Mayor tells 2020 Downtown Carnival winners: Come get your money

TWO months after the National Carnival Commission (NCC) and the Port of Spain City Corporation agreed to share the burden of paying out $378,000 in prize money, the mayor is calling on winners to collect their cheques.

In a media release on Thursday, Mayor Joel Martinez said money owed to last year's winners of the Down Town Carnival competition 2020 are now available for collection. A release said  winners can collect their cheques on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between 9 am and 11 am.

After the Tourism Minister intervened in March, the NCC and City Corporation agreed that the NCC would pay 60 per cent of the prize money due to the performers, and the city would pay the balance.

TT Carnival Bands Association (TTCBA) President Rosalind Gabriel raised the issue in February, almost a year after the winners were supposed to have received their prizes.

Martinez said then that the corporation had not received the subvention from NCC to pay winners. He added that the NCC had decided not to pay subventions last year because it had no money, resulting in the delay.

In Thursday's media release, the mayor asked  winners who experience issues collecting their prizes to contact Krishna Ramcharan at 486-8047.

"His Worship, members of Council and the Port of Spain Corporation would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank all stakeholders involved, for keeping their commitments to make the mas fraternity during these challenging times. Your efforts are greatly appreciated," the release said.