Beckles questions plan to scrap NCC

Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles has questioned whether the Government is moving to dissolve the National Carnival Commission (NCC), raising concerns about transparency, consultation and outstanding payments to Carnival stakeholders.

Speaking at an Opposition media conference yesterday, Beckles said she had received information that the Government intends to replace the NCC with a new body.

“I now want to move on to the issue of the National Carnival Commission. My information is that this Government is going to dissolve the National Carnival Commission and they are going to establish the National Festivals Commission Act and matters related there too.

“Now, you would recall that the Minister of Culture, I think it might have been last month, indicated that consultations would take place as it relates to national festivals. I want to ask the Minister of Culture and the Prime Minister, who are these people that you consulted with? Did you consult with the steel band movement? Did you consult with the various cultural organisations? Who did you really consult with to take a decision and dissolve the National Carnival Commission that has been existing for years?” she asked.

A Cabinet minute dated March 19 confirms that the Government has agreed to repeal the National Carnival Commission Act in its entirety and approve legislation to establish a National Festivals Commission of Trinidad and Tobago (NFCTT).

The proposed body would oversee governance, development, promotion and commercial exploitation of national festivals and cultural assets.

The Cabinet note also outlines plans for the NFCTT to manage intellectual property tied to Carnival, including trademarks for Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, Tobago Carnival, Carnival 365, The Mecca of Carnival, Steelpan and Calypso Monarch.

It also proposes licensing frameworks, international partnerships and the creation of a National Heritage Fund.

The minute indicates that an interim board of 15 commissioners will be appointed and that stakeholder consultation mechanisms will form part of the process before legislation goes to Parliament.

Beckles also raised concerns about the NCC’s financial position, particularly delays in payments to workers and performers from Carnival 2026.

“I want to ask them, have they paid all the employees, all the contractors, all the performers from this event that was the greatest? But you can look at this $5,000,000 pan price payouts. Look at it, and the chairman of the NCC is saying, Peter Kanhai, he said NCC ensures all outstanding debts for Carnival 2026 will be paid.

“Will be paid when? Because when you read this article, our Beverly Ramsey Moore is saying that this is the first time that they have taken so long to make payments and to the men and women who have participated in the multiplicity of events for Carnival, we say to the Government, please pay the people for their hard earned work that they did over this period and this is consistent with a Government that since they have come into office, they have been paying almost everybody late,” she said.

On Wednesday, Beverley Ramsey-Moore, president of Pan Trinbago, acknowledged delays but said payments are expected by the end of May.

“It is the first time that we have to wait that long, but as I said before, in terms of scarcity of funds and priority, and so we are going to keep pushing, and we are going to pay. We are going to pay all of that by the end of May.

Guardian Media reached out to Kevan Gibbs, deputy Chairman of NCC, who directed questions to the chairman, Peter Kanhai. However, he did not respond to requests for comment.