Latest update April 23rd, 2024 12:59 AM
Sep 26, 2009 News
By Michael Jordan
Managing Director of Swansea Industrial Associates, Christian Duncan, is alleging that the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports still owes him over $12M for work his company did during Carifesta X a year ago.
Duncan told Kaieteur News on Thursday that the outstanding sum is for an album of 45 folk songs that the company produced with the Woodside Choir, and for a stage that Swansea purchased and set up.
Duncan alleged that when he inquired about the payment last month, officials from the Ministry said that they were unable to pay him yet, since they also owed some $50M to other participants.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Culture had paid Swansea some $20M in advance for lighting and stage gear for the August 21, 2008 opening ceremony.
According to Duncan, he had demanded that the sum be paid up-front because the Ministry had owed Swansea $13M for other services it had provided during Carifesta.
Kaieteur News was unable to reach Minister of Culture Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, yesterday for a comment.
Officials from the Ministry of Culture and the now-disbanded Carifesta Secretariat had repeatedly alleged that it is Swansea that owes the Ministry of Culture.
The officials claimed that despite being paid several million dollars in advance, Swansea failed to provide special effects for the Carifesta X opening ceremony. In a document seen by Kaieteur news, an official had demanded that Swansea reimburse the Ministry.
This newspaper was told several months ago that the issue is being dealt with in the Attorney General’s Chambers.
Sources within the Carifesta Secretariat, as well as journalists who attended the opening ceremony, had expressed disappointment with the quality of sound and lighting.
But Duncan said that he only became aware of the allegations against his company from media reports. According to the Swansea manager, no official from the Ministry has spoken or written to him on the issue.
Duncan had alleged in a report that a contract for lighting and sound systems was only signed on August 15, 2008.
This was a mere six days before the Carifesta opening ceremony at the National Stadium at Providence.
“The Carifesta Secretariat was well informed about the consequences to be expected from the late signing and payment, especially on the arrival of equipment, which had to be sourced from overseas,” the report stated.
Kaieteur News was told that Government had exceeded the $500M budget for Carifesta.
This had resulted in several performers and other participants, including the Carifesta Secretariat’s staffers, not being paid on time. A few local artistes who were not paid had picketed the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
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