AS regional bodies complain about the lack of funding for Carnival, head of the National Carnival Commission (NCC) Winston 'Gypsy' Peters is saying it is yet to receive its promised subvention of $147 million from Government.

Gypsy told the Newsday on Wednesday, once the NCC gets its money, the regions would get their subvention.

Tourism, Culture and Arts Minister, Randall Mitchell denied this was the case, however, saying 'the truth is that the NCC has not been making the requests for the money. I don't understand why this is not being done.'

He said the NCC has made two requests, one for $17 million and another for $19 million. One has been processed and the other is waiting to be processed by the Ministry of Finance.

He said his ministry had to call in the chairman and CEO for a meeting. He said they met with the permanent secretary who indicated no requests were made.

'They only made a request last week, and we put that through to be processed by the Ministry of Finance,' Mitchell said.

The question of no money for Carnival raised its ugly head in San Fernando on Tuesday night, as San Fernando mayor Junia Regrello blamed it for the cancellation of the city's planned king and queen of Carnival competition.

At the south calypso monarch competition held at City Auditorium on Tuesday night, Regrello lamented that one week before what is supposed to be the 'mother of all carnivals,' the city is yet to receive a cent or a commitment from the NCC about its subvention to manage its events.

Gypsy said that was not true. He said a figure was quoted to the mayor so he knew how much the San Fernando City Corporation (SFCC) was getting.

'I am sure if he wanted to have a queen show he could have found a way to go ahead and have it, because their money sure. They are gonna get it.'

The San Fernando calypso monarch competition was won by Victoria Cooper-Rahim, who sings under the sobriquet Queen Victoria. However although she won the title, there was no crowning or prizes awarded.

In fact, many of the competitors left before the show ended, as they were told before of the uncertainty of prizes to be awarded based on the absence of the annual subvention

As the judges deliberated the results, Regrello addressed the audience, telling them he had not received a cent nor a commitment of what its allocation would be this year.

The money drought is already being blamed for the cancellation of the kings and queens competition which was carded for Tuesday night on Harris Promenade.

Every year the SFCC has held a pre-Dimanche Gras competition at Skinner Park, in which the south king and queen of Carnival, a south calypso monarch and pan champs were declared.

Due to the lack of finances, the event was scaled down to a free show on Harris Promenade, for the judging of at least, the king and queen and calypso monarch competitions.

Unable to reach the NCC for confirmation of its funding until late Tuesday, Regrello said they were forced to call off the King and Queen competition.

'We h