Caption: Michelle Benjamin

• Culture Minister Michelle Benjamin said Government invested over $137 million in Carnival 2026, generating more than 3,000 jobs and wider benefits for small businesses and youth.
• She said $3.2 million was allocated for Carnival security, including $100,000 to replace outdated REACT radios.
• Benjamin highlighted strong visitor turnout—hotels reportedly full, 300,000+ visits to FLAVA Food Village, an EPIC Carnival cruise in port—and announced free events including a Machel Montano performance and free Grandstand entry for Dimanche Gras and Carnival Monday/Tuesday.

By Alicia Chamely

MORE than $137 million has been invested in Carnival season 2026, creating more than 3,000 jobs, says Minister of Culture and Community Development Michelle Benjamin.

Announcing that Carnival 2026 was a “bumper Carnival”, Benjamin shared the figures at a press conference at the VIP Room of the Grandstand, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain, on Friday.

“It is a bumper Carnival because it creates opportunity, it creates safety, and it belongs to everyone. This government invested over $137 million into this Carnival season and, to date, we have recorded over 3,000 jobs,” Benjamin said, as she discussed the season’s success so far.

She added, “These are not abstract figures. These are benefits hitting the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago directly. These are young people working. These are small businesses thriving and surviving.”

To help ensure a safe Carnival, Benjamin said $3.2 million had been allocated to security measures, including $100,000 to replace the Radio Emergency Associated Communications Team (REACT)’s radios.

“Funding of $100,000 was allocated to REACT,” she said. “It was necessary because REACT’s radios were outdated. We were informed of this during one of our stakeholder consultations and, of course, in the Carnival atmosphere—and for any emergency throughout Trinidad and Tobago—REACT is necessary for response. So we did what was needed and provided the funding of $100,000 to replace those radios.”

Benjamin said Carnival 2026 was not a “Carnival of years gone by”, adding that its success was the result of the Government’s recognition that culture is the “backbone of a nation”.

Hailing the season’s execution, Benjamin said, “Something bigger is happening—our Carnival: a Carnival that is safer, more inclusive, more economically impactful, and more connected to the people than anything we have seen in recent memory. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a bumper Carnival.”

She said much of the success was due to innovative thinking, citing Trinidadian promoter Jonny Mack’s EPIC Carnival cruise, which docked in Port of Spain after departing Puerto Rico on Wednesday.

Benjamin said the cruise ship was here specifically for Carnival and was hosting more than 2,000 guests and 765 crew members.

On attracting both the T&T diaspora and international travellers, she referenced a Business Guardian article reporting that hotels were fully booked for the season.

She also said that, to date, more than 300,000 people had visited the FLAVA Food Village at the Savannah.

Benjamin announced that Machel Montano would perform for free on Friday night at the Savannah.

“At the Savannah tonight, for Fantastic Friday, we have Machel Montano—our very own son of the soil and cultural icon,” she said.

“Machel Montano will perform at the FLAVA Food Village right here at the Queen’s Park Savannah. FLAVA opens at 4 p.m., performances begin at 8 p.m., and admission is free—come one, come all,” she added.

Benjamin confirmed the Government had not paid Montano a performance fee.

She called on the public to come out and enjoy the season, adding that admission to the Grandstand at the Queen’s Park Savannah for Dimanche Gras, as well as Carnival Monday and Tuesday, would be free.