Vinaora Nivo Slider 3.xVinaora Nivo Slider 3.x
Vinaora Nivo Slider 3.x

Carnival Troupe Leaders and other Participants were not paid --- Where is the monies?

PHILIPSBURG:--- Several persons that participated in the 2014 Carnival are at their wits end because the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) did not pay them their prize monies.
Gordon Yee, with the troupe "45 Years of Sweetness" won the best troupe of the year, he was supposed to be awarded $10,000.00 but up to late Tuesday evening Yee did not receive one dime from SCDF.
Second prize winner Jasmin Phillips still has to get her $2,000.00. SMN News learnt that Phillips who led the GEBE Troupe in 2013 and 2014 was not paid for both years. It is further understood that Philips will resign from carnival activities because of the non payment. Another persons that was not paid is DJ Paulie, other stakeholders are among those that were not paid.

One of the stakeholders that were not paid said it is quite sad to know companies like Motorworld and GEBE sponsored several of the shows and yet the stakeholders who worked tirelessly were not paid. "As long as Granger sits as SCDF President nothing will change and people will not be paid," a long time stakeholder told SMN News.
The persons who placed months of work and investment into the 2014 Carnival said that they have not heard from the President of SCDF Michael Granger.
Earlier this year during the carnival season SCDF President Michael Granger decided to take the subsidy government provided for the promotion of carnival and gave a donation to the Simpson Bay Community Council because the SCDF held an activity on Kim Sha beach after jamming over the causeway. This act did not sit well with the Prime Minister of St. Maarten Sarah Wescot Williams.
SMN News tried to reach Granger for a statement but he did not answer his phone while the treasurer of SCDF Erno Labega also could not be reached.
A source close to SCDF alleged that SCDF board members chose to take the monies that were allotted to pay the persons that participated in carnival 2014 and awarded themselves with a monthly stipend. The source said that the board members wanted to pay themselves ever since the former president Stuart Johnson was holding the presidency of SCDF but Johnson refused to apply such since SCDF books were in the "red" and the foundation was struggling to get its financial act together. SMN News further learnt that the treasurer Erno Labega even used PricewaterhouseCoopers to conduct an audit for the year 2011 and 2012 but since Granger took up the presidency post no audit has been conducted.
Another sentiment shared by many persons is that the vehicle that was donated by Motorworld for carnival activities is being used by the President of SCDF all year round as his personal vehicle.

Vinaora Nivo Slider 3.xVinaora Nivo Slider 3.x

RADIO FROM VOICEOFTHECARIBBEAN.NET

Vinaora Nivo Slider 3.x
Vinaora Nivo Slider 3.xVinaora Nivo Slider 3.x
Vinaora Nivo Slider 3.x
Vinaora Nivo Slider 3.x
Vinaora Nivo Slider 3.x
Vinaora Nivo Slider 3.x