DCA says Calypso season was financially bad

Calypso House in Bath Estate
Calypso House in Bath Estate

The dust has now settled and the figures are being put together for the 2015 Calypso season.

While many claim that the Dominica Calypso Association (DCA) may have had a financially good season, officials of the DCA are disputing that.

Preliminary figures from the association indicate that the three shows staged during the Calypso season may have netted about EC$175,000.

However with VAT and the payment of prizes to the calypsonians, the net amount is minimal, officials say.

“We have to pay the band, plus at the quarters we will have to pay those who did not advance and at the semis those who did not make it to the finals, plus a number of other expenses including security etc …” one official of the DCA stated.

Narrin Murphy is performing the duties of assistant treasurer and is the one who deals with the logistics of the finance and armbands.

He explained that contrary to popular belief, the DCA does not make a whole lot of money.

“When I was on the outside, I was of the same notion but getting in there and seeing it for myself is a totally different thing,” he said.

VAT, he explained, takes a major chunk of the cash earned by the DCA.

“We have to pay government almost 50 grand and by the time we pay our expenses, we are left with nothing,” he stated.

“The King gets EC$20,000…plus you have the other top places and then those who did not place all have to be compensated,” Murphy, himself a calypsonian, explained. “At the semi finals 1,400 tickets were sold at $35.00 and at the finals 3,700 at $80.00, plus mandatory complimentary tickets can’t be avoided, plus the VAT. The large crowd estimated is grossly overstated.”

Murphy stated that while they are still in the process of putting the final figures together, it was “not a good year for the DCA.”

“The figures are there and the auditors will also verify them,” he said. “We are open and operate above board for all to see.”

He said that while DCA would have liked to increase the prize of the Calypso King, the gate receipts and the VAT issue make it impossible to do so at this time.

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50 Comments

  1. Emile Zapatos
    February 25, 2015

    It seems that VAT is the new scapegoat. When ever we need an excuse or complain VAT is the answer.
    The Association need to publish a financial report to set aside the public mistrust. Included in this report should be the cost of the venue(s) used, the net total of sponsorship, and the free or volunteer labour, and free electricity enjoyed.
    The Association cannot afford to loose the trust of the people. Too much is at stake!

    • Emile Zapatos
      February 25, 2015

      One more thing. Why have shows only for Canival. What about the rest of the year.
      Why not sponsor calypso in other countries. We have Dominican associations all over who will be willing to help, even for free. We have people who have promoted bands and groups in Europe and USA to name a few. Lord Breaker who reside in England perform in Houston Tx, in Germany and other European countries. You have people like Dennis Joseph, Alex Bruno and Cowen Hazel who have experience in promotion. You have hotels and cruise ships that can hire our guys to perform.
      We need to look outside the box and make Dominica “the land of calypso” like Jamaica is the land of regee . Entertainment is an industry that can pay. You do not even need a big band. One DJ with the proper equipment may do the job of accopannyment.

      • The Facts
        February 28, 2015

        I think T & T already has that name “Land of Calypso.” It would be a tough fight with them giving D/ca this name. Well, we have the French Creole/Patois which could also be promoted, unless Guadeloupe and Martinique already has this name. Anyway, all of them are worth a try.

  2. grell
    February 25, 2015

    eVERYTHING IS UPSIDE DOWN.Politics killing de place.

  3. mention
    February 25, 2015

    Simply drop the ticket price and you guys will see a bigger turn out. Am not an accountant or a businessman but if an item is sold cheaper than another place it will go much faster than the other spot. Did you guys remember when skerro ask for the ticket price to drop for the creole festival on friday when ticket sales were slow? it was dropped to 50 bucks and by early evening there was none left. Greed is killing our ppl and you guys will be singing the same song yearly if you dont make these adjustments. Calypso is big man thing and ppl want to go and the powers that be not allowing them to go. Just throwing out rough figure: 3700 by 80 is 296000 bucks. Now try 7500 ppl at 50 bucks a finals ticket thats 375000 bucks. Dont forget its rough figure but definately with cheaper ticket prices the turnout will surely increase significantly. You guys have a year to ponder on the advice of the people that dont want to see the art form die.. god bless

