Opposition questions
govt’s motives, manner
of Summerfest contribution
PHILIPSBURG--Opposition parties National Alliance (NA) and People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) questioned government’s contribution to Summerfest 2005, during Monday’s Island Council meeting, and wanted to know why other organisations had been denied similar financial assistance. St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) was used as an example.
NA Councilman Frans Richardson, who “opened” the meeting requested by his faction, wanted government to explain why it had contributed “nearly three quarters of a million” to an event. “Why so much for so little? Where is the balance, the policy and the consistency of funding?” He stressed the importance of a “proven track record” before receiving financial support from government and suggested a policy was vital.
He questioned why other organisations that also knocked on government’s door for assistance were given no for an answer. While he said he could understand government’s intentions to promote entertainment tourism, he noted that subsidy for the major cultural event Carnival had been reduced over the years, while that event had a “track record” of more than 35 years, attracting “thousands of visitors.”
According to Frans Richardson, the contribution to St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) went down from NAf. 70,000 in 2001 to NAf. 50,000 in 2004. He said there were even outstanding amounts that government hadn’t paid to SCDF. He mentioned an amount of NAf. 240,000 that was still owed to SCDF. “We need to treat everyone equally,” he said.
Frans Richardson said that an event like the Little League tournament, which attracted “many more people,” had received financial assistance of “not even 20 per cent” of the amount that Summerfest received. He said victims of the July 30 flooding hadn’t been helped yet.
“We want to know if this government is serious. Where is the speed to help the small man? Yet this government moved swiftly to give to Summerfest,” he stated. He said the intention was not to point fingers or mention names, but simply to pose questions that people had been asking as well.
NA Councilman Hyacinth Richardson mentioned another organisation that had requested funding for a similar cultural festival in the summer of 2000: For a Brighter Tomorrow. “They didn’t get one dime, because government apparently told them there was no money.” He requested Summerfest’s financial reports, which Commissioner Heyliger handed over to the Island Council later in the meeting.
PPA Councilwoman Gracita Arrindell accused government of preferential treatment. “Everyone has a right to do business with government, whether they are the son or daughter of the leader of government or not,” she said, adding that there were “many other needy” organisations that carried out community work.
Arrindell spoke of a “conflict of interest” and the need for additional transparency, as one of the recipients of the Summerfest contribution was the son of Commissioner Sarah Wescott-Williams. She called Summerfest a “good initiative,” but criticised government for not paying SCDF the entire subsidy for three years. She wanted to know how much SCDF had received from 2003 to 2005.
NA Councilman William Marlin made clear that his faction supported any organisation that promoted tourism and that government should also support these initiatives. But, he added, funding should not be based on “bias, favouritism,” but on “objectivity, a sound financial decision and a policy.”
Marlin asked for clarity on the exact amounts paid to Summerfest, and on what basis government had paid them, as well as the financial figures of the organisation and its business and marketing plan. He said events like the Heineken Regatta were also “good tools” to promote the island.
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