"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Wednesday 28 July 2010

Update On The Uproar

I have spent some time cutting and pasting various e-mails for your perusal. They are in response to questions directed by Councillors Collins Mrakas and myself to town officials seeking information regarding circumstances surrounding the Jazz festival organised by St.Kitts Music Business.

I have successfully cut and pasted four e-mails. However,when I click on Publish, the pesky computer sends up a yellow and red notice of error with reference to HTML and other jargon I cannot comprehend or know how to deal with.

So...to heck with it. What we have learned to date is as follows:

The town did provide $2,000" shared sponsorship" to the affair without input from your elected body.

The rationale, in a nutshell, is for economic promotion of a tourist attraction.

Vendor permits have been provided to food vendors "only". Which suggests other vendors without permits .at least without payment to the town.

The Church Street School Cultural Centre have" provided" that facility, for a "black tie event" prior to the festival, . on the basis of supporting and encouraging culture.There is an admission fee of $30. but the executive director knows nothing about tickets , admissions fees and such

A crowd of three thousand people are anticipated at the Jazz Festival staged by the private business corporation of St Kitts Music , in our quite small town park.

There's the Farmers Market until one in the afternoon.

There's the Rotary Club Beer Garden.

A popular children's splash pad .

A neighborhood children's playground .

An amenity building.

A fenced off baseball field .

And another community event, which I cannot recall the name..

All going on at the same time

There is a dispute about who should provide portable toilets for children in the park. while the entrepreneur has "paid" for exclusive use of the town's permanent washrooms.

Even, having received $2 thousand " shared sponsorship' handout from the town without the authority of your elected body.

A full sponsorship costs $4,000. Obviously, it was a deal we couldn't refuse..

There is no mention of who will pay for pay duty police officers though they will obviously be required.

There was a sign on Town property advertising the Jazz Festival with an admission charge of $5.

The sign was removed and placed on private property of a member of the board of the Church Street Cultural Centre, who lives on the street and whose name also appeared as a supporter on the Mayor's web site for her last election campaign, until the other day.

The Mayor's web site now shows only a picture of the Mayor and a phone number.

Now don't worry about being confused while trying to absorb all this.information. It's not you.

It's a picture of organised mayhem.

Welcome to the Land of Mormac.




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