A Zika category will be introduced in this year’s Red Cross Children’s Carnival. This initiative of the International Red Cross is aimed at raising awareness of the mosquito-borne disease, lifting the profile of the T&T Red Cross as a major player in community work and attracting more volunteers to the organisation.
Southex CEO George Singh, who announced the new category at the official launch of the annual competition yesterday, said cash prizes of $5,000 each will be awarded in three Zika categories.
He said when Southex was hired to produce the Red Cross Children’s Carnival last year, the mandate was to change critical aspects of the event.
“In 2017 there were some major changes—all positive and to the benefit of the event,” he said.
“In 2018-2019, you will start to see visible changes as the campaign rolls out engaging more youth, and spread over a wider period, giving the sponsors more return on their investment.”
Singh said for the first time last year there were meetings with all the band leaders—the first time in the 62-year history of the competition this was ever done.
“We did not only have one meeting with them, but four meetings, including a site visit at the Queen’s Park Savannah, outlining the new layout,” he said.
There was also a meeting with the judges to establish the criteria for judging, and this was shared with the bandleaders.
“Our company interacted directly with the national executive of the T&T Red Cross at all points, keeping them abreast of costs, budgets etc. Our sponsorship went to new levels—Flow and NLCB each giving in excess of $100,000 to the event,” Singh added.
New initiatives for this year into the next will include a complete re-imaging of the event.
“We will now be engaging the youth in schools, encouraging them to preserve our heritage with designs, the introduction of a design competition that involves the Ministry of Education,” he said.
Director of the T&T Red Cross Society Rawle Mahabir said the estimated budget for the competition is $250,000.
He praised Singh and his Southex Limited team for taking charge of the production, as well as sponsors, but said more contributions are always needed.