Pond Island:--- TelEm Group management and staff have been highly praised for the company’s continued support of Carnival on St. Maarten and for helping to promote the island’s culture both of the island and overseas.
The praise came during a press conference at the TelEm Group main building Thursday afternoon to announce the start of ticket sales for Carnival’s flagship event, TelCell Night of the Hit Makers.
According to show promoter, Bertaux “Mr. Rude” Fleming, of Xtratight Entertainment, this is the 7th year that his company will be teaming up with TelCell to bring some unforgettable performances to the Carnival stage on April 26, during the 50th anniversary celebrations of St. Maarten Carnival. Including in that celebration and part of the list of performing artistes will be St. Maarten’s own popular band, Youth Waves.
“We continue with Night of the Hit Makers each year because we are driven by our fans, but we could not do it without partners such as TelCell who has been with us from the outset and also with the support of the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) who have branded us the flagship event for carnival,” said Mr. Rude.
The show promoter thanks not only the TelEm Group management, but also the staff of TelCell and TelEm Group customers, who have been unwavering in their support over the years. “Mr. Rude” is already seeing evidence that the team are on board once again this year to ensure the partnership between TelCell and Xtratight Entertainment continues to bear fruit for Carnival, for music fans and also for St. Maarten itself.
Also full of praise for TelEm Group and CEO, Mr. Kendall Dupersoy, was President of the SCDF, Mr. Alston Laurens, who especially thanked the company for its support last year when, despite the passage of Hurricane Irma some months earlier, continued to provide financial and promotional support for the event.
“Thanks to TelCell and others, Carnival people came back to the island without knowing what they were coming to and gave their support also. Without holding carnival then, it would be hard to put on carnival again this year,” continued the SCDF president.
Mr. Laurens considers the relationship between TelCell, the SCDF and Xtratight Entertainment as, “one of partnership rather than sponsorship”.
“Kudos to TelCell for all that they have done over the years and what they continue to do,” said the SCDF president.
TelEm Group CEO, Mr. Kendall Dupersoy, said it continues to be an honor for St. Maarten’s telecommunication provider to give back to its customers and the St. Maarten community in general, by being a main sponsor of the premier carnival event.
“I want to thank “Mr. Rude” for assisting with this part of our give back to the community by being part of his Night of the Hit Makers event. It is a popular event that carnival lovers and music fans look forward to and we are very happy to be associated with this fun part of carnival,” said the TelEm Group CEO.
Mr. Dupersoy said members of the public can expect to see a major presence of TelEm Group in carnival for the historic 50th anniversary of carnival, both in the carnival parades and also through various promotions that will be carried out throughout the carnival season.
One early promotion announced Thursday will be a package of 5Gigs of data and 50 Minutes of Voice (TelCell to TelCell) with the purchase of a $35 ticket for the Night of the Hit Makers event, when those tickets go on sale Monday.
Mr. Dupersoy has also announced that TelEm Group will be upping the amount bandwidth piped into the festival Village during carnival to accommodate the huge number of customers who will be able to send live pictures and video of the event as it’s taking place. He said bandwidth was increased 10-fold to the Festival Village two years ago so that customers could be more connected during carnival itself.
In fact, the TelEm Group Chief, reminded Thursday’s gathering that the press conference was being aired live on Social Media, via mobile devices, so that persons not only on St. Maarten, but all over the world, could get a taste of what will be coming this year during carnival, and especially what Night of the Hit Makers has to offer.
In that regard, promoter, “Mr. Rude” said a long-held dream will be realized this year when he brings the internationally renowned Zouk band, Kassav, to the Festival Village stage along with Aruba dance band Bularia, Edwin Yearwood & Krosfyah and Youth Waves from St. Maarten.
The Promoter says a limited range of tickets for TelCell Night of the Hit Makers has already been sold to fans who have taken advantage of Xtratight’s “Early Bird Special” for $30. He said starting Monday, the price of tickets go up by $5 to $35 with another limited number of tickets available until they also are sold out. From then, other promotions will be announced, including special limited number ticket sales during limited hours that will also be announced at a later date.
More details of the TelCell Night of the Hit Makers event and the various promotions being run by TelCell and TelEm Group will be announced in the coming days and weeks.
