Carnival stakeholders applaud
Arnell’s, Gumbs’ resignations
~ Concerned about time to prepare for 40th anniversary ~
PHILIPSBURG--Carnival stakeholders’ representative Brenda Wathey says the stakeholders group is pleased about the resignation on Tuesday of Fabiana Arnell as president and Mario Gumbs as treasurer of St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF)
In an invited comment to The Daily Herald Wednesday, Wathey said the group was disappointed, however, that it had taken such a long time for the two officials to decide to resign.
She said the stakeholders had arranged for a meeting next week Tuesday evening when the group will determine its next steps in terms of preparation for Carnival 2009. She said the fact that there were fewer than five months to go for designing and producing costumes in time for Carnival was of major concern.
Also of major concern amongst the stakeholders is that in this short time it is very late for the destination to promote its 40th anniversary.
However, she said the outcome was what the stakeholders wanted and therefore they were very pleased, and if Arnell’s and Gumbs’ decision was ultimately in the best interest of St. Maarten then the group applauded their move.
Meanwhile, according to reliable sources, the Executive Council decided on Tuesday to forgo working with SCDF as a whole and to appoint a five-member team to organise Carnival and to put a proper structure in place with emphasis on sustainability and professionalism.
Leader of Government Commissioner Sarah Wescot-Williams confirmed in Wednesday’s Executive Council press briefing that issues pertaining to Carnival had been discussed in Tuesday’s Executive Council meeting. She said the details were still being discussed.
