Tobago’s National Carnival celebrations are officially underway. The festivities kicked off on Thursday with the Inter-Department Personality and Calypso Competition at the Dwight Yorke Stadium Parade Grounds.
At the end of the night, the Division of Education, Skills & Innovation captured the Personality title, while the Division of Public Infrastructure and Transportation emerged champions in the Calypso competition.
Ten contestants competed in both the Personality and Calypso categories of the Tobago House of Assembly Inter-Department Personality and Calypso Competition.
In the Personality segment, the Division of Education’s Shervell Williams emerged the clear winner, earning a total of 541 points.
Ms. Williams was crowned the 2026 Inter-Department Personality and also captured the awards for Best Carnival Costume and Best Talent.
The Division of Food Security’s Adds Duke placed second with 484 points, while the Division of Youth Empowerment and Sport’s Karine Stewart secured third place, earning 468 points.
In the Calypso competition, ten calypsonians delivered spirited performances, drawing enthusiastic responses from the audience. Organisers noted that strict guidelines were enforced this year to ensure performances remained free of obscene and vulgar lyrics.
The Division of Infrastructure’s Inesha James, performing under the sobriquet “For King James,” claimed the top spot with 260 points. She also secured the Best Social Commentary Calypso award.
Garfield Lashley of the Division of Community Development placed second with 253 points, earning the Best Humorous Calypso title. The Division of Health’s Jody Melville-Nimblett finished in third place.
Meanwhile, the Best Nation Building Calypso award went to Darius Reid of the Office of the Prime Minister-CAST, while the Best Road March-Type Calypso was captured by Kedane O’Connor of the Division of Food Security.