Endeavour Magazine speaks to Michael Guyadeen, CEO of the National Carnival Commission of Trinidad and Tobago about the pivotal role his organisation plays within the local community and what the future holds.

WRITTEN BY AMY TOCKNELL

GETTING THE PARTY STARTED

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Celebrated ahead of the commencement of the Lenten season, carnival is a time for celebration, relaxing and pure, unadulterated enjoyment, but within appropriate safety

and organisational constraints. This is no mean feat, but the implementation of an experienced and culturally sympathetic board of experts has made carnival planning a far smoother process. With festivities planning for 2015 in full swing, a recent world health concern has added an extra level of intricacy to proceedings.

The National Security Minister has reassured carnival industry stakeholders that Trinidad and Tobago has been classified as a ‘low risk environment’ for Ebola infection. Inspected by both the World Health Organisation and Pan American Health Organisation, this rating has been welcomed by carnival organisers and offered a level of much-needed reassurance to both stakeholders and potential revelers. In accordance with stringent operational policies, the NCC will be staying abreast of any and all new developments, while continuing to plan for the 2015 celebrations.

The impressive levels of health responsibility being adopted by the NCC are just one factor that makes the organisation so adept at planning a nationwide celebration. It is hardly surprising that any arising issues are dealt with quickly and with the utmost efficiency, considering that the objectives of the Commission are listed as follows;

“To make Carnival a viable, national, cultural and commercial enterprise, to provide the necessary managerial and organisational infrastructure for the efficient and effective presentation and marketing of the cultural products of Carnival. And finally, to establish arrangements for ongoing research, the preservation and permanent display of the annual accumulation of Carnival products created each year by the craftsmen, musicians, composers and designers of Carnival.”

This is no small-scale operation and to turn an annual celebration into a commercially profitable endeavor, while still

remaining respectful of the artisans involved, requires a skilled and experienced guiding hand. With this in mind, a 50-strong team has been put into place.

Lead by Michael Guyadeen, in his role as CEO, the NCC is bolstered by a contingent of 49 high-level administrative and technical support staff, each with a designated area of specialty that ensures full compliance with the inordinately high standards set in place by the management board. Guyadeen elaborated on the need for a multi-tiered team of experts;

“The management of Carnival requires multi-pronged actions and diverse strategies to react to changing situations. Generally, functions are grouped and allocated to committees of culture aficionados, who volunteer their skills and expertise annually, to ensure that infrastructure, goods and services are provided effectively and efficiently.”

It seems incredible to believe that an event that has carved itself a reputation for being so spectacular is in part organised and managed by volunteers. By removing financial gain, many organisations report a drop in efficiency and standards, but if anything, the opposite can be said for the NCC. Having taken the time to identify and allocate various administrative tasks to designated committees, no aspect of carnival planning is overlooked or under-planned. Committees are in place for tenders, finance, regional liaison, services, bands, accreditation, hospitality and Dimanche Gras but this list is not exhaustive and should any new issues arise, such as the recent Ebola crisis, a team is quickly put into place to take ownership and assume responsibility for its resolution.

Talking about the committees, Guyadeen comments, “Over the years, these committees have traditionally assisted the Commission, as a whole, to oversee construction of all temporary stands, stages, vendor’s booths, Health and Emergency Services, crowd control, signage, house management, band control and the ongoing review

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To understand just how crucial the National Carnival Commission (NCC) of Trinidad and Tobago is, it is vital to embrace an inherent comprehension of just what the annual carnival means to the local population.

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of competition rules and training or retraining of Carnival judges.”It is this attention to every small detail that makes the carnival

such a resounding success every year, without fail. No task is overlooked, as no one person is responsible for more than they can handle. Impressive stuff when you remember that this is a nationwide event, held every year, in response to the expectations of all residents of Trinidad and Tobago.

Of course, the nature of a large-scale celebration can make it difficult to see past the fun and frivolity to the endless hours of formal planning and legislation adherence that is necessary to secure a safe and fun time being had by all. This is where the NCC really shines. Speaking about the specific functions of the NCC, Guyadeen is comprehensive;

“We are responsible for the regulation, co-ordination and conduct of all Carnival activities, throughout the country, held under the aegis of the Government. In addition, we oversee the development, maintenance and review of rules, regulations and carnival festivities as well as the identification, evaluation and promotion of all Carnival related industries with a view to the enhancing and marketing of their cultural products and services. Finally, we manage the development and implementation of a marketing strategy for Carnival with a view to optimising the revenue earning potential of the festival and its contribution to the national economy.”

That final point is of the utmost importance to the NCC and all of its employees and board members. Of course a national celebration, whereby everyone comes together to rejoice in shared tastes, beliefs and successes is vital for the continued cohesion of the population, but driving a revenue stream is vital. With this in mind, the NCC pays particular attention to the earning potential of the carnival by considering particular points, including any unexplored fiscal potential, marketing carnival products both domestically and internationally, private sector funding and forming an intrinsic connection between the carnival and the existing tourist industry.

And this is where things get even more interesting. Carnival is not just for locals. Whereas many other traditional, international celebrations are considered to be only for residents of the area, carnival is for everyone and by forging a link with the tourist trade already in operation in Trinidad and Tobago, increasingly larger numbers of participants are guaranteed. This will, in turn, lead to an organic need to increase the size and improve the experience of the carnival every year, something that the NCC is well equipped to handle.

Looking to the future, the Carnival Institute of Trinidad and Tobago first reflects on the past;

“Carnival is a vital part of the shared heritage of Trinidad and Tobago. It reflects and predicts how the society sees itself and wishes to be perceived. In this post-colonial period of our history,

matters of identity loom increasingly large on the national agenda and culture is at the heart of this enquiry.”

A very specific division of the NCC, the Carnival Institute seeks to collate and maintain culturally significant data that can answer questions regarding the cultural richness of the local area, in addition to,

“Retrieving, preserving and disseminating the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival so that its enormous potential for education, economic growth and social cohesion can be realised. We also seek to build the country’s material cultural resource base, with specific interest in design, music making and literature, marketing, promotion and theatrical presentations.”

In order to realise these ambitions, the NCC has implemented a strategic plan, designed to shape its activities through to 2017. Guyadeen recounts the Commissions vision as being, “To be the global leader of carnival with consistent growth, satisfying all stakeholders with quality products and services that exceed all expectations.” Supporting the vision of the organisation is the culturally aware mission statement, which states that the NCC will “preserve the traditional heritage of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival whilst ensuring its sustainable development as a viable industry”.

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With these ideals in mind, one thing is certain; the carnival will never become a diminutive occasion. In order to support, document and add to the rich cultural heritage of Trinidad and Tobago and to be a viable source of income for the region, the carnival will need to not only move with the times but also increase in size regularly. To accommodate the increasing tourist traffic that will surely travel to witness the large-scale celebration, entertainment will need to be increasingly lavish and spectacular, but with a designated committee in place to oversee such aspects, there can be little doubt that the carnival will soon be on the bucket list of keen travellers and revelers everywhere.

Visiting the website of the National Carnival Commission of Trinidad and Tobago, it becomes evident just how important the event is for the socio-economic vitality of the region and how widely anticipated it is. With a ‘carnival countdown’ proudly displayed on each page, documenting how long there is to wait until the next celebration, the Commission is far from being merely fiscally motivated and adopts a pro-active approach to pleasing the local population and increasing the appeal of Trinidad and Tobago to a wider audience. With the future looking bright for the evolution of the carnival, we just hope that we get an invitation to the party.