It is well known that some sort of bacchanal surfaces at carnival time. This year is no exception. A conflict is brewing between the Carnival Development Corporation and the operators of Hot 97.1 FM. The staging of an event dubbed Insomnia is the bone of contention.
Insomnia has been called off. That’s the word from Dwight ‘Bing’ Joseph manager of Hot 97.1 FM. Joseph has no intention of shifting the date for Insomnia, the decision not to hold it. {{more}}
He was responding to developments on the issue.
“We are not going to shift,” Joseph said. “Insomnia was not designed to be the week before carnival,” he added.
The impasse surrounds the staging of the event scheduled this year for July 2. That’s when the Miss Carival show is carded.
Joseph described CDC’s action as “terrible.” He regarded their action as autocratic.
“What they need to do is examine what they are having,” he said.
The Hot FM manager took issue with the CDC and the components whom he accused of not understanding Hot 97.1 FM’s contribution to carnival.
CDC chairman Dennis Ambrose denied that CDC “is stopping activities by Private Promoters at carnival time.”
Ambrose described the radio station’s announcements as “absolute untruth.”
The CDC chairman referred to the CDC Act number 52 of 2002, Section 6 which gives the CDC authority to regulate activities during carnival.
Ambrose noted that events competing with CDC activities were forbidden, and he noted that the Act was not a secret. He dismissed accusations that the way the CDC was acting was communist.
“The wild abuse and misuse of freedom on the radio, which is recklessly misleading the public, is not tolerated in a communist country,” Ambrose pointed out.
He is happy to embrace partnership with the private sector in developing carnival and making it beneficial to all.
But he pointed out: “we do not need partnerships, which challenge the very efforts of the CDC and the components for resources, which are generated by our promotional activities in support of the components.”
Ambrose noted that Insomnia hosted activities similar to Soca Monarch and outlined that “their show comes on the eve of our Soca monarch.”
The CDC offered the Insomnia promoters alternative dates on the night of Junior carnival, before or after carnival.
Support for the CDC’s stance came from the components. They were represented at last Monday’s press conference by Dougie ‘Nose’ Joseph, president of the Youlou Pan Movement, Hassan Kennedy, President of the SVG Calypsonians Association, and Hugh Ragguette, chairman of the Carnival bands association.