- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 28/Jul 07:10

NCC $$$ jumping up

SIGNIFICANT sums of money flow through the National Carnival Commission (NCC). Its 2025 budget allocation was $141 million. Its gate receipts plus assorted income was about $11 million. This, besides a $200 million loan, according to disclosures made by Minister of Culture and Community Development Michelle Benjamin in a statement on July 23. But that’s all on paper. It seems hard to get paid by the NCC. According to Ms Benjamin, $178 million in debts for goods and services are owed. Where’s the money going? We hope the audit ordered by the minister answers this question. Former NCC chairman Winston Peters says millions in borrowing on behalf of the entity by the government is “normal.” Ex-line minister Randall Mitchell says Ms Benjamin might be labouring under a “misunderstanding” as it relates to paying previous liabilities. But it’s been almost five months since the festival ended. The fact that the season conforms to a set, annual cycle is precisely why provisions should be made ahead of time. Has this ever occurred? A debt of $178 million suggests not. No one has explained the resort to loans. Loans come at a cost. According to the Estimates of Recurrent Expenditure for 2021-2025, the ministry allocated $11 million in loan interest in relation to rolled-over liabilities. Mr Peters contends the NCC cannot borrow directly, but section 22 of the NCC Act says the commission can, “with the approval and direction of the minister with responsibility for finance.” The audit should shed light on who is approving what. Clearly, NCC cash is jumping up each year – but are citizens getting value for money? Mr Peters is fond of saying Carnival generates billions. That’s not reflected in the NCC’s gate receipts, but could refer to more widespread, indirect and intangible gains. The increase in visitors for last year’s season might suggest it was an unabashed success: 28,700 people came, an increase of 4.8 per cent, according to the Central Statistical Office. However, the long-term trend is downwards. There were at least 37,000 visitors in 2020. Meanwhile, average expenditure per visitor is rising, moving from $10,154 in 2019 to $14,403 in 2024. If less people are coming but they are spending more, that could suggest a connection between both variables. Higher costs may be turning people away. Privatisation might seem a tempting thing for authorities to consider given the endless financial commess at entities like the NCC and the seductive efficiency of the fete circuit. Even Mr Mitchell, when in office, complained in 2023 about late-hour requests from Mr Peters for disbursals. But aspects of our culture will only survive with state involvement. Ms Benjamin’s audit will do no harm. It might even help to improve things. The post NCC $$$ jumping up appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.