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**ANONYMOUS** » 2012-04-12 20:33

To answer the original question: Robert Carrady of Puerto Rico, President and CEO of Caribbean Cinemas

CB » 2011-08-06 14:39

Who owns them?

**Nicola** » 2010-11-03 07:08

I would like to take this opportunity to express a concern that i have. Whilst visiting Caribbean cinema in Antigua, I was very distressed and disgusted to find that you are allowing parents to take there children from all ages into inappropriate and unsuitable movies. Whilst there I made a complaint before the movie had even started that there were group of people with children as small as 5 years old and up to around 12 years. There were a group of people behind me with a child no older than 5 years old with after 5 minuets of the movies starts graphic horrific scenes and the little girl is crying and the parents laughing. There were other children in the cinema from around 6 to 12 years being brought into the cinema to watch SAW 7. The movie has strong, graphic violence and is rate R which yes the definition is suitable for those under 17 years of age only when accompanied by an adult but surely there is a limit as to how young. When reporting it to staff and manager they tell me its ok as long as there parents are with them. Why have rated films when a parent can go pay a child fee to take a child to see a film that is rated.

**LMAO** » 2010-07-27 03:04

Remember when we had a Drive-in movie theater near where the new Hospital is and remember when Deluxe only had one screen. LOL. Competition is a good thing people. We all have to look at this as a healthy thing. What's the worse that can happen? Deluxe is forced to step up their game. Another LOCAL opens a movie theater. ETC.. Enjoy the new movie theater. If it doesn't work out then it just doesn't. And if it does, it does. Be positive that this is good for Antiguans. Having options is a good thing.

**The truth shall set us free** » 2010-06-23 11:45

You mean to say that the new cinema got concessions and the government still turn around and renting from them , The government never heard about "quid pro quo". I think Antiguans got a raw deal since this new cinema is part of a franchise it is mandatory that a percentage of their profits if not all is repatriated. May be the pit bull can shed some light on this one.

**Finally** » 2010-06-23 02:05

I will also say I know first hand that Deluxe supports the local economy they buy locally and spend locally. The money they make is in turn put back into the local economy that people is investment. I happen to supply them with some of the concession goods and know many others who they purchase from locally. BY the way to Johnny the AMERICAN is more expensive than the local so please check your facts and your prices!! The Observer also noted how much it cost for the building for Caribbean Cinemas . I am just curious did they borrow that money from a local bank so that local bank could then in turn earn interest off of them. I'm pretty sure not!!

**Finally** » 2010-06-23 02:00

Now lets move onto the economy & the population. Antigua is an island where certain things the population can sustain competition and certain things can't. If another local decided to put down another cinema lets say maybe 4 screens lets push it to even 5 their cost is the same a**ing cinema they are purchasing locally therefore putting money back into the economy. Their operating costs are the same a**ing cinema that is considered FAIR competition. When you bring in a foreign Franchise with more money / more equipment / more cinemas & on top of it give them endless amounts of concessions & rent from them as well to boost their income is this fair competition. On top of it you are bringing them in to give an already struggling industry competition. On top of it the population can not support the amount of screens. This is just considered RIDICULOUS !!

**Finally** » 2010-06-23 01:54

Finally I have to say I am seeing some people writing in and making sense. Investment is good no one can disagree. However I consider investment to be something that the island benefits from and makes money from. In this case who is making the money the island or the owner of Caribbean Cinemas . Already they are making money off of our government on rental space when locals can't get their places rented. The money being spent there is not being put back into our economy because they bring in the majority of their products. Ask many of the local suppliers who have tried to sell them goods and they will surely confirm this for you.

**looking on** » 2010-06-22 22:22

as a movie buff i must say deluxe had competion ffor a long time now! just look at every street corner you would see a person selling movies for as little as $10.00 and i never heard deluxe management say a thing. imagine if mount gay rum came to Antigua to open a plant what would happen to Antigua Distillery? can they compete with them?? We need to start to protect our own!! come on Antiguans wake up!

**Silence does no good** » 2010-06-22 11:47

The entertainment industry in Antigua has always been a "fickle" one. Look at how quickly night clubs close/or change proprietors. Had the movie sector of the entertainment industry in Antigua been perceived as extremely profitable other locals would have entered. This sector has already faced competition from bootleg dvd operators, cable telivision. The severe downturn in the economy must have also impacted their bottom line as entertainment is one area individuals would cut back or give up altogether.

**Silence does no good** » 2010-06-22 09:22

I am a proponent of a free market economy and competition but from past experiences these have not benefitted consumers in Antigua in terms of prices, quality and delivery of products/servic es. Look at Digicel/Lime/Ap ua scenario- prices remain high and consumers are still complaining about their services. Any strategy that Deluxe will adopt in order for them to remain profitable will involve considerable cost for them- lowering their prices with a decrease market share because of the new complex. can only spell disaster. Is the Antigua movie market large enough to sustain 11 cinemas ? NO especially not with the economy we have right now.

