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Photo: President of the NRCTT, Dhiraj Ramkissoon, left, and members of the association; Front Row: Yogini Lal, Keisha Ramsaroop, Kerrie Ramoutar, Kamalwatie Ramsubeik, Sandra Mohammed. Back Row: Deosaran Sankar and Amrish Bahall. (Photo by Shastri Boodan)
Shastri Boodan
The National Ramleela Council of Trinidad and Tobago (NRCTT) is seeking $1 million to stage this year’s celebrations.
The announcement was made by NRCTT president Dhiraj Ramkissoon during the launch of the 2025 festivities on Sunday at the Nal Ramsingh Auditorium, Couva Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce, Camden, Couva.
Ramkissoon said Ramleela had long been underfunded and under-recognised by the state. He noted that in 2024, the government provided no financial support for 17 groups under the NRCTT, citing a late application, while $100,000 allocated for 2023 was only received after the celebrations had already taken place.
He added that the NRCTT wrote to Minister of Culture Michelle Benjamin on June 8 and is still awaiting a meeting to discuss Carifesta 2025 and the future of the art form. Ramkissoon also raised concern that Ramleela was excluded from this year’s Carifesta programme. “In 2019, when T&T hosted Carifesta, Ramleela was part of the celebrations. This year, the theme for Carifesta was ‘Heritage’. Ramleela was excluded, so it seems as though the Indian traditions are not considered part of our heritage,” he said.
Ramkissoon added that private sector support is generally limited to businesses in communities where celebrations are staged, and that the NRCTT does not receive contributions from companies on the industrial estate or from state agencies that finance other cultural activities.
He confirmed that this year’s Ramleela celebrations will begin in September and run for a month at venues across Trinidad.
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