Carnival City to be all-inclusive

Acting CEO of the National Carnival Commission (NCC) Nigel Williams has said no one can discount the effects of covid19, but those years remained busy for the NCC.

Adding to that, chairman of the NCC Winston “Gypsy” Peters said, “If I had to pick just one lesson that resonates the most within the board, our principal stakeholders, and our entire organisation, it is that we cannot afford to run our Carnival as if it is business as usual. With covid19 came the harsh reality of the fragility of the Carnival industry.”

They were speaking at the NCC’s stakeholders’ breakfast meeting at the NCC’s VIP Lounge at Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain on December 14.

Though celebrations were limited and even non-existent at one point, Williams said the pandemic led the NCC to finding innovating and engaging ways to “capture the real and share it with the world virtually.”

“Our time away from Carnival was not a time off from Carnival, and in the lead-up to 2023 and beyond, we used the time to promote our Carnival product in international markets. In looking back, the past two years have been definitive and instructive,” said Williams. “Many people sought ways to marry the Carnival world with the virtual. The NCC invested in building a virtual presence through our digital platform, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival World, our e-solution in providing an easily accessible resource for the wider public and diaspora to be a part of Carnival, no matter where they are.”

Williams said in that time the NCC also looked at its structure, processes, and systems. He said it identified and addressed critical gaps, closely managed financial and human resources and worked at, invested in, and built capacity as a world-standard organisation. He said this is still ongoing, but the progress is good.

Peters said because of this the theme of NCC’s rebuilding and rejuvenating is based on how Carnival has been affected, how it has adjusted and how it continues to adjust with financial and social constraints. He said focus will also be placed on making sure Carnival becomes more resilient and is operated more effectively.

“In our approach and planning for Carnival 2023, we looked carefully at the things that worked well in the past and sought to make them better. You will see a difference in how we incorporate digitalised elements as fundamental parts of our operations, our processes, and our new initiatives. You will see a repurposing and repositioning of traditional elements, in line with achieving our objectives of sustainability and profitability.”

Some of the NCC’s projects are the return of the North Stand and the rebirth of Carnival City, “Carnival 2023 Activations,” the return of park and ride, e-ticket and online ticket sales, NCC regional carnival and mas management, a “one-stop shop” and security and public health.

Peters said, “We intend to better use these spaces (North Stand) to better attract patrons of all ages and backgrounds. To that end, our Carnival City space is also being upgraded to better serve as a commercial and social hub of activity during the season; a hub that is free, open, and subscribed to by the general public and not just the Carnival faithful.”

He said it will also be “more representative of the 21st-century hub” as it will also have free WiFi.

“With this addition, we continue to build on our movement to attract patrons to the Queen’s Park Savannah, especially the younger generation. We believe that our cultural spaces should do more than just evoke nostalgia in bringing us together. They are beloved traditional spaces that must better realise their potential in showcasing our festival and our culture – locally and across the world.”

As for Carnival 2021, a major part of the NCC’s plan involves outreach initiatives to promote it.

“Over the past three years, the NCC has embarked on Carnival activations, around the Caribbean, and in the US and the UK. At these activations, we form new connections with our sister organisations in these markets as we come up with ways that we can cross-promote our industries and our festivals. As we reconnect with the Caribbean diaspora, we were able to heighten interest in TT and Carnival.”

Along with this, as the NCC is partnering with the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC), people will be given the option to park their cars at bus stations and get transport to Port of Spain for Carnival festivities. The pickup points are in the east, central and south Trinidad.

Peters said this will have a twofold effect, since it eases traffic on the road for Carnival and helps reduce fuel consumption.

As for e-tickets and online ticket sales, from next year, people will be able to buy their tickets from anywhere in the world.

The NCC currently has 57 regional carnivals run individually, and hopes to make them stronger.

Peters said, “They will now operate in clusters, giving them greater control, transparency, and accountability, working as close-knit groups, and more strength through unity in the face of adverse challenge – which is something we all faced during the pandemic. In bringing them together, we hope to make them stronger.

“In assuming responsibility for mas registration for Carnival 2023, we are also issuing a call to all bands to work with us as we fine-tune the processes in present mas on the streets and on the stage,” he added.

The one-stop shop will be open from January 16 as a centralised space for mas and J’Ouvert bandleaders to find assistance to get ready for Carnival.

Peters said the NCC is taking the health and safety of everyone seriously, so it will be held to the highest required health and safety standards. He added that with the fight against crime, collective security will take a group effort. He said more on this will be shared in the weeks to come.