Vincy Mas 2017 dates announced

The dates for Vincy Mas 2017 have been announced.

Next year, the country’s premier national festival will run from Friday, June 30 to Tuesday, July 11.

The festival is expected to be officially launched on Saturday, May 6, 2017.{{more}}

According to chair of the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) Ricardo Adams, a number of positive changes to the festival, including a number of events leading up to launch, are expected.

Speaking at the CDC’s annual prize-giving ceremony on Thursday, October 6, the newly elected chairperson said that the previous board has taken Carnival to where it is and now that the baton has been passed, the new board is going to take it to another level.

He said that the new board recognizes that there are challenges and having recognized this, “we have the energy, vigour and focus to continue growing Vincy Mas.”

Adams said that while they cannot guarantee that all problems will be resolved immediately, the first thing is to look at the structure of the programme, the structure of shows and financing. He said that not only the quantum of the financing would be looked at, but also the timing.

Going further on financing, Adams said that because many of the events are driven by the availability of financing, this is one issue that has to be looked at seriously. He said that the CDC will be looking to Minister of Culture Cecil McKie to help rectify some of the issues relating to finances.

Adams also said that the CDC will also be focussing on collaboration, working together with the various components, the religious community and business sector.

According to Adams, everybody has a role to play in ensuring our culture survives and this can be aided by transparency and accountability. He noted that the CDC’s accounts up to 2014 are public records.

Next year, Vincy Mas will be a 40th anniversary celebration of the changeover of Carnival from pre-Lenten to June/July mas.(LC)