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World Steelpan Festival 2024 Recap

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture the Arts recently pioneered Trinidad and Tobago’s first ever World Steelpan Festival. Celebrated under the theme “From Roots to Recognition: Steelpan’s Journey to Global Acclaim”, World Steelpan Festival 2024 offered a diverse array of events designed to showcase the National Musical Instrument, locally, regionally and internationally.

Congratulations to  Pan Trinbago, Tourism Trinidad Limited, Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago, Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, National Academy for the Performing Arts and all Stakeholders on a successful World Steelpan Festival 2024.

 

Trinidad and Tobago Passes Bill to Officially Declare the Steelpan The National Musical Instrument

On July 3rd and 4th, 2024, The National Musical Instrument Bill, 2024 was debated in Trinidad and Tobago’s Parliament to declare the Steelpan as the country’s National Musical Instrument. Senator the Honourable Randall Mitchell, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts piloted the Bill in the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively. The Bill entitled “An Act to provide for the designation of the Steelpan as the National Musical Instrument of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and for related matters” gained unanimous support from all Members of Parliament present.

Following the passing of The National Musical Instrument Bill, 2024 in the Lower House of Representatives and the Senate, it will now be submitted for Presidential Assent. Hereafter, it will become an Act, thus giving the legislation the status of Law.

Celebrating 50 Years of Diplomatic Relations between Trinidad and Tobago and China

CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO AND THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

On Tuesday June 18th, 2024, Trinidad and Tobago celebrated the talents of its young artists at the Commemorative Visual Arts Competition Awards Ceremony held at the National Academy for the Performing Arts, Port of Spain.  One hundred and nineteen (119) Primary and Secondary School students submitted entries for the Commemorative Visual Arts Competition that sought to celebrate 50 Years of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the People’s Republic of China.

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts was proud to collaborate with the Ministry of Education and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in celebrating this milestone.

Permanent Secretary (Ag.) of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Mr. Videsh Maharaj, represented the Ministry alongside Minister of Education, Dr. the Honourable Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and His Excellency Fang Qiu, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Trinidad and Tobago at the awards ceremony.

Queen’s Hall Appoints New Board of Directors

QUEEN’S HALL APPOINTS NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS

On Tuesday June 4th, 2024, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Ag.) in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Mr. Martel Waldron, presented Instruments of Appointment to the newly appointed Board of Queen’s Hall. The presentation took place at an official ceremony held in commemoration of the 65th Anniversary of the opening of Queen’s Hall.

The Board has been appointed for a period of three (3) years from 2024 – 2027 in keeping with the Queen’s Hall Act, Chapter 40:50 (2) which states, “The Board shall be appointed by the Minister and shall consist of nine (9) members among whom shall be representatives of music, dance and drama.” Its primary responsibility, among other duties, is to establish the policy direction of the establishment, and to provide strategic direction for the Executive team led by the General Manager, Mr. Garfield George.

The newly appointed Board is as follows:

  1. Helmer Hilwig – Chairman of the Board
  2. Candice Hicks – Deputy Chairman of the Board
  3. Charlene Griffith
  4. Victor N. Prescod
  5. Karla C. Gonzales
  6. John Thomas
  7. Lissa-Anne Edwards
  8. Michele Isaac-Constantine
  9. Sunita Lemet

 

Disney Cruise Line Conducts Recruitment Drive in Trinidad and Tobago

DISNEY CRUISE LINE CONDUCTS RECRUITMENT DRIVE IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

On May 15th and 16th, 2024, Disney Cruise Line conducted a Recruitment Drive in Trinidad and Tobago, which took place at Queen’s Hall, Port of Spain. The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts supported the initiative through the provision of the event venue, corporate communications services and other logistical arrangements.

Meridian Recruitment Agency Limited, the local recruitment agent, successfully shortlisted applicants to fill vacancies in the areas of Food and Beverage, Guest Services, Galley Jobs, Lifeguards and Culinary. These positions were advertised in the local newspapers and via digital media for a period of two (2) weeks. A total of eighty (80) applicants were selected to be interviewed for the in-person exercise conducted by Disney Cruise Line recruiters. The Ministry is proud to announce that over ninety per cent (90%) of applicants interviewed during the two-day drive will receive letters of intent from Disney Cruise Line.

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Launches Caribbean Tourism Month 2023 Celebrations

Caribbean Tourism Month 2023 Message from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts joins the global community in another exciting celebration of Caribbean Tourism Month. Every year, during the month of November, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and its member states come together under the overarching theme “One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean”, to raise awareness of tourism in the Caribbean; to celebrate the diversity of the tourism sector in this region; and to reflect on the impact of tourism on the economic, social and cultural well-being of Caribbean people.