**Antiguarose** » 2010-06-22 07:00

I fin this discussion very interesting. It is refreshing to note that people are suddenly seeing through the dark glass and now suddenly trying to convince me how sound and proper foreign investment is. Since when, Antigua, since when? We all must now be convinced that foreign investment is now good because things are cheaper etc and wealthy locals won't invest. Wow, when did we suddenly come to that conclusion, Antigua, when? We, the people are being led like lambs to the slaughter, one time we are told to believe this or that and the next minute we are told to believe the complete opposite. Please people decide what is truth and what is not quickly and take me out of my suspense.

**no money** » 2010-06-20 23:40

all you people have to ask the question why is government renting space from the new cinema??? we have plenty of spaces in and around town for rent, why go to the AMERICAN place????? support LOCAL!!!!

**JUSTIFICATION** » 2010-06-19 20:16

Sally Ann why does it always have to be RED vs BLUE? Since when does a cinema opening mean that they are for UPP? This is so ridiculous. This is called progress people...COME ONE!

**Business Mind** » 2010-06-18 16:45

Anyone who thinks its not fair for deluxe needs to get with the program... In the real world competition exists.. Deluxe has built a strong company over time while controlling a virtual monopoly on the industry in Antigua... They have often operated taking the customers for granted... in price setting and movie choices. Many family owned companies in Antigua and the wider Caribbean are happy to sit on what they have and build wealth rather than taking investment risks such as building new branches or even expanding to new islands. The moment someone comes in with competition we cry foul all of a sudden because you cant sit back and watch the money pile up and you actually have to work.

**samantha** » 2010-06-18 15:52

hopefully Deluxe will get their act together and start showing the movies they're supposed to. just recently they advertised She's out of my league then at the 11th hour they extended the previous weeks' movies. they've also had a tendency to advertise movies then when you turn up to purchase tickets they tell you the movies won't be showing this week. these acts are unacceptable and they have to improve on them. I love Deluxe, the location is ideal for especially for those working in the heart of the city and their $10 friday special is a big PLUS. People will flock to the new cinema, but in time the excitement will wear off. Deluxe, i urge you to get your act together and you will not be disappointed.

**Onlooker** » 2010-06-18 13:28

Why are the "locals" always critizing the foreigners? These are the people who invest in the island, take risk, employ people, build the economy. Sure some locals can make these investments, but they DON'T. We are so quick to chastize foreigners, but they do offer benefits....low er prices, competition, jobs, etc. Antigua barely produces anything, it is cannot be self supporting, everything here practically comes from overseas....we depend on the foreigners! Maybe if Antiguans were more open we will get more foreign investment, which we need! Let's face it people, we need their money and we have little to offer them that is not available elsewhere....le t them invest, they cannot take it with them! And p.s. for much of the items, epicurean is cheaper than first choice!

**Antiguan** » 2010-06-18 12:48

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Antiguans, we are not alone in the world. Stop being so small minded. The world had now turned golbal. You all were up in alms when caribbean Star opened and now look how liat have the region!

**Johnny** » 2010-06-18 12:06

Everybody talking bout Local vs American...If the local ppl dont want to invest their money and give MAx Fernandez some competition what are we to do but support the MORE AFFORDABLE Americans?

**trish** » 2010-06-18 11:24

so was it also wrong for Lime to get competition from Digicel? you talk about local, PCS can't even get their act together after all these years, yet Lime and Digicel somehow manage to out do PCS. One of the problems in Antigua is many of the locals don't want to invest they prefer to watch their monies on their bank accounts, hence the foreigners coming here and setting up shop - at least jobs have been created from this new cinema. Also, overseas investers will think more about investing here. Competition is indeed good and Deluxe will now know the REAL meaning of punctuality. When you call their office, they tell you the box office opens at 4pm, when you get there it's at 4:30pm. This don't care damn attititude has got to go!

**Foreigner** » 2010-06-18 11:23

Fernandez have been here for generations they didn't just land down here . Considering Deluxe has been around since I know myself and thats pretty long YES THAT MAKES THEM LOCAL. Further more if you want to put it that way the whole of Antigua could be classified as foreigners because most people originated from somewhere else Could be from a generation back or 10 generations back

**buss** » 2010-06-18 11:06

i sit here and read the BS that all of you are saying and as usual is sickens me to my stomach! case in point is Victor Michael FINALLY got the opportunity to open his own supermarket. Victor Michael is as local as they come!! YET the majority of LOCALS choose to go the the Epicurean and patronize the AMERICA owner and FOREIGN run supermarket rather than putting thier dollars into LOCAL hands. Deluxe has been around for so long and what have they EVER given back to the economy? the fact that they xxx the LOCAL company of APUA such a huge sum of money and have yet to it back to them is pathetic at best!! yet all of you sit back and criticise the government about thier choices in where they choose to put thier offices. Did ANYONE stop to think that MAYBE this was a perk of the government giving the owners permission to invest?? as usual WE the Antiguans are full of BIG chat N A T O - No Action Talk Only!

