[UPDATED] THA: NCC did nothing to help Tobago carnival

DR CHARLESTON THOMAS, technical adviser in the THA Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation, has categorically rejected criticism by National Carnival Commission (NCC) chairman Winston “Gypsy” Peters of the organisation of this year’s Tobago carnival.

During an interview in Scarborough on Sunday, Peters said the commission again had no part in organising the festival.

“The NCC did not really help with the production because nobody asked us to help,” he told reporters.

“We are the National Carnival Commission of the country of Trinidad and Tobago. But our input into Tobago carnival is very, very, very minute, really.”

Peters believes last year’s carnival was better organised.

But speaking to Newsday on Monday, Thomas said although Tobago carnival belongs to Trinidad and Tobago, “The responsible hands for executing the Tobago carnival is Tobago, not NCC and certainly not Gypsy.

“We are one country, and whatever happens in any island is a representation of the country. But you may have more immediate responsibilities, in this case the immediate responsibility for the Tobago carnival is Tobago’s.”

Thomas said Tobago sought assistance from the NCC for both carnivals, to no avail.

On this year’s festival, he said discussions took place between Peters, culture secretary Tashia Burris, NCC deputy chairman Davlin Thomas, another member and himself. The NCC, Thomas claimed, agreed to help with road management and getting large costumes across to Tobago.

“Mr Peters promised in the meeting to work with us and get those things done for us.

“None of them happened. He did not have the nerve, decency or the respect to respond.

“I was the one who kept reaching out to Davlin Thomas with respect to road management.”

He said the division met to discuss the Trinbago Unified Calypsonian Organisation show with its president Ainsley King.

Thomas said at that meeting he again asked the NCC deputy chairman about the road-management training.

“We had that meeting on a Wednesday, (Davlin) Thomas said he would get back to me by the Friday. That never happened.”

He said when he phoned Thomas on Friday, he learnt Peters was in Colombia and they were to have a board meeting when he returned the next week to decide on the road-management plan.

“I didn’t realise that they needed to have had a board meeting to make that determination, because when Peters said to us earlier that they will help, he did not say it was going to be on the basis of a board meeting.”

Thomas said under Burris’ directive, he reached out to Rosalind Gabriel, TT Carnival Bands Association vice-president, to get the costumes to Tobago.

“So NCC did not help us to bring the costumes across. They did not help with road management. Both requests were made by the secretary and both requests, according to Gypsy, were going to be followed up. According to him, NCC would help.

“But none of that happened.”

He said Burris spoke to Peters on Saturday about the NCC’s failure to assist with the festival.

“She told him how disappointed she was and how all of us were disappointed in NCC’s neglect of Tobago.”

Thomas said carnival is bigger than everybody.

“No island, no country, no music, has any claim to it.”

He added the division did what it could with the resources at its disposal.

“We have done what we do here best – plan, work hard, with or without help from outside – and as technical adviser in the division, I eh going and watch people’s hard work go to waste.”

Thomas said during the carnival, he specifically asked people how they felt about the event.

“I heard nobody complain. People raised concerns about certain things, and I took a listening ear.”

He believes no amount of preparation can make for a perfect festival.

“I have played mas in Trinidad all my life, and I have heard masqueraders complain in Trinidad all my life.

“So it means that no organising for carnival is perfect. So I am not understanding the context of Gypsy’s bereft statement.

“Woodbrook people complain every year. How is carnival planned around their complaints? Have they sorted that out?”

Thomas said he has also stood for five hours on the road for carnival.

“Is that a depiction of good organising? Well, if so, whatever obtains in Tobago is good organising too.”

He described carnival as a spirit.

“No organising template can work for carnival. It can work to frame your carnival. But you have to have an organising spirit that is in tune with the carnival spirit every year. Your organising has to be as malleable as the event.”