Concerns Raised Over Declining Carnival Activity In San Fernando
Stakeholders and members of the public gathered at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) on Monday to advance discussions on developing Carnival in San Fernando.
On Day 4 of the Carnival Public Consultation, the “Blueprint of Carnival,” the discussions generated valuable feedback, supported policy decision-making, and emphasised sustainability.
Leader of the Jammerz Military Mas Band, Reginald Stewart, noted that the decline in mas band participation in the city of San Fernando has severely impacted businesses during the busiest time of the year.
« My observation through the years with the mas in San Fernando, we have the Ministry, who is the head of the culture, not so? Okay, and the Ministry supposed to be the one to set policies and standards for the art form. We are looking at where we are comparing the city emptying with the mas but yet people are leaving the city and going on the outskirts of carnival and keep carnival. The Ministry should have put that in place from morning time, put policies in place where it have rules and regulation. You can’t come and take the art form where its supposed to be and carry it where you want. That shows that it have no control of the art form. »
Current CEO and band leader of ‘Jagessar Costumes’, Lionel Jagessar Jr, responded to the claims, stating that the opportunities presented by participating in regional carnival celebrations attract bands.
« My contribution is that the benefits of regional carnival is being better than Port of Spain and San Fernando for masqueraders right now. Just to clear up that, they existed all the time is just that you know what is going on in the city and how we are being treated is why they are probably why they are probably moving out of Port of Spain and San Fernando. »
A member of the National Women’s Action Committee suggested a strategy to boost participation and business in South Trinidad.
« Initiatives similar to Flava and events that were kept at the John Cupid Village can be strategically expanded and placed in regions such as San Fernando and I think a lot of San Fernando people that didn’t have the means for transport would have love that opportunity. »
Commissioner of the National Carnival Commission (NCC), Robert Abdool-Mitchell, stated that several plans are being considered with implementation during Carnival 2027.
« That has been raised by another Director of the Board on NCC, Mr. John Michael Alibocus, who sits on the Board. I think from the first week we had the Flava initiative he has been lobbying for Flava in San Fernando but because of time constraints, funding, logistics, a lot of things that goes behind to planning something like Flava, it wasn’t able to get off the ground for 2026 but it is something that is earmarked for 2027. »
The ‘Blueprint for Carnival’ discussions include The Business of Steelpan, Mas Literary Traditions, Operational Planning, and Global Competitiveness.
The initiative, led by Minister of Culture and Community Development Michelle Benjamin, seeks to improve the future of Carnival 2026 and beyond.
