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.
