London, Peters ‘opposed’ to Tobago Carnival

Government is mulling the possibility of staging a Tobago Carnival, for later in the year to cater to the visit of tourists from Europe and the United States during the Winter season. This Carnival is separate and apart from the annual National Carnival held in February.

At a press briefing yesterday which followed a meeting between himself and Peters at London’s office in Scarborough, London said that he and by extension the PNM-led THA are “diametrically opposed” to Peters on the issue of a second Carnival in Tobago, in October. “We are no closer now (to any agreement) than we were before the meeting,” London said. “It’s just that we were listening, maybe more attentively and more respectfully, to each other”.

Noting that they “agreed to disagree”, London said he enumerated to Peters a number of reasons why there should not be a second Carnival in Tobago. He added that he also indicated to the Minister that, if Carnival was being viewed as such magic pill for TT’s economic woes, why not have a second Carnival in Trinidad?

The Minister, London noted, said he held discussions with “stakeholders” in Tobago who support the idea of a second Carnival.

“Suffice it to say, we couldn’t find any common ground to what I want to happen...but we agreed to disagree,” said Peters. In terms of the next move, London said he was not certain. “I am not certain of what happens now as we go forward,” he said.