Straughn: An investment in creative sector

Government is defending a staggering overrun of an originally approved $4 million for CARIFESTA XV to an additional $31.7 million revealed in the House of Assembly on Wednesday night.

The figure led to a verbal battle over the airwaves between Democratic Labour Party member Corey Greenidge, who sounded the alarm, and Minister of Finance Ryan Straughn yesterday during Starcom Network’s Brass Tacks radio call-in programme.

Greenidge’s demand

Greenidge’s call on Government to give account for the figures came months after journalists had sought to get the full cost of the regional event staged last August 22 to 31.

Straughn said CARIFESTA had almost 5 600 creative participants in 11 disciplines that included 1 185 musicians across 79 events. In addition, there were 565 youth contributors, performers, facilitators and entrepreneurs.

In addition, said the minister, there were 350 visual artists and muralists, 450 film-makers and actors in 115 screenings, 150 dancers and choreographers, 108 culinary delegates, 250 fashion designers, stylists, models as well as 180 literary artists and poets. “I can go on with the list but in addition to those things that were required as Barbadians visited CARIFESTA Village and the host of other locations, there was a temporary staff of workers, about 2 700, which really were the people who were ensuring that those things happen,” Straughn said. He listed 276 technical service providers, 450 volunteers, just over 150 drivers, along with “various other support staff” and 303 newly-trained apprentices who, he said, were part of the Government’s investment in local culture.

“What I’m just saying to the country is that CARIFESTA in and of itself was an investment in how we are going to help ensure that our creative sector can be sustained. So, you would appreciate that the event in and of itself, there were multiple things happening at the same time, which meant that you needed to stand up the capability of us being able to do that,” Straughn said.

There were almost 100 000 people attending CARIFESTA, he revealed.

Straughn added that if Barbadians were to be successful in hosting events, then they must have the capability and personnel to successfully do so and attracting international events also meant investments.

In response to moderator David Ellis’ question on why so little was budgeted considering all the elements he listed, the Minister of Finance responded: “So, you would appreciate that, as I tried to explain, we try to advance monies to be able to keep things going in the course of the year.

“So, every year, at the end of March, and let me just say for the benefit of people, we will go back to the House on Tuesday, the last day of the financial year, which is something that we have done at the end of every year, to ensure that the things that we can advance from this year, that we get that started.”

Questioned on whether the millions included capital works for the CARIFESTA Village and the structure for the National Performing Arts Centre at Newton, Christ Church, Straughn said “no”.

“In the same supplementary that we did on Wednesday, the BTI (Barbados Tourism Investment Inc.) would have . . . because that would have been funded from a swap that we did for cultural industries, by CAF [Development Bank], to be able to ensure that we can execute that. So, in the supplementary we advanced the money through capital, and those monies were allocated under BTI to be able to execute those projects.”

In relation to the amount of money spent on the capital investment, Straughn said the just over $100 million transferred to the BTI covered not just the Newton and CARIFESTA Village projects, but the one in the National Botanical Gardens and “a few other areas”.

“So, just to be clear, these were not investments for CARIFESTA,” the minister said.

Govt congratulated

Greenidge congratulated the Government on hosting CARIFESTA but challenged Straughn’s assertion that there was not a budgetary process, considering there was a $4 million figure. He added it appeared as though when he presented last year’s March 5 Budget, he “simply put ‘a preparatory figure’” to prepare for CARIFESTA.

“Therefore, the Government had no idea what it was actually going to cost, and that you only were able to allocate money as the year went on . . . . You had to then allocate money, obviously, as the resolution suggests, from other areas from central Government in order to meet the expenses.

“What I’m hearing from you is that there really was no budget then for CARIFESTA, and that you just went through and spent money, and only now at the end of this financial year [you] have to come back to Parliament to get approval for money that was already spent,” Greenidge said in response to Straughn’s statement. ( AC)

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