Division of Culture clarifies 'misinformation' in CAL media release

THE THA Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation has clarified some of the statements made in a Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL) release on October 25 titled" Caribbean Airlines the Official Airline of Tobago Carnival 2023."

In a statement, the division said Tobago carnival, an annual event in its second year, is referred to as Tobago October carnival in official releases.

“This is to differentiate it from the national carnival celebrations that are held in either February or March of each year in which Tobago participates,” it said, adding there is no entity known as the Tobago Carnival Commission.

The division said it is the entity responsible for the planning and execution of the 2023 Tobago October Carnival through three of its special purpose companies: Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd; Tobago Festivals Commission Ltd; and the Tobago Performing Arts Company.

In its release, the division said CAL listed “Soca Monarch, RoxGlo, Pan & Powder and the Parade of the Bands” as being sponsored events.

“It was quickly brought to the attention of CAL that there is no soca monarch event for the Tobago October carnival but a Tobago soca titans competition.

“Additionally, it was highlighted that the Pan Trinbago event for the Tobago October Carnival is titled Rhythm, Steel & Powder and the reference to participants in this event as competitors was also erroneous."

CAL, the division said, was also told referring to the period of Tobago carnival as October 23-29 was “misleading to the general public as this period only encompasses the culminating week and not the entire month of events associated with the Tobago October carnival."

The division said as a responsible entity, it conveyed to CAL’s marketing representative the need for the misinformation surrounding key details of the October carnival, to be urgently corrected through an immediate reissuing of the media release.

It added a list of the inconsistencies and corrected information was provided.

“Notwithstanding this, however, there has been no reissue of the media release." Hence, it said, the division had to "correct the misinformation that was placed in the public domain.”