HAZARDOUS CHEMS TO BE OUT CARNIVAL SUPPLY CHAIN

There was a focus on Carnival and the environment during a Parliamentary committee hearing on Wednesday.  Juhel Browne reports.

Transcript

00:00While Trinidad and Tobago is under state of emergency targeting criminal gangs

00:04and illegal guns and ammunition, there is no curfew or restrictions on public

00:09gatherings which has given the green light for the 2025 Carnival Fete season.

00:15However, another aspect of Trinidad and Tobago's major tourism revenue earner

00:19was examined during the Public Administration and Appropriation

00:23Committee's public hearing on Wednesday. That matter was raised by Jewel

00:27Bachasinghe, the Director of the Planning Ministry's Regional Center for the

00:31Basel Convention.

00:33Example under Goal 11, making cities and human settlements inclusive,

00:37under 11.4, to strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world's

00:42cultural and natural heritage, we have been able to secure, and I can say with

00:46conviction now because it has been approved, the elimination of hazardous

00:50chemicals from supply chains in the carnival industry in Trinidad and Tobago.

00:53It's a very new project.

00:56The carnival season begins with the Fetes at various locations across Trinidad and Tobago,

01:01including steel band competitions, the Carnival Mask Kings and Queens

01:06competition, the Dimash Grah Juvé, and ends with the parade of the bands on

01:11Carnival Monday and Tuesday.

01:13And we are actually going to look at the impact of the

01:16carnival industry in Trinidad and Tobago and its impact on waste management

01:20because most of what is generated goes to the landfill. Some of it is actually

01:24unaccounted for.

01:25Other state entities represented at the committee's hearing included the EMA,

01:30SWEMCOL, and the Ministries of Health, Public Utilities, and Local Government.

01:34Jule Brown, TV6 News.