Private events should not smother CDC shows – Chair

While the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) embraces the idea of private events, these events must be structured so as not to smother the CDC’s events.

This year, a number of private promoters capitalized on Vincy Mas, pouncing on the opportunity to host all-inclusive fetes, with one event charging an entrance fee of EC$300 per person.{{more}}

These all-inclusive events and shows, the most ever held during Vincy Mas, were mostly sold out, despite the high gate fees, while a number of CDC events flopped.

What also stood out is that a number of the private promoters held events on days that the CDC had events also, most notably the Miss Carival show on July 1, which had international star Marlon Roudette as guest performer, but was overshadowed by a private event which was held at the same time. Dimanche Gras also had to compete with two all-inclusive events held on July 3.

In response, Ambrose, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday at the CDC’s base at Victoria Park, stressed that the CDC has agreed to work with the private promoters, but “the CDC cannot simply lie down and play dead so that private events can roll over and smother the national events.”

Ambrose said that the stage and the climate for Vincy Mas is set by the work of the CDC, the components and its sponsors, but private promoters get to “piggy-back” on the “people-volume” created by the efforts of the CDC, so it would be ludicrous for the CDC to simply give way to such organizers.

He said that in his opinion, greed has given way to good graces, “such that one promoter wants to have five piggy-back events to ride on the back of the CDC programme, while making absolutely no investment into the national festival that is set to benefit the country’s economy.”

While the chair did not call any names, persons seem to think that Ambrose was referring to Hot 97.1 FM boss and promoter Luke Boyea. Boyea and his station have been critical of the CDC over the years.

Boyea usually hosts private shows during the Carnival season, the most recognized being Wet Fete/H2O Soca, an event listed on the CDC’s annual calendar of events.

Said Ambrose on Tuesday, “he continues to bad-talk the festival and the CDC, about what is ‘boring’, while stuffing his own pocket at the expense of the CDC, its components and the sponsors. He has yet to come forward to the CDC with a contributory, so-called dynamic idea to help the national festival to grow. That’s what good nationals do.”

Ambrose challenged private promoters to host their events in the month of March, September or November.

“Let me see you do that. I rest my case and will wait,” stressed Ambrose.

Minister of Culture Cecil McKie, speaking on Tuesday, said that the private promoters must be thanked for adding to the festival. He said that most of the shows were well patronized and persons had a good time.

McKie is, however, hoping that for 2017, partnerships could be had with persons holding private events. He, like Ambrose, noted that if it wasn’t for the “backdrop” created by the CDC with the Carnival activities, the private shows would not be as successful as they were.

The Culture Minister said that in a number of other countries, private promoters and CDCs partner, so in 2017, he is hoping that our CDC can come together with promoters, “so that they can also make a contribution to this backdrop that is created for them and I am sure they will have no problem with that”.(LC)