CDC Meets Payment Deadline

Details

Carnival

Monday, 05 November 2012 03:02

By Carol Williams

Antigua St. John’s - The Carnival Development Committee (CDC) has wiped clean this year’s debt to calypsonians, soca artistes, pan men and mas makers.

Committee Chairman Kayode O’Marde confirmed that the final payments were made over a week ago, well within the 90-day deadline agreed to by the CDC and the group representing artistes.

Monies are still owed to service providers, though a few of them have been paid.

“What’s outstanding now is the balance owed to service providers, including light, sound and stage, marketing and other service providers from the carnival seasons,” O’Marde said, declining to specify the amount.

“We are well on our way to having those concluded within the next month-and-a-half hopefully, once we continue to get the support from the Treasury Department. We have worked within our budget so we should be able to pay everyone. We have to wait on Treasury to pay the rest of the money allocated to us.”

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The Ministry of Finance had earmarked $2.5 million for the 2012 festivity.

This is the first time in years that artistes have been paid on time. The 2011 debt was only cleared earlier this year and was the subject of a major disagreement between the CDC and calypsonians.

O’Marde said he was happy the committee was able to accomplish its goal, which paves the way for early preparation of the 2013 summer festivity.

“It allows us to start planning early for next year, receive fresh budgetary allocation earlier and to have more cash available to pay earlier, especially to service providers,” he said.

“Unfortunately we still have the debts from 2010 and 2011 that haven’t been paid, so those are still outstanding.”

The former CDC exceeded the budget for those two years, O'Marde stated. The debt is being dealt with by the Ministries of Finance and Tourism.

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