PHILIPSBURG:--- President of the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) Michael Granger penned a letter to the Prime Minister of St. Maarten requesting that she give SCDF full control over Festival Village.
SMN News learnt that Granger sent the letter to the Prime Minister shortly after the 2013 carnival and the dispute between SCDF and TELEM. The source said SCDF and the SOG (foundation that manages government facilities) members refused to sit around the table to discuss the matter which must be resolved before next year's carnival. SMN News could not reach the chairman of SOG Kurt Ruan or President of SCDF Michael Granger for a comment on the ongoing saga.
While SCDF is asking for control of Festival Village in order to organize more shows and other activities they may not have realized that TELEM has an agreement with the Government of St. Maarten for a period of 20 years. TELEM invested some 1.2 million USD to build the stage inside Festival Village and their compensation is to have TELEM banners remain on the stage at all times. In that contract between the Government and TELEM it clearly states that if any artist or promoter wants to remove the TELEM banners from the stage they have to pay TELEM $20,000.00 for each night the banners are off the stage. "Promoters are refusing to use the Festival Village because they simply cannot afford to pay TELEM that amount of money to remove their banners when they have shows. Most of the people that want to use the Festival Village have other sponsors that want their banners on the stage during the shows. Just recently this was raised when Percy Sledge held his show there," one promoter told SMN News.
In order for the Government of St. Maarten and TELEM to break the 20 year contract, the Government of St. Maarten would have to pay out TELEM at a time when they have no funds and their 2013 budget has not yet been approved.
During the carnival this year TELEM sent several letters and reminders to SCDF when they saw that SCDF allowed UTS/Chippie to place television screens beside the stage to advertise their services and they also allowed UTS/ Chippie to launch the sale of the Blackberry Z10 inside Festival Village during the carnival. TELEM protested this because they claim to have exclusivity on and around the stage inside Festival Village all year round due to the 1.2 million USD they invested.
SMN News has been reliably informed that SCDF did not take TELEM's letters lightly because TELEM had threatened to take them to court for violating the contract between TELEM and Government. According to a reliable source, SCDF used their lawyer at Bloem and Associates to respond to TELEM's letters instead of complying with the agreement TELEM has with Government.
SMN News further learnt that SCDF did not copy the letter they sent to the Prime Minister to SOG who manages all government facilities. According to a well placed source, the letter was dispatched as a confidential letter to the Prime Minister. It should be noted that SCDF articles of incorporation clearly states they are only allowed to organize carnival related festivities. SMN News further learnt that discussions are taking place on how to solve the ongoing dispute but all parties remain tightlipped.