[UPDATED] Minister: No final decision on Carnival 2021... yet

While there are no plans to cancel Carnival 2021, no final decision has been made about it, Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said.

In a phone interview with Newsday on Wednesday, Gadsby-Dolly said, “The position of the Government with respect to Carnival 2021 has not changed since the initial covid19 issue arose in TT and globally.

“No final decision has been made on Carnival 2021.”

However, if TT continues on the trajectory that it is then there is no reason why Carnival 2021 would not happen. A June 3 Newsday article accurately reported that there were no plans to cancel Carnival but no definitive decisions had been taken as yet.

“However, the decision to have Carnival 2021 will be one that the Government has to consider very seriously. All of the health factors are the primary factors in considering whether we can have the national festival.”

She said the usual form of Carnival is one that encourages very close contact.

“That is what we have been trying to avoid so that we don’t have the spread of the virus and we have done that successfully.”

She said the Government would not take any decision regarding Carnival 2021 that negatively impacts the health of the population.

She said the position on Carnival 2021 is that “no final decision has been made and if TT continues on a positive trajectory then we may be able to look forward to Carnival 2021.”

She said there were many factors that would affect TT’s ability to host the festival.

Gadsby-Dolly had initially said in Newsday’s June 3 article that a decision might have been made at the end of June but given what has been happening internationally with a second wave happening in many countries that had to be revised. She said the second wave in many countries has resulted in TT keeping its borders closed.

“It is still too soon to say,” she said.

She wants to take the guidance of the Ministry of National Security and Health with respect to when the borders could open.

She said TT was at the end of June and still could not host parties.

“I certainly want to take the end of this week and the entire week of next week which would carry us into the first week of July to gauge again the situation.

"The situation was so fluid that it would have to be gauged at every opportunity.”

Gadsby-Dolly also issued a statement about the matter later Wednesday. See the full text of the statement below:

The Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts (MCDCA) wishes to further clarify the government's position on the hosting of Carnival 2021. No final decision has been taken by the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on the hosting of Carnival 2021 as implied by today's (June 24, 2020) Guardian headline.

As clearly elucidated in the body of the article, Trinidad and Tobago’s decision to host Carnival 2021 will be based on many factors, the critical one being the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic- both locally, regionally and internationally. According to Culture Minister Dr Gadsby-Dolly, “at this time, the government is carefully and successfully managing a global pandemic, and every decision is taken with due care and concern for the health and well-being of our population, which is the primary concern at this time and moving forward.”

All key stakeholders of Carnival, both local, regional and international, will be kept apprised on any decision as it relates to the hosting of Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival for 2021.