CARNIVAL STAKEHOLDERS ARE CRITICIZING
ANOTHER DELAY IN THE PAYMENT OF OUTSTANDING PRIZE MONIES, WITH PAN TRINBAGO AND THE TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO CARNIVAL BANDS ASSOCIATION CALLING ON, CULTURE MINISTER MICHELLE BENJAMIN, TO HONOUR HER COMMITMENT.

THE MINISTRY HAD ANNOUNCED THAT OUTSTANDING PAYMENTS WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED ON WEDNESDAY, WITH PAN TRINBAGO AND THE TTCBA SET TO RECEIVE FOUR CHEQUES TOTALING MORE THAN 24 MILLION DOLLARS.

HOWEVER, THE PLANNED CHEQUE DISTRIBUTION DID NOT TAKE PLACE.

STAKEHOLDERS SAY, THEY ARRIVED EXPECTING TO RECEIVE THE MONEY, BUT WERE INSTEAD TOLD TO RETURN NEXT WEEK.

THE MINISTRY HAD PREVIOUSLY CONFIRMED THAT FOUR CHEQUES TOTALLING 24 MILLION, 291 THOUSAND, 734 DOLLARS AND NINE CENTS WERE TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO PAN TRINBAGO AND THE TTCBA.

THE PAYMENTS COVER OUTSTANDING NATIONAL PANORAMA 2026 PRIZE MONIES AND APPEARANCE FEES FOR PAN TRINBAGO, AS WELL AS SENIOR PRIZE ALLOCATIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATIONAL EXPENSES FOR THE TTCBA.

PAN TRINBAGO PRESIDENT BEVERLY RAMSEY-MOORE SAYS, SHE IS FED UP AND ALARMED BY WHAT SHE DESCRIBES AS A LACK OF RESPECT FOR THE CULTURAL COMMUNITY, SAYING STAKEHOLDERS HAVE BEEN WAITING TOO LONG.

MRS. RAMSEY-MOORE SAYS, THE REPEATED DELAYS ARE UNACCEPTABLE, AND SHE QUESTIONS WHY THE PAYMENTS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED WITHOUT A CEREMONY.

SHE ALSO CRITICISED THE HANDLING OF THE PAYMENT PROCESS, DESCRIBING THE SITUATION AS UNFORTUNATE.

TTCBA PRESIDENT MARK AYEN, HAS ALSO EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH THE DELAYS, SAYING THE PRIORITY SHOULD BE GETTING THE MONEY OWED TO CARNIVAL STAKEHOLDERS INTO THEIR HANDS.

THE TWO STAKEHOLDER BODIES WERE SPEAKING AT, A JOINT MEDIA CONFERENCE ON WEDNESDAY.