President of the outgoing Statia Carnival Committee Teena Lopes (centre) with outgoing Carnival Committee members and members of Royalty Organization EUX waving at the closing of Carnival 2019 on stage at Carnival City on Monday evening.
- EUSTATIUS–President of the outgoing Statia Carnival Committee Teena Lopes stated at the closing of Carnival 2019 on Monday night that this was the last year the committee has organized Carnival event. Lopes then extended her committee’s endorsement to Royalty Organization EUX to organize Carnival 2020.
Lopes said Royalty will take the lead for the 2020 Carnival season. “For the next three months we will be assisting in handing over everything that Royalty needs to make sure that the 2020 Carnival is a success. So, you do not have to wonder, you will have a new Carnival Committee.”
She said the outgoing Carnival Committee will be on air on the local radio station today, Thursday, to share some information with the public. She extended her congratulations to Royalty Organization EUX, followed by loud cheers from the audience in Carnival City.
The Daily Herald was contacted later by Winston Fleming of Musical Foundation announcing that the Carnival Committee for 2020 would be announced by Musical Foundation, Carnival Foundation and Statia Lions Club.
Asked on Wednesday about the apparent disagreement concerning who has the authority to choose the committee to organize next year’s Carnival celebrations, Government Commissioner Marcolino “Mike” Franco said Lopes had stated to him in a previous conversation that the outgoing Carnival Committee would cease organizing Carnival after this year.
He said the public entity St. Eustatius would like to meet with anyone interested in taking over the organizing of Statia Carnival 2020.
“We can make agreements on what they would have to comply with and how the government is going to give subsidy next year so that the future committee knows how much they are going to get from the government in advance, and also so they know what they should have in place for the whole Carnival season next year,” Franco said.
He said he had been informed that the outgoing Carnival Committee had endorsed Royalty as the potential organizer of Statia Carnival 2020. He said this could be done, but added that the arrangement needs to be formalized so that government knows who will take over.
“If Miss Lopes is going to help the new organization, this is most welcome because she has a lot of experience, but we would like to sit down with a new organization and make a draft of what we expect from them and what we can support them with,” he said.
Franco said all future committees need to present all pertinent information to the government before October.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/89639-royalty-organization-eux-endorsed-for-carnival-2020
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