The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring broad public access to Antigua Carnival by deciding that all official Carnival 2026 events will continue to be broadcast and streamed live.

Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant, speaking during Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, said the decision followed Cabinet’s consideration of a proposal that would have imposed a mandatory 24-hour delay on the rebroadcast and streaming of all official Antigua Carnival shows.

Merchant said Festivals Minister Dwayne George, strongly opposed the proposal, arguing that such a restriction would significantly reduce public access to one of the country’s premier cultural events and undermine efforts to promote Antigua and Barbuda to regional and international audiences.

After considering the matter, Merchant said Cabinet unanimously agreed that the public interest would be best served by maintaining live broadcasts and livestreams of all official Carnival events.

He said Cabinet recognized that Antigua Carnival is not only the nation’s premier cultural festival but also a major tourism and economic product that benefits from real-time exposure across traditional and digital media platforms.

Merchant noted that live broadcasts allow Antiguans and Barbudans at home and abroad, regional viewers, international audiences and people unable to attend events in person to participate in the celebrations as they happen.

While reaffirming support for live streaming, Cabinet also encouraged residents and visitors to attend Carnival events in person, saying strong public participation remains vital to the success of the annual festival and the wider economy.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: BREAKING: Cabinet rejects delay proposal, keeps Antigua Carnival events streaming live.