By: Precious Mills
BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (JANUARY 2018) – The Chairman of the National Carnival Committee, Noah Mills, has disclosed that plans are already in motion for the 47th annual production.
He made the disclosure while speaking to Clive Bacchus of WINNFM on Tuesday this week (3rd January) during a live telephone interview.
Mills thanked all stakeholders and all others who made Sugar Mas 46 a “positive experience” and expressed “We look forward to working with you as we have already started planning for Sugar Mas 47.”
Bacchus pointed out that the reason for contacting Mills was to give him an opportunity to address some of the mixed reviews that he and the Committee has been getting from members of the public about the recently concluded Sugar Mas 46.
Asked about the argument that “too many” events put on, Mills indicated: “Well, I don’t know about too many events. I can tell you that this year, there were several additional events” as he listed events including the powder fete, Inception midnight mas, Inception Chronixx concert, glow parade and wet fete.
Mills went on to inform that a meeting is being planned by the Committee to take later this month with promoters and fringe activity organisers.
“…We have already put out a notice that out first meeting if the 30th of this month and we have invited all promoters, all current and even new fringe activity organisers to meet with us because there needs to be an increased balance , increased equilibrium, and what I mean by that- if we have a big power house entity, for lack of a better term, having four events and sometimes they conflict with the time either for a carnival activity or another fringe activity, it means that we don’t have a dynamic carnival.”
He hinted that the Soca Monarch Competition could be privatized.
“ We need to make sure that all investors once they invest their resources in our activities at minimum, they should break even so we welcome more private events, we welcome more fringe activity organisers and who knows maybe one of the models will be- as suggested- is that a private entity will consider accepting, for example, the Soca Monarch Competition.”
He added: “In Trinidad, it’s a privately organised event. So, the more investors, the more organisers, once it’s strategically planned, once it’s well-balanced and once everyone, so to speak metaphorically, is playing on the same playing field, same set of rules think carnival can only grow and be bigger and better from year to year.”
Following the question put to him: “Have you micromanaged Mr. Mills?” the Carnival Chairman replied: “Micromanaged? That’s the farthest thing.”
He continued: “You know what’s interesting? I have committees. I hear this all the time. We have committees with persons with Bachelor’s Degree., lawyers, Master’s Degree , people working on PhDs and are you telling me that these experienced intelligent people works with such a powerful leaders that he tells them how to dress, what to do, what to eat and what to wear to work? Of course not!”
Mills described the committees as being independent.
He exampled the pageant committee as being “autonomous” noting that the team develops its own budgets and contracts as well as hires its own bands among other areas and, as gathered, is given the necessary support during and after the planning and preparation stage.
In his conclusion to the question, he alluded to the committee members investing their time into the Carnival product saying “we all volunteers.”
Mills continues to be widely bashed by members of the public regarding the perceived perception of his leadership style and capabilities.
Rumours had been buzzing that someone else was expected to take on the chairman role for Sugar Mas 47 as was speculated for Sugar Mas 46 as well.