From left: Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunication Stuart Johnson with SCDF President Alston Lourens, board member Paula Gordon and Treasurer Michael Granger last week Thursday.
PHILIPSBURG--Plans for Carnival’s 2019 golden anniversary celebration, collaboration on marketing, and promotion of Carnival as a means of attracting visitors to the destination are amongst points discussed during a meeting between of Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunication (TEATT) Stuart Johnson and St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) last week Thursday.
During the meeting, Johnson outlined his need for a more inclusive approach to local vendors during Carnival.
SCDF outlined its plans for the 50th anniversary celebration of Carnival in 2019 and said the official promotions would begin in August this year. The advertisements will be a joint effort of St. Maarten Tourist Bureau and SCDF, along with other stakeholders and tourism partners.
Officially representing SCDF at the meeting were President Alston Lourens, Treasurer Michael Granger and board member Paula Gordon. The SCDF members gave Johnson a detailed overview of operational matters pertaining to execution of Carnival, which is St. Maarten’s most significant annual event. They also extended congratulations to Johnson on his recent appointment as Minister.
Following the meeting, Johnson said he wanted to continue working with SCDF to find ways of making it more “self-sufficient.” He said one of the concerns brought forward by SCDF was the feasibility of reverting to the policy of not allowing activities two months before or after Carnival, except for the Heineken Regatta.
Johnson said his ministry would review the reintroduction of that policy in the context of giving SCDF the opportunity to maximise its revenue-generation potential. He said, “The idea is to ensure that events scheduled annually do not conflict with Carnival, the island’s signature event.”
Johnson and SCDF also discussed the need to develop a consistent marketing plan that improves Carnival’s image and ensures cohesiveness regionally and internationally. He said, “Improvements in the level of our Carnival promotion abroad must be made, especially taking into account the fact that Jamaica’s Carnival, now in its fifth year, is also in April.”
He said he understood SCDF’s need to ensure there were no infrastructural or other constraints hindering its ability to maximise the use of the Festival Village. He noted that optimising the use of the venue in general so that it can be a positive outlet for regular events and activities would benefit small vendors and have much-needed positive economic impact.
Since the closing of Carnival 2018, Lourens had announced that SCDF plans to “go all out for Carnival’s golden anniversary.” While the 50th anniversary celebration, or “Carnival 50,” as SCDF is calling it, will last an entire month with pre-Carnival activities, the official part of Carnival 2019 will begin on April 22 with the traditional opening ceremony, and Carnival 2019 will run for two weeks ending on May 6.
Johnson referred to the United Democrats/St. Maarten Christian Party coalition’s governing programme 2018-2022 entitled “Building a Sustainable St. Maarten,” which outlines the need for more community participation in Carnival events and improving the marketing both internally and internationally. He also stressed that the governing programme underscores the importance of Carnival as a cultural and economic activity.
He said SCDF’s work, especially in preparing for the 50th anniversary celebration, is a “crucial part of getting out the message that we are still open for business.”
