7 Ways Carnival Affects Everyone
Posted on January 28, 2022
As we await the staging of the next major Carnival, this article is a reminder that when that day comes, we all can rejoice. We, meaning every single resident of Trinidad and Tobago and not just ‘party lovers’ looking to ease their ‘tabanca’.
A brief background
The talk of Carnival has been making headlines lately after the government’s announcement that Trinidad and Tobago “Carnival is on”.
Upon reading to see what exactly is on, the government stated that there will be events, but no parties. According to the Trinidad Express, “Events will take the form of concert-type shows such as soca and calypso concerts; calypso tents; soca, calypso, extempo and chutney competitions; steelband concerts; Carnival King and Queen shows; and Carnival theatre.”
These seated only events were allowed during the first part of 2021 so for some, this was not a taste but an insult.
The Trinidad and Tobago Promoters’ Association (TTPA) has also been clamouring for the reopening of the event sector. Numerous plans were presented by the TTPA to the government and this eventually lead to a recent press conference and a subsequent a press release stating clearly that Carnival is NOT on.
Since the start of the pandemic, event planners have been innovating and challenging the status quo. Personally, I was part of the EEEmpire event team executing events such as Barbahol to Go (A virtual event and delivery service), Sunalia Weekend (Pop-Up Retail, Beach, Brunch and Cinema) and Sekon Sunday (A ‘LIVE’ concert).
To some, it may seem as though these innovations and attempts at reopening the sector were only opportunities to ‘make money’ for the people displaced by the pandemic; but allow me to shed light on how this affects everyone.
Here is how Carnival affects you – even if you never went a fete in your life
1. Allowing an industry to be closed after it took decades to develop is NOT healthy for our entire economy
Imagine the transport industry locally being developed incrementally over years, with many investing in Maxi Taxis over many years. One day, all the Maxi Taxis are forbidden from being driven and thousands of drivers and passengers are displaced. Yes, many can car pool, buy a car or even take the bus however the economic effect the entire industry will not only be felt by passengers but employers, gas stations, and many others. Yes some taxis will get more passengers and some will actually make more money, however with a strain on the entire transport industry prices will inevitably be increased. Eventually we can pivot and have a rapid rail system which will replace the Maxi Taxis however it will be unable to service some rural villages the same way and it will take several years to get this up and running.
Similarly, yes event planners can pivot however it will take several years and millions of dollars for their ‘pivots’ to have a similar effect as their businesses previously. Although we may not see it, we will still be affected when there are less contributors to our gross domestic product.
The failure of industries and firms will inflict long-term irreversible damage on economies and populations, especially the vulnerable and the Carnival industry is no exception.
2. How the ECONOMY works is that all of the other investments will not do well BECAUSE one industry is closed
Some may argue that there is a long list of other things the government can invest in. Using the example above, an investment in education will help any economy, especially in the long term. However, the effects of this investment will be much less as many individuals may not be able to get to school.
Consider the impact of ArcelorMittal on the economic development of Trinidad and Tobago when they closed. When ArcelorMittal entered our market as a foreign direct investor, it was hailed as much needed diversification to our oil and gas dependent economy. When this company closed, it adversely affected our GDP and many state owned bodies such as T&TEC, WASA and NGC. The export earnings that we lost were on average US $146.3 million, according to a 2020 report by the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago. ArcelorMittal was previously the largest earner of foreign exchange outside of the energy sector. Comparatively, Carnival earnings exceed US $100 million according to a 2014 report by the association of Caribbean States. Understanding the socioeconomic spillover of losing over 100M in foreign exchange was detailed in this report.
To make this a bit simpler to understand; although Carnival and entertainment related income is a minority earner locally, it still contributes to our overall income. Similar to an SBA (school based assessment) project which contributes to your final mark, it will be foolhardy to miss out on handing in your SBA and entering the exam room already having lost marks. Especially when most have found ways to open their entertainment sectors it will be especially embarrassing that our crown jewel, our ‘greatest show on earth’ has been paused. This ‘most’ includes other small Caribbean Islands such as St Lucia and Grenada.
3. Carnival has the potential, in the future, to do for us what oil has done for us in the past
In 2016 Reuters published an article entitled “Recession clouds dampen Carnival spirit in oil-reliant Trinidad.” Here it was noted that developing the manufacturing, agriculture and tourism sectors are of “urgent priority” to diversify our economy and offset “uncertainties facing our energy sector.”
