Sando mayor puts Gypsy's record straight

While saying NCC chairman Winston “Gypsy” Peters is his friend, San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello has however disputed a claim by Peters that the corporation wasted its 2018 Carnival allocation on putting up a gate at Skinner Park, saying it had been built years earlier, during Peters’ tenure as Culture Minister.

In an interview at his Harris Promenade office today, Regrello referred to a radio interview in which Peters reportedly said the SFCC had squandered its allocation of $400,000.

“He is saying we were given $400,000 last year and built a gate for $350,000. I am putting it on record that he is referring to Carnival of 2012-2013, under his watch, when he was Minister of Culture.

“The gate that was built in Skinner Park was built under a past dispensation. We were not here when it occurred. It was under a Partnership government in 2012-2013, under a different mayor, under a different convenor, under a different chairman of Carnival. It had nothing to do with us.”

Regrello said the SFCC changed hands following the 2013 local government election in late December and the PNM-controlled council had to deal with several unresolved issues.

“We came in December 2013 and met that whole debacle that occurred. And back then the allocation to the SFCC was $3 million for Carnival 2012-2013 and when we got there was still a deficit of $750,000 still owing to the masmen."

He said that debt was subsequently paid from the SFCC’s 2014 allocation, which had been reduced to $1.2 million.

He said the SFCC received $1.2 million for 2014-2016.

“So the chairman of NCC needs to get his facts right when he is making utterances like that. We are friends and I just want him to get the facts. I am not criticising, I know it is a tough job, it is a tough job, but somebody is giving him wrong information.”

He said a meeting was being sought with Peters to discuss several issues related to Carnival, including the corporation's allocation and the NCC’s failure to pay for the use of SFCC facilities.

Regrello said when he became mayor the allocation was reduced to $800,000 in 2017 and to $400,000 in 2018.

“And this year we might get $200,000 at the rate they going.”

He said the SFCC had had to find new methods to ensure that Carnival was maintained in 2018, including cancelling its pre-Dimanche Gras show (which usually takes place on the Wednesday before Carnival) and moving the calypso competition to the City Hall auditorium.

However, the most innovative method was to send the judges for the San Fernando king and queen of the bands to Port of Spain to judge them while they were competing for the national crown.

“It was easier to put the judges in a maxi and send them Port of Spain to judge them as they cross the stage.”

Regrello also said the NCC owes the SFCC just over $493,000 for use of its facilities for 2013-2017.

He cited a letter dated January 18, 2018 in which SFCC CEO Indarjit Singh wrote to the NCC saying the SFCC is owed $493,700 for Pan Trinbago and TUCO's use of Skinner Park.

“It is abundantly clear that the NCC has failed to meet their part of the contractual agreement in respect to payment for these shows and has placed the SFCC in a debt-related position due to non-payment for then events in question,” the letter said.

The SFCC said any further shows might be in jeopardy if the debt was not paid. However, Regrello said it remains outstanding, and the shows were allowed to continue.