Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 24/Nov 06:20

Promoters ‘deeply concerned’ about Carnival venues

THE Trinidad and Tobago Promoters Association (TTPA) said it remained “deeply concerned” about Carnival 2026 following a November 21 meeting with the Ministry of Culture and Community Development. In a November 22 release, the TTPA said Culture Minister Michelle Benjamin did not attend the meeting (parliamentary duties) and they instead met with the deputy permanent secretary and other ministry employees. The announcement that government sporting facilities could no longer be used for fetes and other Carnival activity prompted the meeting. Another meeting is scheduled for November 25. “Despite repeated calls to reverse the bans on state-owned venues so the Carnival 2026 season can progress, the administration’s position remains unchanged,” the release said. The next meeting will explore available options and potential support. “While we continue to work feverishly to identify alternative spaces for events, the association and its members remain deeply concerned about the health and stability of the industry under the current conditions,” it added. In a response to Diego Martin West MP Hans Des Vignes in Parliament on November 21, Benjamin said the government remained committed to supporting stakeholders and had identified alternative spaces. She added that the National Carnival Commission (NCC) made spaces available in the Queen’s Park Savannah and Chaguaramas. The post Promoters ‘deeply concerned’ about Carnival venues appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.