James chides beverage companies for stinging on Rural Carnival

Local corporate entities, specifically beverage companies, have come in for a tongue lashing from Minister of Culture Carlos James, the contention being their lack of support for Vincymas.

James, who on Tuesday handed over EC$12,000 to the North Leeward Sports and Cultural Organization, organiser of carnival activities in North Leeward, said this was partly come of his own money with the remainder coming from “friends of North Leeward”.

The Minister of Tourism said local companies are not living up to their social corporate responsibilities and as a result, the premier national festival and its components are having problems with funding. He noted that one company even offered the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC) a similar amount to what he and the “friends of North Leeward” handed over on Tuesday June 18, 2024, and that in itself was disrespectful.

The CDC said on Tuesday that it needs approximately EC$7 million to run Vincymas but every year makes do with around EC$3.5 to EC$4 million, EC$660,000 of which goes to prize money payments.

“We’ve had some challenges with rural carnivals in terms of funding, and it really starts with our corporate community who I believe has an obligation and a role to support local festivals,” James said at the press briefing at the CDC’s conference room in Victoria Park.

He said that as a result of lack of support from corporate SVG a number of the components of rural carnival, specifically queen shows, calypso competitions, and junior carnival activities are not being held.

“We do recognise that funding is required to host these activities. So, I’m not going to beat up on the Rural Carnival Associations or the coordinator, because it is important that we provide the support and the funding to host these activities,” he remarked.

“But we have to be committed, both as a government and corporate St. Vincent and the Grenadines in honouring our commitment to the festival, and the people who are participating in one of our largest events in the country.”

The minister added that the government has to play its part as they have that responsibility and must ensure that resources are provided but… “as I said, the dance can’t pay for the light…for every sound system that is hired, every DJ, every stage that is built, every costume that graces the stage, every pageant that is organised in rural areas, every Calypso tent that is hosting activities related to Calypso, it requires funding”.

“And the reality is, we have to put more into carnival, we have to put more into our premier festival. And it’s important that we look at that,” the Minister said.

James commended the Rural Carnival Associations for being able to stage activities despite funding challenges.

“And some of them I know are going to end their festivals in the red because to host, it takes no less than about EC$25,000, EC$30,000, $40,000 to pull off a rural carnival. And the reality is, many of these rural organisations do not have that funding.

“And it’s important for us to recognise that we have to put the resources in…and we’re started with some of the companies who benefit significantly from the festival,” James noted as he specifically pointed at the beverage companies who he said are putting very little into rural carnival or even the CDC.

“…you would appreciate the revenue for beverage companies around carnival, there is generally a spike, and I wouldn’t call any names, but we have to ensure that there is a better working relationship and some of these companies put a lot more support behind the festival, it’s important that we do it,” James further stressed.

He spoke of a particular company said it would not provide any money if it did not get to sponsor a particular contestant for the Miss SVG Pageant, and this entity was politely accommodated.

“The fact is, there are companies who are holding resources, their corporate social responsibility, who are holding organisations, not just in culture, but also sporting organisations…a lot of our organisations, community centred organisations, to ransom.

“And we have to acknowledge and recognise that and what we’re doing is retarding the development of our cultural festivals, retarding the development of sports. And we have that corporate social responsibility to honour our commitment,” James stated.

He noted too that many persons work daily from night until morning to build costumes and a price cannot be placed on that.

“You can’t pay for that….the least we can do is to give the support where it’s needed and necessary to ensure we can have a festival which all of us can be proud of.”