On September 27, 2023, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) commemorated World Tourism Day under the theme “People, Planet and Prosperity.” This year, Caribbean Tourism Month carries forward this theme, highlighting the need for investment in People through education and skills; investment in our Planet through sustainable infrastructure and accelerated green transformation; and investment in our Prosperity through innovation, technology and entrepreneurship with a focus on the 3S’s – Sustainability, Social inclusion and Smart destinations and businesses. These initiatives are critical for the growth, long-term sustainability, resilience and productivity of the tourism sector in the Caribbean. They position the Caribbean to thrive economically, while contributing positively to our environment and our people. The integration of the 3S’s – “Sustainability, Social inclusion and Smart Destinations and Businesses” has also been identified as a key priority for the Caribbean region as it continues to recover from the residual effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The interconnectedness of the 3S’s fosters greater resiliency in Caribbean destinations, while ensuring the meaningful participation of our people, the protection of our environment and the stimulation of economic growth.

The Ministry is cognisant of the direct relationship between strategic investments in the tourism sector and its recovery post Covid 19.  Our people must be consistently trained and upskilled in order to maintain service excellence within the sector. Our natural environment beckons sustainable tourism innovations and greening initiatives. Our sector is ripe for digitalization, entrepreneurship and new realms of creativity. The Ministry is committed to its role in facilitating and promoting a robust and profitable sector. However, the development of our people, the preservation of our planet and the promotion of our prosperity must be a nationwide partnership, one in which each citizen recognizes his or her role in the thriving sector.

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, as a CTO member, is proud to launch its nationwide Caribbean Tourism Month campaign aimed at building the capacity of our stakeholders, showcasing our cultural and tourism products, promoting sustainable tourism initiatives and encouraging cultural confidence and national pride. The Ministry, in collaboration with its implementation agency, Tourism Trinidad Limited, will be undertaking various tourism and cultural events and activities aligned with the themes identified above. These include: cultural events and exhibitions, Community-Based Tourism Enterprise Workshops, a Tourism and Creative Industries Career Day, a nationwide Essay Writing Competition for school-aged children, a Beach Clean-up, a Tree Planting Exercise and much more.

We invite you to immerse yourselves in all the destination has to offer, for our people, planet and prosperity. For more information, please contact the Corporate Communications Unit via:

Call for Feedback: Ministry Upgrades the Artist Registry Database

In April of 2023 the Artist Registry of Trinidad & Tobago (ARTT), in collaboration with Naparima Bowl, was confirmed as an awardee under the Creative Caribbean: An Ecosystem of ‘P.L.A.Y’  for Growth and Development Grant Scheme. This grant is being used to support the upgrade of the database and website associated with the Artist Registry.

As such, the ARTT is conducting a survey to gain valuable feedback from users of the database and website to inform our new design. We want to hear from you! If you or someone you know has used our database or visited our website at www.artistregistrytt.com, your opinion matters to us.

Please see the link for the survey here: https://forms.gle/5Xn371yNQjm9fayH7

The survey closes on Friday October 27th.

We thank the Creative Caribbean project, which is being implemented by UNESCO, the CARICOM Secretariat and The University of the West Indies (UWI) with funding from the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, under the ACP-EU 11th EDF Culture Programme.

The Ministry Welcomes New Permanent Secretary (Ag.)

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts proudly welcomes our new Permanent Secretary (Ag.), Mr. Videsh Maharaj, who assumed duty on Friday 6th October, 2023. PS (Ag.) Maharaj joined the Ministry of Tourism, Culture & the Arts from the Ministry of Education, where he served as the Deputy Permanent Secretary.

PS (Ag.) Videsh Maharaj is equipped with extensive knowledge and experience in economics, investments, policy development, implementation and analysis. After graduating from the University of the West Indies with both a Bachelor and Master of Science in Economics, PS (Ag.) Maharaj went on to have a stellar career in the Ministry of Trade and Industry with increased areas of responsibility over 15 years.

PS (Ag.) Maharaj has also been a member of several Cabinet Appointed Committees including the Committee to Review Tourism Incentives. We look forward to PS (Ag.) Maharaj’s leadership and insight as we work towards achieving our goals for Vision 2030!

A Tracer Study into Capacity Building in the Culture Sector

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts is conducting a series of surveys on training programmes hosted under the Culture Division, to determine their effectiveness in supporting the development of persons in the Culture Sector as we work towards a resilient creative community.

This is a Tracer Study that features three training programmes that were launched in 2012; Cultural and Technical Camps, Mentoring by the Masters and Music Schools in the Community. If you or anyone you know participated in these programmes from 2012 to 2019, we invite you to complete the relevant survey below. We also encourage parents / guardians to complete the survey for minors.

Cultural Camps was designed as meaningful vacation activities that expose children to the Arts, Heritage and Culture, while Technical Camps was developed to target emerging cultural entrepreneurs, to enhance their technical skills and increase their earning capacity in the Culture Sector. Complete the Cultural and Technical Camps survey here.

Mentoring by the Masters is a mentorship workshop series that aims to honour our cultural icons as they pass on their knowledge and expertise to upcoming professionals. Its other spin-off pilot programmes include Professional Development Workshops and Cultural Legends Series. Complete the Mentoring by the Masters survey here.

Music Schools in the Community seeks to create a cadre of musicians for the future, increase music literacy and support community-based organisations in capacity building for self-sustainability. Complete the Music Schools in the Community survey here.

The surveys close on 24th November 2023 at 12:00pm.