Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is pointing to a hectic Carnival 2026. And, in the spirit of Carnival, the National Carnival Commission, has launched the Flava Village at the Queens Park Savannah which Persad-Bissessar attended. The new initiative adds another taste to what patrons can expect at the venue. Reporter Alicia Boucher and Cameraman Immanuel Nunez bring you the highlights.
00:20It comes with the National Carnival Commission's launch of the Flava Village on Thursday at dusk, which is labeled a Carnival Culinary Experience.
00:35According to NCC Chairman Peter Kanhai, it is a major milestone allowing the country to show off its real Trini flavor, backed by a belief that this country's cuisine is among the best globally.
00:47He says the aim was to boost more commercial activity for Carnival.
00:52It is driven by the belief that we need to do more to showcase that cuisine, make it more accessible to all and give vendors additional opportunities to market themselves and to do so sustainable throughout the year and to grow their businesses.
01:12Kanhai says showing support for the vendors equates to helping sustain the livelihoods of hundreds of people in the country who rely on such spaces.
01:21This is a space, ladies and gentlemen, for cuisine, for dining, for entertainment, for family activities.
01:30As you look to my right, you'll see the bouncy castles and so on for the children.
01:34So this is a space where the family can come.
01:37Prime Minister Kamala Poussard Bisessa has taken to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to post pictures of her experience at the launch of the Flava Village, saying that it was, quote unquote, pure vibes.
01:50Poussard Bisessa encourages families to venture to the village and she says, quote, it's shaping up to be a bumper carnival season, end quote.
02:07And in this regard, Mayor of Port of Spain Chinua Island says, plans are afoot for the capital city.
02:13We are looking forward to a very exciting carnival season 2026.
02:19The National Carnival Commission and the city of Port of Spain have been working very closely on making sure that everything is in place for a very smooth carnival season this year.
02:34We expect to welcome several guests into the city and we expect several of them to come and enjoy all that we have to offer and to enjoy this flavor village.
02:45Minister of Culture and Community Development Michelle Benjamin says food is a part of the story of the country.
02:52For patrons, she's promising delicious food and a vibrant, safe and secure environment.
02:58And Benjamin is also optimistic about what it will mean for the vendors.
03:03Unlike past years where we had complaints from vendors, we had complaints about sales.
03:12This experience guarantees that vendors will see a profit.
03:19There will be live cooking.
03:22There will be a showcase of our culture, as I stated.
03:27There will be traditional carnival.
03:30The Flavor Village features 5-day vending booths, including 45 food and beverage booths and 5 artisan booths, which will operate in addition to the existing food and beverage vending at the Queens Park Savannah.
03:43The Village opens from 4pm to 11pm daily and admission is free.
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