Oil and gas have been the cornerstone of our economy but it is clear the global economy is shifting away from a dependence on oil and gas and we need a new cornerstone. Carnival directly stimulates the manufacturing, agriculture and toursim sectors of our economy, injecting necessary foreign exchange for these industries to build business throughout the year.
Especially with COVID 19 sucking the government’s money, we require economic activity to secure a better life ten years from now. Ignoring an industry that is in rapid growth is the same as Blackberry Messenger ignoring WhatsApp Messenger until it was too late. Blackberry Messenger became available for other smartphone users in 2013 but it was too late.
4. We have the potential to create indigenous country specific products if our Carnival remains the premier Carnival in the world
Consider Champagne. Champagne is sparkling wine made in a specific area in France called Champagne. Due to us, the members of the public, associating the best sparkling wine with the brand Champagne, any sparkling wine branded Champagne fetches a higher cost. Within pop culture, no one has ever said pass me the bottles of sparkling wine, however, there are many many songs asking for more and more Champagne.
Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, through asserting and maintaining its position as the greatest show on earth, allows us locally to create brands that can have a similar effect. What makes this amazing, is that to capitalise on a strong Carnival brand, we merely need to say where we are from to reap these rewards.
Several million dollar businesses and brands can be created and sold utilizing names and brands unique to our Carnival landscape. Let us not wait for someone else to call their rum Jouvert for us to start to using our culture to create brands. The best part of this is, when creating a brand, one does not need to participate in or be a part of Carnival in anyway. Simply manufacture a product using a word or phrase popularized by Carnival.
Missing the opportunity to facilitate the development of the above, robs us of the opportunities to make us as a people more marketable and secure jobs just because we are from the land of Carnival.
5. Carnival is a Catalyst for Creativity
As a people, Carnival spearheads the development of a Creative Economy within Trinidad and Tobago that can rival any in the world. As a practitioner within this industry, every year I see the cash injection many creatives receive and how it influences their quality of work and ability to purchase equipment. A catalyst does not make something new happen, however, it increases the rate of what is already going to happen. Yes, it IS possible to purchase equipment without this cash injection, however, the entire creative sector getting a boost helps everyone because of economies of scale.
Without the influx of jobs, creatives either take more work and as a result have a harder time maintaining quality and timelines, or their prices may increase.
Carnival NFT’s can make millions in the future for us. NFT’s are Non-fungible tokens that turn digital assets into one of a kind assets in the digital world that can be bought and sold like any other piece of property. These can be pictures, videos or graphic works. Carnival serves an unlimited supply of these and thus a potentially unlimited supply of NFT’s.
6. Carnival is a Catalyst for Tourism & Retail
With the influx of over $100 million in foreign exchange every Carnival season, our economy will thrive on increased levels of commerce. Remarkably, this money is handled by many smaller businesses as opposed to one large conglomerate as in our example (ArcelorMittal) mentioned above. Compounding this, residents of Trinidad and Tobago will also pay via USD to access tickets and other items via online banking, increasing the overall circulation of foreign exchange.
Commerce on a whole is increased during Carnival time, with more tourists shopping and more locals driven to purchase things quickly due to the urgency attached to the season. What happens when this goes away? Well here is a breakdown:
Less shopping = less stores = less bulk purchases = suppliers dictate prices = you pay more.
7. Too much talk about Carnival when the words being used should be ‘Real Life Events for more than 10 people”
Let us step aside from this Carnival narrative. According to the current public health regulations it is still illegal to gather in groups of more than 10 people.
While the entertainment industry does suffer, every single industry has their own form of events. As such, all industries are suffering even if they may not realise this. Take for example the benefits of food festivals, large scale catering and other large events on agriculture and food production locally. For athletes, what is the negative fall out of being unable to host or attend fund raisers? I am certain this can be done virtually however it may be with less effectiveness.
Many retail brands that we consume use events as a key medium to promote their items. Even the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago will be unable to have their events and as such young lawyers have a much harder time networking and creating their own space and income.
The list goes on, so although the conversation has been about Carnival the conversation should be about everyone, including you. Us not having events with more than 10 people is having an adverse affect on our gross domestic product, economy and moral as a people.
Put simply – The prices that go up when YOU go to the grocery happen in part because there is no Carnival.
Ps. This video below was Miami Carnival in 2021. I attended during the height of the pandemic and returned home safely.
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