TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO’S CARNIVAL BUDGET NOT APPROVED

By a Staff Reporter: The budget for Trinidad and Tobago’s Taste of Carnival 2022 has not been approved by the Cabinet. This was revealed by Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Randall Mitchell, during a press conference on Wednesday.

This comes just two days after Chairman of the National Carnival Commission, Winston “Gypsy” Peters told members of the media that $25-$30 million has been allocated for a scaled-down version of Carnival.

The minister further justified the reasons for hosting the Taste of Carnival events, indicating that the entertainment and tourism industry has suffered due to the impacts of the pandemic and its variants. Additionally, he outlined that the trends in covid-19 cases have been declining.

The Minister also reassured the public that the events would be in strict adherance to the safe zone protocols, implemented by the Ministry of Health. Minister Mitchell also stated that the National Carnival Commission has indicated where the allocation of expenditure for their budget will go towards. This is inclusive of payment for carnival personnel, security staff and they may also apply for sponsorships.