Boycott of next year’s Carnival if
SCDF board does not step down
~ Troupe and band leaders walk out on SCDF evaluation meeting ~
PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) was shocked when members of the newly formed St. Maarten Troupe Leaders Association walked out of last night’s troupe and band leaders meeting and presented a letter mentioning a boycott of next year’s Carnival if the current board does not step down.
All troupe leaders dressed in the same “We Love de Carnival” T-shirts, when given the floor by SCDF to offer an evaluation of this year’s Carnival, opted to introduce the association, followed by a walkout by all the leaders except one. The band leaders followed suit, everyone rising to their feet, leaving Dr. A.C. Wathey Legislative Hall to gather in front of the Government Administration Building for further discussion with the press.
The St. Maarten Troupe Leaders Association led by Lydia Charles consists of all Junior and Senior Troupe Leaders, with the exception of Imperial Foundation. Although SCDF was only made aware of the association’s existence two days ago via an e-mail requesting the agenda for last night’s meeting, the association was formed three weeks after Carnival had ended.
The association’s letter addressed to SCDF stated, “In light of what transpired during the 2008 Carnival festivities in general and in light of the issues experienced by the troupe leaders in particular, it was decided that an association would be formed in order to formally address our concerns with the board of St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation and ‘the powers that be.’”
According to SCDF, although this association cannot be recognised as a legal association as it is not yet notarised, SCDF still responded to the e-mail. The formation of this individual association comes as a complete shock to SCDF and it has yet to determine how to respond to its demand.
According to the letter, the troupe leaders have identified the problem with SCDF as a lack of respect from the foundation. The troupe leaders consider themselves to be “a major, if not the major contributor” to St. Maarten’s Carnival product, yet they believe they do not receive the level of consideration and/or cooperation from SCDF they believe they deserve.
The Troupe Leaders Association stated that its members believed they were consistently met with opposition, rules that made no sense, requests for information that was never used, incompetent judging, unclear judging criteria and blatant disrespect.
As stated in the letter by the association, “We have over the course of the last few years seen our Carnival go through many changes, some of them beneficial and others extremely detrimental and going against the very purpose of having a cultural festivity of its kind.
“The changes that are being brought about by the current committee are in some cases nonsensical and work simply to frustrate the efforts of participants. The fear is that, given the current leadership, this will only serve to further destroy any participation in next year’s 40th Anniversary festivities, thereby making our Anniversary celebration a complete failure.”
Thus far all bands that participate in Carnival annually have joined in the threat of a boycott if the current SCDF board does not step down. The band leaders will be forming their own association shortly and, like the troupe leaders, have signed and will present a petition to SCDF supporting the demand that the current board step down.
The troupe and band leaders are very serious and determined in their mission, even printing T-shirts for their cause. These T-shirts were designed by calypsonian Fernando “Cat” Thewet and bear the title of his song “We Love de Carnival.”
A meeting for all calypsonians, local artists and performers who participated in this year’s Carnival is scheduled at the Government Administration Building for tonight. Another walkout maybe expected, as the Troupe and Band Leaders Associations intend to come out in support.
