Last Updated on September 19, 2020, 5:08 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Jamaican tourism minister, announced that Carnival in Jamaica organizers would forgo the annual road march and related activities till April 11 next year.
Minister Bartlett expressed that as the country is entering the community transmission phase of the COVID-19 virus, he said that they strongly believe that it is in the best interest of the Jamaican people, to forego hosting the annual carnival celebrations for this year.
Minister Bartlett added that we are mindful of the significant economic loss this will have on our country, as this event generates billions annually, with many small and medium-sized enterprises benefitting from the celebrations. However, the Government of Jamaica must continue to put strong measures in place to prevent unnecessary exposure of our people and visitors to the deadly disease.
The road parade originally scheduled for Sunday, April 19 was first postponed to Sunday, October 25, because of the threat of COVID-19. The decision to forego hosting the event in 2020 was made after consultation with event organizers and members of Government and is in keeping with current containment measures.
“Based on all of the professional healthcare advice, taking into account that carnival is not only a local but also an international tourism entertainment product, we have no choice but to reschedule the staging of our Carnival in Jamaica Road Parade from October 25, 2020, to April 11 2021. This will allow us the time to do what we need to do to have a safe and enjoyable Carnival in 2021,” said Chairman of the Carnival in Jamaica stakeholders committee, Kamal Bankay.
He further noted that all of the bands and fetes would honour all tickets and costumes purchased in 2020 for the 2021 staging.
A revised Carnival in Jamaica calendar, including all the major fetes, will follow in the coming days.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
