The House of Representatives has moved to establish a statutory body to oversee the country’s two largest festivals, Antigua Carnival and the One Nation Music Festival, and resolve a longstanding administrative split between the Festivals Commission and the Ministry of Education, Sports and the Creative Industries.

Minister of Festivals Daryll Matthew that the core problem the Antigua and Barbuda Festivals Commission Bill, 2026 that would seek to address was the disconnect between two entities that both carry responsibility for festivals but have separate and sometimes conflicting authority.

The Festivals Commission and its board set policy, prepare budgets and plan events, while the ministry’s permanent secretary holds authority over the staff responsible for implementing those plans and managing expenditure.

“One group of persons put the plans in place but have no authority over the persons who are expected to implement these plans,” he said.

Under the bill, the newly constituted Antigua and Barbuda Festivals Commission would take over full responsibility for Carnival and One Nation, with independence celebrations, VC birthday and other activities remaining under the ministry.

The Commission would be governed by a board of 11 members appointed by Cabinet, drawn from areas including finance, marketing, security, culture, tourism, media and community development, along with an attorney-at-law nominated by the Attorney General.

The Commission would be led by a chief executive officer responsible for day-to-day administration, supported by a financial controller.

In the initial transition period, staff from the Ministry of Creative Industries would be seconded to the Commission to ensure continuity of operations.

The bill establishes the Antigua and Barbuda Festivals Commission Fund as part of the public funds of Antigua and Barbuda, to be administered in accordance with the Finance Administration Act 2006.

Revenue flowing into the fund would include parliamentary appropriations, Cabinet-approved allocations, ticketing income, sponsorship, grants and licensing revenue.

Bank accounts and signatories would require approval from the Minister responsible for Finance, and the Commission would be required to submit quarterly financial statements to its board and annual reports to Parliament.

On the question of financial oversight, the Minister said the Carnival budget runs in the region of five to six million dollars annually, and that the existing practice of presenting budgets to Cabinet for approval and preparing post-event financial reports would continue.

“I want to be clear — providing a bank account and funding for the Festivals Commission does not in any way reduce or eliminate the reporting requirements and the financial management requirements that already exist within the public service,” he said.

The bill also gives the Commission authority over the branding and intellectual property associated with the festivals it manages.

The names “Antigua Carnival” and “One Nation Festival” would be formally protected, with the Commission empowered to pursue trademark and copyright registration.

Unauthorised commercial use of those names or festival branding would be an offence, carrying a fine of up to EC$50,000 or up to 12 months imprisonment.

The same penalties apply to the unauthorised commercial digital streaming of festival events.