Thursday, October 11 2012

MINISTER of Arts and Multiculturalism Dr Lincoln Douglas yesterday said the long-awaited Pan Trinbago headquarters will be completed “within the year.”

“Within the year we are going to complete the Pan Trinbago headquarters,” Douglas said. “We have gotten assurances from Udecott that this is going to happen.” An estimated cost was not given.

Speaking during the Budget debate, the Minister said the ministry spent $2.6 million to support non-sponsored steel-band groups in the last year and $1.4 million for other “cultural groups”. He said the ministry will launch a cultural policy on October 29 and 31.

He said a wide range of organisations had been consulted on the new policy which will be released for comment. These organisations included the NCC, TUCO, Naparima Bowl, Carib community, Maha Sabha, the Emancipation Support Committee. Even diplomats were consulted, he said, including from India, Colombia and Latin America.

He called for a study of Carnival to ensure that its lessons can be exported to other nations where armed-conflict is rampant. He said the ministry has received requests from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Latin American nations like Colombia in this regard. There have been “cultural exchanges” with Cuba, China, Guatemala and India.