Marlin to listen to Carnival
stakeholders’ grievances today
PHILIPSBURG--Tourism Commissioner Roy Marlin mentioned in yesterday’s Executive Council press briefing that in light of the back and forth bickering in the local media on ailments between the Carnival stakeholders and the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF), a meeting with SCDF was held yesterday and a subsequent meeting with the stakeholders will be held today.
However, he said following these meetings, he will not be “standing in front of a camera to say whether the meetings went like this or like that,” as he believes it is not conducive to resolving the issues. He said his requests to the Carnival stakeholders to have a sit down to discuss their grievances is in consideration that government on a yearly basis gives a large financial contribution to SCDF to the tune of NAf. 180,000. This he said is a large investment and government also has a vested interest in making sure Carnival continues on St. Maarten in a fashionable manner.
Furthermore, he said as Carnival is an activity that generates revenue and visitor activity to the island, as a member of government he believes it necessary to address the matter in a form of fashion where the bigger picture being an enjoyable Carnival for the people and Carnival as a continued contribution to the island development is placed in the forefront.
He said the circulation of different opinions in the local newspapers would not be the right means to resolving the issues and therefore before things really get out of hand, an intervention is necessary.
“All parties will have to put some water by the wine in order to resolve the issue at hand so we can celebrate 40 years of Carnival. If done the right way, the 40th Anniversary can be larger than ever and the economic impact of Carnival in 2009 starting with the preparations can be good for the island,” he commented.
Commissioner Laveist thanked Commissioner Marlin for intervening in the debate, mentioning that he received many letters from stakeholders pertaining to the controversy and encouraged the resolving of all grievances commenting that the “art of success is compromise.”
