Morris calls for audit into Tobago's first October carnival

THA Minority Leader Kelvon Morris said he has written to the Auditor General calling for an audit into Tobago’s inaugural October carnival and all festivals held within the remit of the THA Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation since January 1, 2022.

At a news conference on Thursday at the PNM Tobago’s headquarters in Scarborough, Morris raised concerns about money spent to host the island’s first carnival in 2022.

Noting the carnival was initially estimated at $17 million and later, he recalled an official from the Tourism Division of the THA as saying that about $12.5 million was actually spent.

Morris said a media report later quoted a THA official as saying $9.2 million was spent and that money was split between the Tobago Festivals Commission and the Tobago Tourism Agency Ltd (TTAL).

He said the PNM subsequently filed a question in the assembly and received detailed, itemised listings of all of the suppliers of services who were paid.

Morris said according to the PNM’s calculations, the TTAL got around $2.155 million while the Tobago Festivals Commission received $4.8 million.

“That was a total of $6.8 million. So if you do the arithmetic, that is a difference of over $2.4 million. The question I want to ask therefore is, ‘where the money gone?’

“And in asking where the money gone, because I don’t trust these people to be honest with the people of Tobago, I’ve taken it a step further.

“I have penned a letter to the Auditor General requesting of the auditor general an audit into not just the Tobago carnival but into all festivals hosted by the Division of Tourism, Transport and Antiquities and its related agencies for the period January 1, 2022 to present,” Morris said.

The Darrel Spring/Whim assemblyman complained about outstanding monies owed to the artistes who performed in last year’s Tobago Heritage Festival.

He said, “I want to know what is the status of payments to participants in the Heritage Festival of 2023? So imagine, 2023 has gone, we are in 2024 and there are persons who would have performed, persons who would have supplied services, persons who would have sacrificed their day and night and up to this time, as we speak, it is my information that these persons have not been paid.”

Describing the situation as “wicked, vindictive and heartless,” Morris called on the THA to “pay the people their money.”