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Minister of Culture and Community Development Michelle Bejamin says while it was unfortunate carnival stakeholders were paid late this year, their funding was not cut or reduced.

She says there are processes to follow when making payment and delays can occur, saying this year was not the first time.

Questioned over funding figures outlined in this year’s budget, the Ministry defended claims by the opposition that artistes were being starved and stakeholders were being paid less.

Reporter Cindy Raghubar-Teekersingh tells us more.

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Transcript
00:00Saturday's Standing Finance Committee began with a review of the Ministry of Culture and Community Development's $505.9 million allocation.
00:10Among issues raised was a line item showing a $5 million difference between 2026 and 2027 to the NCC.
00:1930 million, sorry. Now we're down to 25 million, a decrease for the NCC. So that means somewhere, somehow, someone
00:29is getting less, no matter how we dance and spin it.
00:32But the minister assures that Carnival is well-secured with NCC receiving an increase and none of the major stakeholders
00:39getting reduced allocations.
00:41Remember, when it comes to Tukor, they received $12.5 million. When it comes to Pan Trinbego, and I know
00:55it's a little more than this, we have $37.6 million.
00:59And when it comes to Mars, TTCBA, $14.3 million. So I know it is more than what is stated
01:09here. So forgive me, again, this is a budgeting exercise, but no one received a decrease.
01:15The Dago Martin West MP also questioned if there would be any guarantee that Carnival practitioners and performers would be
01:23paid on time next year.
01:25There is facilities to ensure that our Carnival stakeholders are paid, and those stakeholders sit currently on the NCC board,
01:33and they are well aware of the facilities that will be put in place with regards to receiving their payment.
01:39I'm not going to sit here and say it was not an unfortunate situation that they were paid late, but
01:45it happened in the past, and it was unfortunate that it happened this year.
01:49Earlier in the sitting, MP Stuart Young questioned an increase to promotions, publicity, and printing item, which has gone from
01:57$50,000 to a $3 million allocation, which Minister Benjamin explained, and was then asked.
02:04Unlike this, where Artis was starved for little subventions and begging, are you going to say under this head that
02:14Artis and cultural activists in Trinidad and Tobago can expect more assistance from the ministry in this fiscal?
02:25This is not the respective line item for that, and I would not have you say that Artis was starved.
02:31One thing I wear as a badge, we had more engagement with regards to Artis in this current Carnival that
02:38went, and we intend to increase.
02:40So when it comes to making statements just for songbites that Artis was starved, remember, whether you sit on that
02:47side and you say seriously, as a seasonal member of this house, I expect better from you.
02:53Cindy Raguba, Tika Singh, TV6 News.
03:01Cindy Raguba, Tika Singh, TV6 News.