With six weeks to go before the third instalment of Tobago Carnival on October 25-27, stakeholders are insisting Tobago remains a safe place despite an increase in murders and gun crimes.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Tobago Collis Hazel said yesterday that despite an uptick in murders on the sister island this year, other serious crimes in Tobago remain down.
“So let me say to you and those persons at this point in time who are still trying to make up their mind—Tobago is safe. Tobago is a safe place, yes, we have had some challenges with our shootings and woundings resulting in murders; however, the majority of our serious crimes are still down and, therefore, I want to give the public the assurance that we have been looking at some of the persons responsible for some of these offences, and a plan is being instituted in order to treat with that,” Hazel said during a media conference at the Shaw Park Complex, Scarborough.
Meanwhile, talks continue with the Port Authority and Caribbean Airlines towards additional flights and seabridge sailings.
This from Assistant Secretary, Tourism, Niall George, who also spoke at the media conference.
“Conversations with the airline have never stopped; we were able to get additional sailings from the Port Authority, as well as additional flights; those are almost booked out. As far as I know, conversations continue to be had for additional flights because outside of Carnival, we have been trying to get additional flights on the airbridge because people have been suffering at the airports for quite some time. Since Covid, the airport has never reopened to its past capacity and conversations have been had continuously,” George said.
More bands this year
As for the number of bands participating, interim head of the Tobago October Carnival Association Dexter Sandy said there has been an increase in the registration of bands.
“One thing that we must highlight this year is definitely we have seen an increase in the number of bands registered to participate in the Carnival activities. This is a trend in the right direction, we are seeing in excess of 30 bands being registered for Jouvert, in excess of ten for night mas and just over 21 for the contemporary mas and traditional mas that takes place on the Sunday,” Sandy said.
Managing director of the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) Hayden Romano and Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) director Allan Stewart were also at the media conference and pledged support in the staging of the event.
This year the Carnival will remain centred in Scarborough according to chief executive of the Tobago Festivals Commission Ltd Kern Cowan with a well-coordinated circuit.
“Expect higher involvement, better coordinated route because the route is going to be like a circuit and is going to be a continuous safe Carnival going forward, so we want to focus on that primarily. One of the things being unique to this Carnival would be our staging at the Market Square that we hope to be a very focal point then the entire Wilson Road seaside esplanade area to be one of the main viewing points that we want to encourage as many visitors to be a part of,” Cowan said.