and Trinidad, Diaz said: “I don’t want to answer that question.”
Brother Resistance (Lutalo Masimba), president of Tuco, was more gracious concerning the issue of reduced allocations.
“We are prepared to work with whatever is prescribed by the Government through the NCC.”
Resistance said it is unfortunate when there are cuts where Carnival interest groups are concerned but added he understood.
“We understand the economic climate and economic reality.
“As a national organisation, we are prepared to act responsibly and implement whatever cuts are necessary in order to deliver the product.”
Resistance said Tuco delivers the calypso component of Carnival celebrations for the NCC but said he has no official information as yet on what Tuco is to receive for Carnival 2017.
He said Tuco exists from month to month on subventions from the NCC.
Resistance said Tuco’s main concern was getting a secure venue for its tent and paying advances to contracted singers who depend on this.
David Lopez, NCBA president, said he had no comment to make on whatever the minister or the NCC said.
“At the appropriate time we will call a press conference,” he promised.
