Got a call from the Nation newspaper inviting me to contribute an article for their Barbados Business Authority. You know that is like the financial business edition of the Nation news so I was quite thrilled.

A young lady with the eatable name of Carmel invited me to write on the topic “Should Government Step out of Crop Over Entirely”. Well I am well versed on that issue so I readily said yes. Wrote my first draft and submitted it and some edits were done and the article passed back to me.

Out were my mentions of “puking” and utterances of “rats ass “and my suggested title “Festival Events Bureau My Ass!” was deleted. Also apparently calling some one a “nasty stinking liar” is frowned on in the Business Authority. I was quite disgusted, how ever with a little help from my assistant Keisha, I managed to put something together.

Despite the fact it does not come up to the usual Boyce voice standard I am posting article here for your perusal, insert any colourful language you might deem necessary…

Question of whether Government should step out of Crop Over completely.

It is evidenced that our national festival has the capability to generate over 50 million dollars in revenue. Crop Over, as it is referred to, serves as a principal revenue generator for a host of businesses including but not limited to hotels, restaurants, car rentals, beverage manufacturers, souvenir and craft shops, etc. Notwithstanding the Christmas period, Crop Over can be called one of the island’s largest booming periods. Well executed, quality events serve to create the necessary ambiance which allows these non entertainment industries to thrive.

The part Crop Over plays in boosting tourism and generating revenue and foreign exchange cannot be over looked. I therefore believe that the Government of Barbados should not seek to totally remove itself from the operations of such an important festival. Government should however endeavor to act as a facilitator in the development of private enterprises that are capable of efficiently organizing and executing quality events.

Government totally removing it self from a festival which has become so crucial to our economy is folly. Of course for the Government to remain a major player in the same industry is also folly.

Instead of being a participant and competitor in Crop Over Government needs to present itself as the catalyst for growth and expansion within the various industries and provide appropriate mediums for these players to attain such.

The problems which have been created by the Government in its management of Crop Over resulted when the foundation which was originally instituted with a mandate to develop culture – the National Cultural Foundation, deviated from its mandate and instead embarked on revenue and profit generation as its primary functions. The government continually reduced funding to the NCF forcing it to prey on the same industries it was suppose to be developing.

Cultural industries have been suffering under an under subsidized NCF which then attempted to extract every drip of profit from the cultural industries it was to be developing.

Examples of Government efficiently facilitating private enterprise is evidenced in other terrorties. In Trinidad the government provides a grant to private promoters to stage some of its major entertainment events which serve to enhance their national carnival product.

The bureaucratic bungling which has characterized the Government’s involvement in staging cultural events is another reason they should look to reduce their involvement. Government has also proven itself incapable of effectively managing certain events which could be better organized by private entities

Some years ago Government allowed a private company to stage Cohoblopot which saw that event reach peak attendance levels. The performance of that event changed for the worst throughout the years as Government resumed control of that event.

So the government’s answer of removing the NCF and instead installing a Festival Events Bureau who now even more have revenue generation as its number one priority is not the answer. Government needs to remain involved but should embark on policies that truly benefit cultural industries instead of looking to institute an entity which is designed to generate revenue for itself at the expense of cultural industries.”

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 11th, 2007 at 7:18 am and is filed under Crop Over 2007, NCF . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.