National Carnival Chairman in an interview with WINN Fm’s LK Hewlett says there appears to be a concerted effort by some individuals and media entities to mash up carnival. The controversial carnival chairman said that certain radio stations and individuals are spreading propaganda designed to turn off persons from coming to St Kitts for Sugar Mas 45 and affect the overall carnival product negatively. Mills highlighted issues relating to airplay for artistes, funding for tents and increase in vendor feed as of particular concern to him.
Mills denied not sending carnival releases and ads to any radio station.
“We must understand that carnival belongs to all of us and in the event that this is achieved, persons, be it visitors, returning nationals or locals and residents living on the island wish to participate fully in carnival may, for lack of a better word, be turned off. And that could very well, according to what persons have been telling me, be the motive.”
“For example there are several conversations on a regular basis on various media houses that are actually falsities. For example, in recent times I would have heard that there will be no calypso tents; that was the first thing that was easily debunked because the first one is this Friday (Nov 4), that is the Legends tent.
“The second myth, the second rumor, the second bit of propaganda that has been debunked, is that carnival has disassociated itself from all tents. As I explained, we will be fully funding some and subsidizing others. The second area is that the price of vending has increased; again that is not so. The prices have not increased over last year; the prices will remain the same for the same product or services that any vendor is buying.
“For example I have heard certain hosts myself saying the carnival committee does not send any business or any news item to that particular outlet and that is absurd and that is inaccurate.”
In a telephone call to Freedom Fm’s talk show “Issues”, Mills said he did not know why no Carnival information had reached Freedom Fm radio station but that they were sent. When asked by Freedom Fm owner Juni Liburd, if he had given instructions not to send Carnival material to the station, Mills denied saying all stations should have received it. When asked why radio advertisements had stopped coming to Freedom Fm because soca artistes were given a platform to ventilate their issues during Carnival 2015-16, Mills said he had no idea and was not aware of it. Mills then promised greater transparency and efficiency in dealing with these matters.
Host Maurice Ek Flanders then asked Mills about his tenure as Carnival Chairman and if he cared to inform the public about that, Mills seemingly dodged that issue speaking more specifically about the formation and work ethic of sub committees.
In October Maurice EK Flanders on the popular talk show Issues indicated that neither Freedom Fm or Kyss Fm were receiving carnival press releases or ads.
However, following the appearance of the deputy pm and minister of Culture with responsibility for carnival the Honourable K Shawn Richard on Issues on October 27th on Freedom Fm received a backdated letter from chairman Mills to submit a quotation for carnival coverage.
Meanwhile Kyss Fm’s owner AU Brown on his Friday edition of “What’s Hot” took chairman Mills to task for addicting responsibility for carnival by blaming the media. Brown says the focus of Mills should be on making the 2016-2016 Carnival successful. Insert here. Freedom Fm continues to be the foremost and prominent radio station, where local soca and calypso artistes continue to launch their Sugar Mas 45 Music.