The Chairman of the National Carnival Commission (NCC), Winston “Gypsy” Peters said he wanted the launch of Carnival 2019 to be truly representative of the real thing; and indeed it was with traditional Carnival Characters, Stick Fighters, a costume parade and performances by Soca artistes and Panorama champions.

The event kicked off opposite Memorial Park, at Upper Frederick Street in Port of Spain, at 4 o clock in the afternoon, followed by a short ceremonial parade to the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah, where a free concert was held, much to the appreciation of the hundreds of Carnival lovers gathered to witness the launch.

However, to the surprise of many, the NCC Chairman in his address said in a survey of the top Carnivals in the world, Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival was not in the top ten.
He said local surveys have also shown that Carnival visitors are on the decline, but Peters as well as NCC Acting CEO, Colin Lucas, are vowing to put TT Carnival back on top.

Lucas said “we can’t have other people taking our Carnival, making a parade, reducing it to a parade and then boasting they have the best Carnival in the world, them days done. And this is the board, and this is the management and this is the staff of the NCC that is going to make that transition”

Lucas promised that over the next few years Trinidad and Tobago will regain its place of prominence in the world of Carnival and things related thereto, stating that Carnival should, in fact, be a vehicle that could help in the reconstruction of the country’s financial well-being as a diversification tool.

Following the official launch, the event continued into the night with performances by calypsonians and soca artistes; Nadia Batson, Superblue, Olatunji, Explainer, Baron, Myron B and the All Stars Featuring Blaxx, among others.

There were also performances by the National Panorama Single Pan Band Champions.

Carnival 2019 takes place on March 4^th and 5^th.

By A. Felecia Valenzuela