The last couple of columns looked at Carnival economics and concluded it looks like a scam, a massive feeding trough for political/cultural hogs. That conclusion was data-based–a parliamentary report on the NCC, government sources, and a basic knowledge of economics and cultural economy. But other, alternative facts and conclusions are out there. Calypsonian De Fosto was on CNC3’s Morning Brew show on Monday, presenting many of them. He believes Carnival generates about $2 billion. And “somebody” told him it was closer to $10 billion, and he wants his share. (The clip is here https://youtu.be/DK7Kt4gzNpY.)
De Fosto’s song, of which a snippet was played on the Morning Brew, said, in essence: “Don’t treat we so. We want we money!” It’s logical if calypsonians, steelbandsmen, NCBA, TUCO, believe they generate billions of dollars, to want their share of it. Incidentally, the Minister of Tourism believes Carnival generated $350 million last year (though she provided no data on how that number was derived). De Fosto’s logic would be sound even if this lower number were true: a $350 million return for a $250 million investment is great. If it were true.
This (notion of Carnival profit generation) is relatively new. Carnival economics has always been a polite way of saying “State handout”. In newspapers and studies of Carnival prior to, say, 1990, you’d be hard pressed to find any notion that Carnival was a money maker. To take a random year, 1984. The Guardian’s editorial on February 16, reported a dropoff in the hotel bookings that year, and floated the idea that “if tourism is to be developed…Carnival must play an important role.” It also asked whether or not the drop-off in tourist arrivals might not have been a result of the “horrors” suffered by visitors the previous year.
In the same year, Pan Trinbago decided to refrain from asking the Ministry of Culture for more money because of the economic situation. In the 1960s, the government made itself the godfather of the steelband movement, and tried to strong-arm the business community into supporting bands.
Replies
Who spend money at carnival time? the average citizen, banks even lend people money to play mas and have a good time.
Now lets see who make money from carnival, banks, hotels, Fernandez, Angostura, Carib, Stag, tobacco companies and others, the government get a cut from all man.
I would have to say that carnival has become a scam to take money from it's people and line the pockets of big business, leaving people to wake-up Ash Wednesday hung-over, tired, broke and in debt.