Shastri Boodan
The National Carnival Commission (NCC) is hindering the fundraising process of the Couva Carnival Committee (CCC).
This is according to the CCC Chairman, Ramchand Rajbal Maraj, said when the CCC approaches business organisations of the Point Lisas Industrial Estate for sponsorship and they demand a letter of affiliation with the NCC before agreeing to fund. Rajbal Maraj spoke with Guardian Media on Sunday following the 2023 prize giving ceremony at the auditorium of the Couva Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce Complex at Camden Road.
Rajbal Maraj said, “Clarence Moe, the CEO of the Regional Carnival Commission of NCC did apologise for not responding to request for a letter of affiliation. Moe promised to make amends. However, the window for sponsorship is closing. That letter is needed urgently in order to send out requests for 2024 celebrations."
He added, "This year we were given $250,000 by the NCC and we could only give out $140,000 in prize monies. We had to spend $60,000 on the stage. That same stage cost us $29,000 in 2020, with increases in the price of materials, the cost of production had doubled for 2023. Had we gotten that letter earlier, band leaders and masqueraders would have befitted from a better prize structure.”
Rajbal said attempts have been made in the past to have fundraisers but the overhead costs of police, fire service, the Environmental Management Agency and other safety personnel are too much. He said, “We barely make any profit because the cost of police and the fire service can cross over $30,000. This cost had killed many community events such as bazaars that we saw in every village in the years gone by."
Results
Band of the Year - Central Elire
King of the Bands - Mahindra Hardeosingh, who portrayed Free at Last, also won similar titles in Chaguanas and Carapichaima.
Queen of the Bands - Kim Crawford - portraying A black Monarch butterfly
The J'ouvert Band of the Year - Anton Le Gendre and Lolita Mohan of Lolita’s Bar.
The 2023 Miss Central Trinidad Carnival Queen - Aliyah Willams