There will be no holding back of funds or downsizing of Carnival 2015 because of falling oil prices, nor will the Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism be responsible for any downscaling. The line minister Lincoln Douglas revealed this when speaking with reporters after the media launch of Ten to One yesterday. The production is a collaboration between Iere Theatre Productions and Canboulay Productions at Nalis, Port-of-Spain.
“There has been no cutbacks. We are working with the same budget for Carnival 2015 and we're not expecting to see any reduction. If there is, it wouldn't be because of the ministry.” He admitted, however, that the ministry was only about 90 per cent ready for the season, but he expected all preparations would be completed on time and it would be a major success.
“We're looking forward to an excellent Carnival. Of course we had to change the chairman of the NCC board in between but I think the prior chairman put a lot of work in place.” Douglas said he was also working with the National Security Ministry to make sure that the proper security measures were in place. The major challenge for this year's festival is determining the route for the Parade of the Bands, he said.
“What we have to address immediately is the Carnival route, which seems to be a bugbear every year and it's not because we are not trying. I know right after Carnival 2014 we met in March with all the stakeholders to make a determination on the route. So I really do not want to hear people coming up again saying how we are waiting last minute to do it because I know we have put in place all the consultations since March of 2014.”
The Carnival 2015 parade route will be announced today. Douglas said he hoped to meet with several ministries and other organisations linked to Carnival, including the Ministry of Health, to compile a “complete readiness package” which would then be delivered to all the major stakeholders. He hopes to have the package completed by the end of next week. There was also no need to panic about people infected with the Ebola virus entering the country during the festive season, he said.
“We have no threat right now from Ebola and I have said repeatedly there is no connection between Carnival and Ebola. “If there is any type of health threat, those will be determined by the Ministry of Health and it would be something related to the whole country.”