~Nonpayment of the rental lease for 2024 of Festival Village. ~
PHILIPSBURG: --- The judgment rendered by the Court of First Instance today, Tuesday, February 4th, 2025, whereby placing a lien on the accounts of the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) due to nonpayment of lease payments to SOG for the 2024 Carnival festivities. SOG is "Stichting Overheidsgebouwen," which manages the Jocelyn Arnell Festival Village on behalf of the Government.
Based on the verdict handed down today, the judge ruled that SCDF must pay NAF 35,860.83 with an increase in the lawful interest from July 1st, 2024, up until the day the total amount, including the penalty fees.
SCDF was also condemned to pay the processing and court fees, which amounted to an additional NAF 5000.00.
SOG dragged SCDF for nonpayment of rental even though a written contract was in place. According to the information reaching SMN News, SCDF has been paying its dues a year after its due date and has never corresponded with SOG regarding the late payments.
Minister of TEATT Grisha Heyliger Marten said the government is actively working with the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) to address financial challenges, particularly in light of a recent SOG lien on its account.
While SCDF's income has been sufficient to cover operational costs, outstanding debts from previous years continue to hinder its financial stability.
Additionally, last year’s decision by the former government to grant a permit to another event competing with Carnival further compounded financial setbacks. That decision led to sponsors pulling out, canceled shows, and a decline in season pass sales, all of which negatively impacted SCDF’s revenue.
A draft agreement is in place and will be discussed in the Council of Ministers (COM) meeting tomorrow. If the Council approves the proposed solution, Carnival will proceed as planned. We remain committed to ensuring the continued success of this major cultural celebration and economic drive. Further details will be shared once the government finalizes its course of action.
The Minister of TEATT, Grisha Heyliger Marten, also confirms that SCDF has been having financial challenges over the years; she said that the foundation has its audited financial statements up to 2022.
