‘CDC should be compensated for providing platform’

A system in which private promoters will be asked to pay a licensing fee to host parties during Vincy Mas may be coming soon.

That is, if general secretary of the Unity Labour Party (ULP) Senator Julian Francis gets his way.

Speaking on Star FM on Tuesday night, Senator Francis said it costs the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) approximately EC$2.2 million of the government’s money to fund Vincy Mas and the Carnival platform created by the CDC is then used by private promoters to throw sometimes sold out fetes with gates fees as high as EC$350.

“There must be some way for State compensation and a machinery where the State, through CDC is compensated,” stated Francis, who is of the view that without Vincy Mas, most of these private fetes would not exist.

The Transport and Works Minister said that this year, over 20 private fetes were held over the Carnival period, June 29 to July 10.

Listing them, Francis said that Soca in the City and Feteland did not make a profit, but fetes like Black Rave, H20 Soca and Bacchanal Monday were huge successes.

Giving approximate numbers for a few of the fetes, Francis that that about 5,000 persons attended Skinny Fabulous’ Black Rave, about 2,500 to 4,000 went to Cheaper Water in Mesopotamia, H20 Soca had over 6,000 people, Carnival Escape over 600 (gate fee EC$250), Bacchanal Monday between 2,000 to 3,000, RUM about 800 persons and Bun Wuk about 300 people. He added that Dirty Sexy Soca had about 5,000 persons, Pumpin 500, Antistush 500, Colour Fete 1,000, Brunch and Soca (gate fee US$100) 400 persons, Flair (EC$250) 400 persons, Good People 300, Prime 300 (gate fee EC$250) and Slippery When Wet 800 to 1000 people (EC$220 gate fee).

“A lot of persons go to these fetes so if we put that system in place to manage it, we let persons apply for a license…and a fee is charged other than VAT,” offered Francis who said that it is unfair that the CDC spends millions to host Vincy Mas and private promoters benefit while the CDC has trouble recouping its funds.

He said that he is aware that many persons benefit from these fetes, including hairdressers and boutiques, but the CDC gets nothing from the ventures.

According to the minister, the private events also take away from traditional hang out spots like street bars that were a big thing for Vincy Mas years ago.

He said that while Value Added Tax (VAT) is collected by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) through a system set up to check tickets, there is still the question about the accuracy of the checking system.

He called for a discussion on the proposed introduction of a license fee.

However, Francis said he does not agree with those who think private events are interfering with the CDC shows as the persons who attend these events do not seem to go to CDC run shows like Junior Soca Monarch and Calypso, Panorama and Fantastic Friday to name a few.

He noted also that a number of rural events have also emerged, and these also are taking away from the Kingstown oriented activities.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of Hot 97.1 FM Luke Boyea, the mastermind behind H20 Soca, Pumpin and Dirty Sexy Soca said that Francis is being misled on several issues.

Boyea said that the state machinery is accurate in their VAT charges which is sufficient tax for private promoters. He revealed that this year, he paid the Inland Revenue Department EC$68,000 in VAT for H20 Soca alone and there was no under reporting of ticket sales. VAT of EC$68,000 means that ticket sales for the event amounted to EC$425,000.

Boyea said that private promoters create a lot of employment for hundreds of persons including local artistes and to tax them further would be unfair.