**Reader** » 2010-06-18 10:54

Why do you guys keep talking about foreigners? Does the name 'FERNANDEZ' sound like it may be a local Antiguan name? They were foreigners too. The point is, is there enough of the market to share? I believe that healthy business competition is always good for consumers. Lets just wait and see how the price and quality of service is comparable.

**foreigner** » 2010-06-18 10:44

Why can people not just be pleased to be moving with the times, this is fantastic for Antigua, whether it is a foreigner or an Antiguan!

People are always going on about Antigua having foreigners but what about all the Antiguans that go and live in the USA or the UK. Our world is multi-cultural and we should all live as one.

I am very much looking forward to taking my kids there of a weekend and giving them something new to do. These out of town malls will sure become popular as parking is easy and they should be well lit.

People should look at the positive instead of always the negative.

**malla** » 2010-06-18 10:26

Interesting comment I must say. Do me a favour please look at what the prices were and still are at Deluxe now compare that to what it costs to go to the Cinema in the US or anywhere else for that matter. Considering you say they had the monopoly for so long I am certain they could have been priced a lot higher in all areas as they had the monopoly. However in a country where the cost of living is much higher you have to pay duties on everything you bring in. The prices there were always resonable. No special interest in anything other than calling things the way I see it as you would read from all my posts on Caribareana!! If you read properly as well. I also stated I had no problem with competition. However I do have a problem with foreign unfair competition in an already struggling local economy.!!! Also as they purchase from many local companies employ local and spend what they may be earning locally not sure how that can't be benefiting locals and the local economy!!!

**The consumer** » 2010-06-18 10:23

Things are good and they are going to get better, the prices at Deluxe all ready went down.

So we the consumers are going to benefit from this thing Big Time, better prices, better moves,

So I say COMPETITION IS GOOOOOD .

One More cinema will make it even better.

;D ;D

**sally ann** » 2010-06-18 10:02

The foreign owner of the new cinema complex seems to be trying to convince people that he is in collaboration with locally owned Deluxe. This is most certainly not the case. This is case of the government backing them to put an ALP supporter out of business or at least a struggle to stay in business.
Local companies do not get the concessions offered to foreigners, reduced utilities, tax breaks, duty free. This is not fair competition.

**Aristotle** » 2010-06-18 09:54

While there is merit in what you have said. Fernandez family have monopolized that business area for a long time, to no particular benefit to locals, except expenditure. They set their prices and no one questions. Competition is good for the consumer, if a local Antiguan wants to there is no hinderance/ or avoidance. Deluxe and its benefactors will respect their customers more now that they have competition. Maybe, their cinema will not be so unclean and uninviting any more.

**malla** » 2010-06-18 09:53

We also have three brand new locally owned commercial complexes on Friars Hill Road . Are we not as well giving them competition to get their spaces rented with this new complex. The government has chosen to rent from the American complex rather than from one of the 3 locally owned complexes!! I always thought it was the politicians and their greed and vengence that would destroy Antigua. However what I saw yesterday when this new Cinema opened it's doors was that it is the people of Antigua themselves that are destroying Antigua. When you choose to support a foreign business instead of your own locals that were here first and should have more rights than any other businesses it is you who destroy yourself and bring down your own people. Oh and FYI Observer has had 4 articles now on this new complex and not one on the already existing cinema here I wonder why that is. I also wonder why when I tried to post this same post on observer on line they didn't post it hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm !!!

**malla** » 2010-06-18 09:39

Well Well Well what a joke. Funny how he particullary mentions that it is not intended to put Deluxe out of business Yet the government is renting from this AMERICAN once again putting foreigners before it's own people. People please lets look at this for what it is. This is a not another local Antiguan who decided they wanted to put down a Cinema this is an AMERICAN who has franchises all over the Caribbean and is trying to monopolize the entire movie industry through out the Caribbean region. You have a family that has been here for over 50 years operating a local business putting money back into the economy , employing people , helping people !! Now I have no problem with competition but unfair competition from an American when half the businesses in Antigua are suffering in this economy does this make sense. People need to open their eyes and see that they could be next. All business owners in Antigua should look long and hard at what is being done to Deluxe a local family owned and run business.

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