Growing list of cancellations, postponements over covid19

Cancellation announcements continue to roll in, following the Prime Minister's plea for social distancing on Monday.

The Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts announced the postponement of the TT Music Festival. The news came via the ministry's social media pages on Tuesday morning. It is one of the many cancellations of public events so far for the months of March and April.

The ministry announced the closure of all performing spaces to the public until March 30 including the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Queen's Hall, The Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA), The Naparima Bowl and the National Museum and Art Gallery.

RS/RR production's comedy Ladies Night has been postponed as a result.

The ministry also said all community centres, regional complexes and civic centres will remain closed to the public until March 30. The start of the community education programme and the Prime Minister's Best Village trophy competition season is postponed until further notice.

Abeo Jackson production's The Seven Year Itch which was scheduled to be held at the Central Bank auditorium has also been postponed as the auditorium will be closed until the end of the month, in the first instance.

The much anticipated New Fire festival will also be postponed until further notice. The festival was carded for April 3-5.

In a statement released on its website and social media pages, organisers said, "With the safety and well being of everyone being paramount to us, we are certain that postponing is the best action to take."

The TT literary festival released a statement on Tuesday afternoon announcing the postponement of events until September. These include the Bocus Lit Fest, originally scheduled for May 1-3; the semifinal round of the 2020 First Citizens National Poetry Slam scheduled for March 22 and 29; and the annual Children’s Bocas Lit Fest Storytelling Caravan originally scheduled for April. The national poetry slam finals is still set to take place on September 20 as the closing event of the Bocas Lit Fest.

The offices of the Bocas Lit Fest and the Two Cents Movement are also closed to the public until further notice.

The fashion industry has followed suit. TT Creative Industries Company Ltd (CreativeTT) announced the postponement of a few of upcoming events, including CreativeTT & Cariri ideation workshop previously scheduled for March 19, MusicTT live music district, FashionTT Saturday entrepreneurial development programme workshop, FashionTT business advisory mentorship session and the MusicTT open call for spotlight programme has been extended to April 10.

Businesses are also closing doors in light of the spread of the coronavirus. All MovieTowne branches across the country were closed from Wednesday.

A public statement from the company said, "As a responsible corporate citizen we must make the lives, health and safety of our loyal patrons, staff and community our top priority."

Pending any further developments, MovieTowne will reopen on April 1. MovieTowne has locations in Port of Spain, Chaguanas, San Fernando and Tobago.

Both Chuck E Cheese locations in Chaguanas and San Fernando will also be closed for the next fourteen days.

McDonalds announced on Wednesday that in-house dining at all locations have been suspended and its Gulf City Mall restaurant will remain closed until further notice. During this time patrons will still have access to their drive-thru service.

All classes offered by the East Port of Spain Development Company Ltd (EPOS) have been suspended with immediate effect. EPOS joins all other educational institutions that have closed its doors to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Head of corporate communications Arthur Lewis said in keeping with the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health and out of concern for members of staff, tutors and participants they are taking the necessary steps to ensure everyone's safety. Registered participants and those wishing to be enrolled in the company's social and economic programmes will be unable to do so until further notice.