St Vincent & Grenadines: PM Gonsalves confirms Carnival will take place

Kingstown: Good news arrived for the citizens of St Vincent and the Grenadines, as Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves announced that his administration would conduct Carnival would take place this year under the COVID norms. PM Gonsalves made the announcement while speaking at the Hand programme on WEFM on Sunday.   

Amid the rising cases of the COVID-19 infections, the Carnival was being postponed by the government of SVG for the past two years, noting that the administration prioritises the safety and health of the citizens. 

PM Gonsalves further highlighted the economic benefits of Carnival, adding the general public will be informed in the month of April about the details of the fest. He added talks are already going on to decide whether Carnival will be a big scale fest or a low-key event. 

“To have a significant event, we will have to get the vaccination rates up to as much as 70 percent among the eligible population. We will have to use February and March to ramp up the numbers; I think we can do it. I hope we have a full-fledge carnival, but I must first pass the hurdle, and that is to get the numbers up”, the prime minister highlighted.  

Officially known as “Vincy Mas”, the carnival event is usually conducted in the middle of June or starting of July, which was not able to occur following the COVID situation since the pandemic outbreak. 

It is considered as the biggest event on the island, being promoted as “The Hottest Carnival in the Caribbean.” Vincy Mas is a colourful, vibrant and lively fest, which also depicts the history, food, music and culture of St Vincent and the Grenadian people. It comes with street parties, calypso and steel pan performances, costume parades and vastly more exciting performances.  

This announcement flattered a wave of joy among the citizens eagerly waiting for the Carnival.