Culture · 2 min read · Published 29 Oct 2026
Minister Says Carnival Prizes Paid, Plans Flava Village Changes
By the Luk It Hyah newsdesk · Sources · Reporting disclaimer
The Short
Culture Minister Michelle Benjamin says 2026 Carnival stakeholders have received their prize payments and that improvements to Flava Village are being planned for 2027. She also says her Ministry and the NCC are supporting Tobago’s Carnival preparations. The payment claim is attributed to her; individual payment records were not supplied.
Related public figures: Brother Valentino · Zorisha Hackett · Michelle Benjamin
The Full Story
Payments from the 2026 Carnival season were among the issues put to Culture Minister Michelle Benjamin when she spoke on 29 October, according to TTT News. She said all Carnival stakeholders had been paid with respect to prizes. The report does not provide individual payment records.
Sources: TTT News, 29 Oct ↗
Speaking on the sidelines of Brother Valentino’s funeral, Benjamin also said her Ministry and the National Carnival Commission were continuing to support Tobago’s Carnival preparations. She said she had been in discussion with tourism, antiquities and creative industries secretary Zorisha Hackett and that requested support had been provided.
Sources: TTT News, 29 Oct ↗
For Trinidad’s 2027 Carnival, Benjamin said work was underway to improve Flava Village, with attention to booking opportunities and earnings for established and younger artistes. She also spoke of creating more space for the steelpan community at the Savannah beyond the usual Panorama competition.
Sources: TTT News, 29 Oct ↗
These are the Minister’s stated preparations and plans. TTT’s report does not set out a final Flava Village programme, an artist booking process or a timetable for those changes.
Sources: TTT News, 29 Oct ↗
Sources
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