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Speaker:The Honourable Basdeo Panday, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Date: March 19, 2000
Occasion: Remarks at the Arouca Carnival Development Committee, Carnival 2000 Prize Distribution at Kantac Plaza, Arouca, Trinidad.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
My Dear Friends:
My wife Oma and I are happy to be here with you today.
We are both Carnival aficionados.
Oma plays �Mas with Poison.�
I prefer to play �Spectator.�
I looked on from the Grand Stand on Carnival Tuesday.
I also walked along the track, made a spin around Memorial Park, and walked down Frederick Street.
I thoroughly enjoyed it all.
I also enjoyed spending time on the track when the Steelbands went to the "Big Yard" for the Panorama Finals.
Oma and I have a special feeling for rural Carnival.
I had a great time with the children who played Mas a Penal Junction this year.
This carnival Monday, I did what I always do on Carnival Monday.
I went to take in Mas at Carapichaima.
Carapichaima is custodian to a number of unique Carnival traditions.
That makes for a different carnival experience at Carapichaima.
Now, Arouca is establishing its own carnival tradition.
You are moving from strength to strength, every year.
2000 is a bumper year for Carnival in Arouca.
From the reports coming to me, Arouca is showing every sign of becoming the biggest Carnival on the island; after Port-of-Spain and San Fernando.
The growth of Arouca Carnival is worth looking at as a model for the on-going development of rural Carnival.
I am committed to the development of rural Carnival.
I see it as an excellent way of fostering a spirit of togetherness among the people of our rural communities.
The rural Carnival, the District Carnival are people�s projects.
The Government does not run them.
It is not necessary for the Government to run any aspect of Carnival.
The people are quite capable of doing their own thing in Carnival.
They do it very well.
The Government�s role is to facilitate, to assist, to provide support, not to run Carnival.
This is why we have turned over the management and control of Carnival to the National Carnival Bands Association, to TUCO, and to Pan Trinbago.
Though it was, in fact, a revolutionary development, you have not heard much about it, have you?
As far back as most of us can remember, the central Carnival events were all Government projects.
The calypso Monarch Competition, the Parade of bands, the Competition for the King and Queen of Carnival, Junior Carnival, all were under Government direction and control up to 1997.
That�s when I decided on the full empowerment of the creators and producers in the Carnival artforms.
Now, the Steelband movement has total responsibility for Panorama.
Now, the Calypsonians have complete control of all aspects of the National Monarch Competition.
Now, the Carnival Designers and Band Leaders are responsible for the Parade of Bands and all costume events.
Since becoming Prime Minister, I have used the power of my office to empower the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
That is because of my unwavering belief in the ability of the people of this country.
Jack Warner and I have this in common.
We believe in the ability of the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
That is what the Arouca Carnival is all about.
You have made Arouca Carnival a major happening.
I want to congratulate everyone who has been involved.
This event has created together ness in the community.
The Arouca Carnival has also created the opportunity for a large number of people to earn some money during the carnival season.
It has created jobs for a number of people.
Those jobs might not have been long-term jobs, but they brought useful income for people "da money" as Max Senhouse used to say.
The Arouca Carnival provides new openings for our calypsonians, Soca Stars, Deejays, Designers, Seamstresses, Craft Producers, Food Vendors, and for our Pan Talent.
All of this generates the kind of economic activity that can bring benefit to a great number of people in the community.
It also gives us another valuable attraction in the country�s overall tourism thrust.
That�s Internal Tourism as well as International Tourism.
There�s no reason why all the talent that was on display, and all the enterprise that came into play in the Arouca Carnival should be mobilised all year round.
The Centre of Excellence will be a major catalyst to Internal and International Tourism.
It will provide on-going activity, and many opportunities, for the go-getters of Arouca and near by communities.
Credit Jack Warner again.
He believes in his people, he believes in his country.
There is no question that the Centre of Excellence is going to make this part of Trinidad and Tobago a centre of year round activity.
Because of the Centre of Excellence, many of you will have continuing opportunity to get something going that will earn you some extra cash on a regular basis.
I urge you to be prepared so that you will be able to seize those opportunities.
I challenge the Arouca Cultural Development Community to mobolise the Community in a planned, on-going programme to make Arouca the place to be for all seasons, not just for the Carnival season.
My friends:
As I speak about the opportunities that Jack Warner is bringing to the people of Arouca, let me share something with you.
I don�t know how many of you have read Mr. Warner�s life story in the book "Upwards in the Night".
The title of Jack Warner�s biography is take from a statement with which you are familiar.
"The heights that great men reach and kept were not attained by a sudden flight.
"They, while their companions slept, were toiling upwards through the night".
Do you not agree that that passage certainly applies to Jack Warner?
I wonder if, like me, you sometimes wonder, if Mr Warner ever makes time to sleep.
Apart from giving the appearance of being all over the world in any given week, Jack seems to spend 24 hours a day thinking up new ways to promote Trinidad and Tobago Football, and to improve things in this community.
In this context, Jack has been tackling me, repeatedly, for a First Class Market in Arouca.
As might have been expected, Mr Warner already has a detailed plan for the Arouca Market.
As you know, Arouca is to get a new Police Station in a different location.
In Jack�s plan, the present Arouca Police Station is the designated site for the new Arouca Market.
It can be envisaged that in addition to the regular offerings and conveniences expected in a modern market, an Arouca market could include a section for handicraft workers, as well as an eating area for traditional creole cuisine.
I see Jack�s suggestion for an Arouca market as an excellent recommendation.
I admit that I am persuaded that Cabinet should examine the recommendation for the construction for a regional market in Arouca, very shortly.
I am certain that jack will hold me to my words on this.
So you can expect to hear more about this.
My Dear Friends:
Let us proceed now with our celebration of the achievements of the winners in this year�s Arouca Carnival.
I congratulate all the winners of Arouca Carnival 2000.
I congratulate all who took part, all who contributed in one way or another to the success of the celebrations.
I congratulate the organisers, the masqueraders, the talent, and the sponsors.
I thank the Police and others who helped to keep the peace and who looked after the safety of everyone involved in the celebrations.
The members of the Arouca Cultural Development Committee are deserving of a special tribute.
I gladly offer that tribute.
I congratulate Arouca for keeping its Carnival clean, and for making Carnival 2000 a festival of harmony.
I salute Jack Warner for his many wondrous gifts to this community and to our country, and for his untiring efforts to make Trinidad and Tobago a winner among the nations of the world.
Thank you all very much.
God bless you all.