No new date for Carnival in Jamaica

With two postponements in the bag, the organisers of Carnival in Jamaica say the event would not happen in April 2021 as planned but did not announce a new date.

"I am optimistic that it will be held this year. There is no reason why it shouldn't. Once the hospitals' occupancy level has been significantly reduced, and the admission numbers are trending downwards, then we will be able to announce a definitive date," Kamal Bankay, chairman of the Carnival in Jamaica stakeholders committee told THE STAR.

He explained that with the vaccine now available, many of the carnival cohorts overseas already vaccinated and Jamaica significantly improving its testing capacity, the prognosis to stage the event is good.

Bankay said stakeholders have been meeting with the ministries of tourism, local government and entertainment and talks about a bubble concept for carnival and specific protocols for the reopening of the entertainment sector, once it is safe to do so, are far advanced.

The upsurge in COVID-19 numbers in 2021 forced an unprecedented consecutive three-weekend lockdown in April.

"The rapid explosion of cases in the last six weeks said to us that there was no way that carnival could happen in a safe way. I am disappointed, but understand completely. Safety for patrons, workers and staff come first," Bankay said.

He is convinced that the appetite for Carnival in Jamaica remains, and that when it is safe to party, "we will probably have the best carnival ever".

Organisers say that all bands and fetes would honour all tickets and costumes purchased in 2020 for the next staging, and Bankay emphasised that as soon as the time is right, all the bands are ready to go.