No $$ for Carnival 2017

Checks with both Pan Trinbago head Keith Diaz and Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) leader Lutalo ‘Brother Resistance’ Masimba yesterday revealed that no monetary allocation has been set aside as yet by Government for Carnival 2017.

Masimba told Newsday, “The Ministry has been paying the usual stipend but we have not received any allocation to date.

TUCO has four main Calypso tents to run and opening day is just a month away and we are still awaiting the funding. Right now there is no preparation for Carnival 2017. We just can’t do anything. There is a talk going around that TUCO received two million dollars but I don’t know anything about that.” For his part, Diaz said, “The only money we have received for 2017 is $501,000 for administrative fees. I don’t know where this talk of us receiving seven million dollars came from. People are out there talking but they don’t have the facts. The National Carnival Commission (NCC) has paid out $1.9 million in assistance to steelbands for the 2017 National Panorama.” Asked about his budget allocation for this year, Diaz said, “We have made serious cuts to our budget for 2017. Pan Trinbago submitted a budget for $24,792,000 which is a cut of eight million dollars.” Diaz said the Panorama format was also changed to Panyard judging because the steelbands had to pay too much money for transportation.

A cost they never recover.

He assured that the Panorama prize monies remained the same as 2016.

When asked about the players’ remittance for 2016, Diaz said, “On October 28, Pan Trinbago received five million which is a shortfall of two point seven million and which was spent on the steelband from Tobago for hotel, meals and transportation. I did not want to start paying the panmen and end up in a situation where all would not have received their remittance but this exercise will begin shortly. Let me make it clear again, Pan Trinbago has not received any seven million allocation for 2017.” The National Carnival Bands Association offices are closed for the Yuletide holidays and its president David Lopez is said to be out of the country.

Calls to Vice President Renrick Brown’s cell phone went unanswered. As such, it was not known what role the NCBA will play in Carnival 2017. Efforts by Newsday to reach Community Development, Arts and Culture Minister Nyan Gadsby Dolly yesterday for a comment proved futile.