Large following for Spicemas 2011

Large following for Spicemas 2011

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Details: Parent Category: Nov 2011; Category: Week ending Nov 05th, 2011; Hits: 878

Grenada’s main cultural activity, Carnival continues to have a large following of visitors.

Addressing a prize-giving ceremony at the Grenada National Stadium last week Monday to reward the top winners of Spicemas 2011, Tourism and Culture Minister, Peter David disclosed that over ten thousand persons visited Grenada to enjoy the carnival.

Minister David said the influx of visitors was primarily due to the work done by the stakeholders.

The Tourism and Culture Minister recognized that with Carnival being the country’s biggest annual festival, it is the one that attracts several thousands of persons to come to Grenada.

He spoke of Trinidad and Tobago once again being a major market source for Caribbean nationals visiting Grenada to experience the Carnival festival.

Minister David noted that despite the industrial problem with LIAT, days before the event was held, the island got a boost when the Trinidad-based Caribbean Airlines decided to put on additional flights for the carnival season.

“I say that simple to thank you, the participants in this year’s carnival for the contributions you are making, not just for carnival, but the development of Grenada,” he said.

The senior government minister made mention of the decision of the Tillman Thomas-led Government to conduct an economic impact assessment that is being sponsored by the European Union.

This, he said is being done to enable government to get a clear indication of the economic importance of carnival to the island.

Minister David said that government wanted to ensure that the money that is pumped into carnival must be seen as an investment into the country’s major festival.

“An investment in carnival is an investment in Grenada,” he quipped.

The organisation of Grenada’s Carnival will now be placed into the hands of the Spicemas Corporation that is expected to be launched soon.

Outgoing Chairman of the Grenada Carnival Committee (GCC) Colin Dowe who is tipped to become the Chairman of the Spicemas Corporation also spoke at the ceremony and underscored the importance of having both the private and public sectors involved in the development of Spicemas.

Dowe said that statistics from the Grenada Board of Tourism of which he is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors revealed that for the very first time, over eight thousand persons specifically indicated that their reason for being in Grenada during the month of August was for the festivals that include Carriacou Regatta, Rainbow City, and Carnival.

“This is a landmark. This demonstrates that the efforts that were put in by the Grenada Board of Tourism, the Ministry of Culture and the GCC bore fruit,” he remarked.

According to Dowe, prior to this year there has never been ten thousand persons visiting Grenada, and as many as eight thousand persons indicating that they were here for the August Festivals.

But while both Dowe and Minister David expressed satisfaction with the large number of visitors for Spicemas, the GCC Chairman had some reservations about the financial gains that were materialised.

He said it was a very difficult financial year for his committee.

“We all feel it personally in our own pockets and the challenges we face in our own existence. Likewise, the Government of Grenada feels similar challenges, likewise, our sponsors have felt similar challenges, and in so doing it was an extremely difficult year where my committee and I (were) asked to put on a carnival, some $2.3 million investment... and prior to Carnival Wednesday had all of EC $100,000.00,” he said.

Prize money was handed out to the top three winners of all the various competitions.