RAL NEWS – Even after making appeals for payment these past five years, one Carnival service provider says he is yet to receive compensation from the Browne Administration.
This is the situation faced by well-known Mas’ builder Alister Thomas, even as the Cabinet claims that payment to winners and other participants has been budgeted.
Last week, the Cabinet Notes reported that “every effort is being made to complete those payments on the night of the events.”
The Executive added that other invoices, from other providers, are also being worked on, so the late payments that have plagued previous Carnivals can be avoided this year.
However, Thomas says the minister with responsibility for the festival – along with his political opponent, Prime Minister Gaston Browne – has refused to pay him the more than $50,000 he is owed.
Thomas explains that a significant portion of the arrears was for personal funds he expended – ahead of the Government giving its small stipend – to ensure that several schools had costumes to take part in the festival.
The veteran Mas’ builder says he is appalled at the conduct of the minister in refusing to pay what he is rightfully owed.
And he notes that, for all the decades he has been involved in Carnival, he, Thomas, has never brought politics to the front.
Children’s Carnival was held on Sunday, July 30, and Thomas, under normal circumstances, would have designed costumes for a number of schools to take part.
He is also the designer of Ali and Associates, which has won many awards and honours for costume design.
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Pay the man his monies owed Carnival/Festival Office.Do not bring your politics in this matter.
I think Thomas should be paying Social Security for the many years of having his mass-camp occupying the old Finance Building on Highstreet. He never paid a cent. Not even in electricity that he consumed.
From the Endlines: Have you received anything from this Administration for Freebs? Do you care to tell us. What you did get and still getting to this day.It would appear that you believed you are the only one entitled.In my opinion,you are a selfish and a greedy person.Is that GOAT still trying to jump back into that garden?
Does the truth hurts, that you cannot respond to the content of my comment.
What a shame. That is all you guys can do. Personal attacks.
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