Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, Jean-Michel Lapin announced on Tuesday, Feb. 18, that the national carnival would take place as planned from the 23 – 25. Despite demonstrations by police officers and the fire set to carnival stands by some police officers there are no plans to cancel carnival according to Le Nouvelliste. “The state has suffered losses in the construction of the stands. This does not mean that the organization of the carnival has been suspended. We will make arrangements. As I said before, carnival is a tradition. It is part of our agenda like all other national holidays. This tradition is greater than all of us. The state has the responsibility to respect the fundamental charter of human rights which gives it the responsibility to guarantee everyone’s leisure and popular enjoyment,” said Lapin in a press conference.