Dupersoy said they have kept their doors open to those stakeholders who are still willing to work with them. He said the SCDF offered the stakeholders certain nights but they refused those nights claiming they would not accept what is given to them instead they want the nights they are accustomed of having. "Since the stakeholders are not willing to work with us we as a board has been making contacts will people on a daily basis to make sure carnival goes on, however, we still have to wait on the responses." Dupersoy said.
He said that some of these stakeholders (promoters) did not make their official request to have the nights they want while other persons who are interested have already registered. One such person is Francois Hunt (Cuchi) who has been organizing Latin nights for the past 13 years consecutively did not make his official request, even though the former president Fabiana Arnell contacted him by phone and asked him to send her a letter. Dupersoy said to date the SCDF did not receive a request from Hunt and in their minds he does not intend to organize Latin night for next year's carnival. Dupersoy said he is not in a position to kick out one local for another and he simply has to go along with the registration list. He further explained that to date Hunt did not register which would qualify him for the night in case the first person in line dropped out.
In the meantime, President of the SCDF Kendal Dupersoy said only yesterday he got yet another confirmation of support from government.
In an invited comment Hunt said he did receive a call from Arnell and he indicated to her he was going to take the night he normally takes which is the 29th of April. Hunt also admitted that Arnell asked him to send in an official letter which he did not do. Asked to further explain why he did not make his official request Hunt said he actually never did make such request over the past years. He further explained over the years he would receive a phone call and as long as he agrees on the night he is given then it is a done deal. He said he already made arrangements as late as February and never had problems. "What is happening today is the SCDF is using ways and means to punish us because we protested the unfair treatment." Hunt said.
He said he has emails and other proof to show where he did not make the official request in the past and he was not affected. Furthermore, the SCDF does not have a deadline date for the registration Hunt said.
Hunt further explained that since he was part of the group of stakeholders who were protesting he could have made the official request when in fact he did not know who would have been the organizers of carnival.
He said when the stakeholders met with commissioner Louie Laveist to discuss their grievance the commissioner guaranteed them that the SCDF would not be the ones to organize carnival instead the executive council has decided to have a task force in place to organize the 40th anniversary of carnival.
Hunt said it is not only Laveist who gave them that assurance but commissioner Roy Marlin basically told them that even though the island government is not in a position to send home the board of SCDF they would give their support to those that government see fit of properly organizing the event. According to Hunt Commissioner Marlin told them that festival village belongs to the island government and government is the one who are funding the organizing of carnival and since that is the case they can throw their support wherever possible. He said the commissioner also assured them that the SCDF would not be getting Festival Village neither the funding, since they would be having the task force in place to organize next year's carnival.
Giving explanations as to the reasons he decided to join with the stakeholders to protest what they the promoters were going through was because there were a number of pressing issues that had to be ironed out if they are to continue with carnival. Hunt said promoters like himself have to pay the SCDF $16,000 for one night and they also have to give the SCDF 100 tickets which are distributed to the people that are chosen by the SCDF. He said that the SCDF also prints tickets and distribute them and the promoters have no idea as to how many tickets are printed. "If one rents a house they should at least know who is inside that house and there has to be some level of transparency". Hunt said outside of the ticketing the SCDF also makes passes and they don't know how many people are given these passes.
The businessman said there are times when he would see the village full and he would think he did well but when the monies are counted up it's a different ball game.
Another concern for Hunt is the SCDF board has an attitude of take it or leave it when it comes to their rules which he believed had to be addressed. He said they did not intend to participate in carnival unless the SCDF removed 100 complimentary tickets from the bargaining table since they the promoters need to have some sort of control on the amount of people going through the gate.
Asked if he is one who developed Latin night to what it is and if the SCDF was involved in helping him. Hunt said the SCDF did Latin night once before it was given to him and it was poorly organized. He said he invested his time and monies in promoting Latin night as well as bringing in some of the most known Latin Artists to the island for the Aruban and Curcaolean people to enjoy while here.
He further explained that Don Hughes another promoter has the same problems and he too never made the official request.
Hunt explained during the meeting of Tuesday night they ask Dupersoy who are persons that got the nights and they were told that the SCDF is not willing to divulge that information, yet still they want the stakeholders to work together. "How can I work with someone whom I don't know? What if this person's owes taxes and has a problematic record? Hunts asked. He said that Dupersoy told him they did not sign contracts with anyone as yet so he simply cannot understand their reasoning. The businessman and promoter said he wants to know what criteria the SCDF is using to grant these nights to the new promoters.
