Update on Cuba Carnival

Taken from today's Express

Trinidad may miss own party
By Wayne Bowman wayne.bowman@trinidadexpress.com


The 31st Caribbean Music Festival, also known as the Fiesta del Fuego Caribbean Festival, taking place in Santiago de Cuba next month, is dedicated to the arts and culture of Trinidad and Tobago, but there may be no Trinbago culture at the festival.

Locals with interest in the festival, scheduled to come off from July 2 to 10, said the Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism failed to fulfill its commitment toward supporting a local contingent participating in the festival.

A source from the Ministry denied this, saying the Ministry paid for two representatives from the festival producers, Casa del Caribe and the Cuban Ministry of Culture to come to T&T and stay at the Chancellor Hotel, St Ann's, for several days for the purpose of working out plans for Trinbago's participation in the festival.

There were, however, never any meetings between the Ministry and the Cubans, who left without accomplishing anything, a source connected to the Cuban organisers told the Express. The source said with the knowledge of the Ministry, a local travel agent placed on offer two charters providing about 160 seats each.

There were also 200 rooms pre-booked at two hotels, one a three-star the other a five-star for Trinidadians expected to attend and participate. Those rooms were released from the pre-booking last week after there was no definitive confirmation from Trinidad, the source said.

The Ministry source said the Multiculturalism Ministry did express that it will support the participation of Trinbago in the festival, but there were certain concerns that needed to be addressed before any investment into the venture could be made.

The Express was told that either Minister Winston "Gypsy" Peters or Permanent Secretary Vel Lewis would contact us yesterday afternoon to explain what was taking place, but up to press time, no one from the Ministry had contacted us. The Cuban Embassy also declined comment on the issue.

The Caribbean Music Festival is an academic and cultural space for debate on the history and culture of the Caribbean peoples. The festival also provides an opportunity to appreciate the region's rich cultural heritage through dance, music, painting, visual arts, theatre and literature.

The festival is therefore a platform for solidarity, diversity, friendship and hope for peoples sharing a common destiny despite speaking different languages.

The charter flight and hotel accommodation package is being offered by Naipaul's Travel Service.



Funny how the Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism puts so much emphasis on wanting to see Carnival expand and for Trinidad to 'own' Carnival then they drag their feet on opportunities like this. SMH.