Call for talks on Tobago Carnival

Kwesi DesVignes, public relations officer of the People’s National Movement (PNM) Tobago Council and Secretary of Infrastructure, Quarries and the Environment (DIQE) has weighed in on the calls for Tobago to host a separate Carnival from Trinidad.

Speaking at the PNM Tobago’s Council monthly press conference at its office in Scarborough, Tobago today, DesVignes said the discussions must be had.

“It is there, let us have the conversation. We can’t just jump off and say, ‘Let’s do this now for now,’ it has to make sense.

“All the key stakeholders have to be engaged. Even on a Monday night – there is a loyal group of persons in the PNM who always bring out a Monday night band and we would ensure that they are part of the consultations as well.

“Many of you would also know that my family is well entrenched in the arts and in Carnival as well. It cannot work like that, if we want to encourage people and engage the stakeholders, that is not the way. Let us have a conversation,” DesVignes said.

Kelvon Morris, spokesman for Citizens in Support of Tobago Development, said the group was planning to host a stakeholders’ conversation to thrash out the issue, which had been a longstanding debate.

Former culture minister Winston “Gypsy” Peters previously said having a separate Carnival in Tobago at another time of year was a viable proposition. The idea was supported by soca singer and 2019 Road March winner Machel Montano.