Carnival and the cultural industry

St. Vincent and the Grenadines this year will observe, with pomp and style hopefully, the 30th anniversary of the historic decision. That decision, to change from the traditional pre-Lent season to the mid-year “Mas in the July Sun” has proven to be a boon for the Vincentian festival and for the country as a whole-economically, culturally and socially. For one it has allowed our Carnival to develop its own identity and not just be known as an inferior version of Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago.{{more}} That identification has facilitated the annual return of overseas-based Vincentians in their droves, proud to be part of the Vincy festival.

It has paid off handsomely in giving a boost to the Festival. The returning Vincy posse has been an integral part of the celebrations over the past three decades and have provided the basis for a series of activities which go well beyond the Tuesday mas and stretch right into August. Indeed there are some who came on the climaxing weekend of Carnival and extend their enjoyment to July-August beach picnics, visits to the Grenadines, the various waterfalls and other places of interest and in reviving social contact with relatives and friends at home.

Our non-Vincentian visitors from the Caribbean and further afield are also very much a part of it. Together they make for a most welcome hospitality pool which help to stimulate a lot of economic, social and cultural (though not enough of it, post-Carnival) activities. In this mix it is important to note the role of local food. Vincies and visitors alike find our culinary fare an indispensable part of the package. Those returning try to satisfy their yearning for the traditional dishes and often go to lengths not just to partake in their consumption but also ensure they get a full load to take back with them. Our music, the legendary “Black Wine” and the farmers (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) Strong Rum also become part of the export business.

Given this scenario, it is true to say that in spite of the obvious benefits, the nation as a whole is yet to grasp and exploit the full potential of the Carnival Festival. Not surprisingly, for except for Jamaica, the Caribbean region is yet to appreciate the economic significance of the cultural sector. Yet it is an industry within itself; Dr. Keith Nurse of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) has been hammering away at a message telling us that we have a potential gold mine here. Not many of us listen or understand and that unfortunately includes most of our leaders.

He points out for instance that studies have indicted that the creative industries are expected to grow by 33 per cent over the next four years and that consumer demand in this area is driving up to 50 per cent new sales in computers, broadband, cell phones and e-commerce. Dr. Nurse also gives some specific figures in terms of visitor arrivals for Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago, considered the Carnival Mecca in the region. Arrivals there increased from 27,414 in 1997 to 40,555 in 2005. Expenditures almost tripled between carnival 1997 (TT $64.3 million) and 2004 (TT $173.2 million).

There is also the critical foreign exchange element in Jamaica $100 million, in Trinidad and Tobago US $50-60 million and US $20-25 million each for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. All this is happening in spite of an organized approach and systematic investment. There is a range of skills displayed for Carnival which we are yet to harness, hone burnish and skillfully deploy in the interest of cultural and national development. Some of our artistes success despite our wanton neglect to nurture the potential-in music, drama, out etc. How much more is out there we are allowing to go to waste?

Carnival is not just about wine and grind, or about rum and bum. It is a microcosm of the tremendous cultural talent with which we are blessed in the region. We must turn to this sector as an important element of our development thrust, investing in the human resources, facilitating innovation, promoting the development and use of technology, providing the policy framework and institutional space and molding all these together to form a powerful cultural package for 21st century development.