Otto Carrington
The Taste of Carnival has not started but already there is a taste of controversy, as unvaccinated calypsonians are demanding a place at events.
This comes after months of discussions and plans by the Trinibago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) with the National Carnival Commission (NCC) and other carnival stakeholders.
The call by the unvaccinated calypsonians is in direct contravention of the Government Safe Zone policy.
Acting TUCO President Ainsley King told Guardian Media that there are members of his organisation who are challenging the decisions for only vaccinated members to take part in the events for this year’s 2022 Taste of Carnival.
He added that unvaccinated members want TUCO to submit an amnesty for them to perform despite not being vaccinated.
“For anybody to come now to ask to put something in place to give amnesty or to ease the rules it will make the organisation, looks funny and I told them that it was a difficult position for me to sign and agree to the document going forward because, after all the consultation, the experiences and the reality and all the laws that have been enforced, I don’t think it would be sensible for anybody to give the unvaccinated people to be given a chance to participate,” King added.
“I am being faced with serious arguments as they are trying to prove that the unvaccinated are able to perform in other countries but that does not change the reality of Trinidad and Tobago position and it does not change the reality as to what the safe zone represents.”
He continued, “We cannot give in to their requests.