Opposition leader Allen Chastanet is promoting increased investments in Carnival over the Jazz Festival, declaring that his former administration implemented a policy prioritising such investments.
“This policy was based on the fact that Carnival benefits more of our local musicians and creatives than the Jazz Festival ever will. This is a policy that I firmly stand by and will always defend,” the former Prime Minister wrote Saturday on Facebook.
And at a news conference on Wednesday, the former Tourism Minister declared that he was ‘all for Jazz’.
“But the truth is, to spend fourteen million dollars on a weekend, or even if you want to make it two weekends makes no sense and in particular when that money is not being used to promote our local artists,” the Micoud South MP stated.
Chastanet called attention to what he said was taking place in Dennery.
“Who started Dennery Carnival? Dennery Segment groups. And today, for cheap politics, the groups are being marginalised and are being told that they have to run their Carnival through the Town Council,” the United Workers Party leader told the news conference.
“The United Workers Party said the largest festival needs to be Carnival because it is our art form,” Chastanet stated.
Headline photo (Stock image)
Awah e with da man name Chas!
This guy is an enigma. Not even his brain can fathom what his mouth spews.
Chastanet is such an opportunist and a conflicted man. His priority is not absolute. The SLP-led government also has its priority and doesn’t have to complement King Chastanet’s. Chastanet never supported Dennery Segment music. He once said musicians should learn to read and write music before he can endorse a government-sponsored music studio. Chastanet says whatever he thinks will give him an upper hand with the St. Lucian populace but doesn’t give a damn about their existence. Beware of Chastanet!
Heeeee I can see his strategy, voter appeal, and cross over dynamics heeeee nice try but no cigar……hey Allen when are you going back to the garrison in VF ha hahaha.
Looking for browning points amongst the youths? Look man, I am one of the youths who don’t like Carnival, you will say anything for clout. Most of the youths you are trying to impress don’t work and will be too drunk to go vote anyway.
We can do both to give island a global appeal, while stimulating the national economy. We need to attract tourists.
This comment by the opposition leader about the amount of monies that was allocated for the 2023 Jazz festival should not be taken lightly… after realizing how much complimentary tickets was dish out, we the natives should really be weighing up on such.
Moreover carnival is a cultural event which promotes & benefits the locals through & through. With a bit if emphasis on the pros & cons, I believe that the present administration should carefully give a listening ear to the advice of the present opposition leader.
Enough said! We the commenters need to read through statements before giving opinions.
Far more important things to spend money on than Carnival. How does that help all the negative energy flowing through this little island; homicides daily, burning houses and vehichles, drownings – something deeply wrong here, and no Jazz or Carnival gonna fix it. Start doing something positive both people and politicians and stop all ya fightin NOW!
The hack-a-lacs are deliberately missing the point as usual.
Give them red poison and they will drink it. They don’t want to listen. They don’t care. Once pjp is in office they good. They ain’t care if country go broke or if they go to bed hungry.
Stinger stop rimming Allen Chastanet it’s disgusting
Slly you were one of those who the country wasn’t broke for when your Massa Allen Chastanet said the county broke, we have no money! in October 2020
Personally, I think St Lucians are too out of hand and we need less bacchannal oriented entertainment. We need plays on stage telling a story, theatre, dance groups from various cultures. We need wholesome and classy entertainment. Not more carnival, rum and doing all kinds of stuff. The caribbean people are number 1 in the UK for sexually transmitted infections. The rate of STD for the Caribbean in England is higher than that of Africa, India, England and all other groups. In other words, we top the charts. This tells us a lot about our behaviours in the caribbean, both men and women. Africans tend to partner up in a marriage and have more conservative relationships like a steady partner outside rather than jump everywhere. At least this may be the case for the more educated Africans that tend to migrate to the UK. We need to get our act together on this side of the world. It is shameful that we fail to change our behaviours anywhere and everywhere we go. Please check the report on the DAILY MAIL on STI and caribbean people. This is a serious wake-up call for all of us.