  4. AA
    February 24, 2015

    what i’d like to know first and foremost mr murphy is on what was the vat? i mean was it paid on imports? ticket sales?what?if it was on ticket sales then that money was not dca money to begin with cause if vat was collected on ticket sales then it would mean that the 50k that you mentioned would have to be money collected from taxpayers on the behalf of the government. what im saying is that if you collect vat money on sales of any item e.g tickets its the same as the supermarkets collecting vat and at the end of every month they have to bring in what they collect from the taxpayers. the money they collect is not for themselves so its the same as the dca. if you collect that money its not your money so mentioning vat money is a non issue. why are you even mentioning that vat to us?what you should tell us is how much money you made from quarters, semi finals and finals and your expenses. then we can do the math for you cause apparently you cant do it for yourself.

  5. Visionary
    February 24, 2015

    What about the sponsorship from lIME and Heineken. That is a further 80,000

    • Titiwi
      February 24, 2015

      They mixed Lime with Heineken and got a shandy !!!!

  6. watchdog
    February 24, 2015

    The problem I see is that calypsonians themselves should not be running their own association!! There should be independent people running the affairs of calypso. Have you guys ever heard of conflict of interest? Uniless this is changed, then the public will continue to be wary of these stories of not making money, and each year is a crying and crying. Calysonians should NOT be running their own affairs!! This does not make sense!!!!

  7. NSIP
    February 24, 2015

    “at the finals 3,700 at $80.00” and how many not-so-VIP at 150.00 were sold?

  8. The Facts
    February 23, 2015

    DCA, throughout the year you could organize some sort of fundraising which would assist with the cost and avoid a shortfall. Commence early. You could also organize some dances especially on holidays (holiday weekends) and invite the calypsonians especially those who qualified to be in the finalists to perform.
    In this era, some people cannot be depended upon through no fault of their own since their financial situation changed and they cannot afford to spend as much as they previously did.
    Good luck for next year. Hope it will be a better year and from thereon. Keep up the Carnival spirit. We cannot afford this to die. Every year must be a better year and one of safe enjoyment.

  9. CHICA
    February 23, 2015

    DCA simply needs to pack up.

    There needs to be a revamp of the Association before they kill the rtform.
    Its almost a week and no announcement of roadmarch.
    DCA needs to go

    • Dominic
      February 23, 2015

      marvin that sand u dominica not all u own noh

  10. Understanding _VAT
    February 23, 2015

    But I still confused….first Hunter come with this VAT b*llsh*t now Narrin saying the same sh*t. The VAT was never allu money it can’t be the reason the season was unsuccessful. Blame the bloated comp list, blame mismanagement of funds but it can’t be VAT

    And what allu doing after the finals NOTHING, say lent say whatever, then come Easter hold a show, come May June the rest of the year allu aint doing nothing and allu depending on a single season to make money to run an organization for 12 month, crap….

    Be more business minded and allu wont have this complaint every year!

  11. Carnival baby
    February 23, 2015

    He also fails to mention the amount of sponsorship in cash and kind they receive from the corporate community and government, which helps defray some of their costs. All the prize money for the top 4 places should be at least doubled by next year as a better representation of the amount of work and effort they put into putting on a good show for the people.

  12. point
    February 23, 2015

    Mr. Narine are you saying that a net profit of 175k is not a decent profit. You might have stated it incorectly that I doubt. The gross take was 335K and expenses totaled 160K, what is the calypso association belly aching about? Is it greed…….

    • enough!
      February 24, 2015

      i know right!cause if you have to pay vat almost 50 thousand that would mean you had to gross atleast 340 thousand dollars (vat on 340 thousand is not even 45 thousand) so where all the money gone?lets do the math people. we not dunce DCA. now go back to the drawing board and do the right math.you should have almost 300 thousand after you remove vat money. you did make a little change from quarter finals right? add that too.what about sponsors?what are you talking about?

  13. art laud
    February 23, 2015

    something is wrong with the final figure of a $175000 or is this the profit because from my rough calculation I got about $3400000 for the semi and finals.1400 *$35=$49000+3700*80=$296000 not counting what ever they got from comseetv

    • art laud
      February 23, 2015

      not 3400000 but 340000

  14. OneDestiny
    February 23, 2015

    Well, if so be the case “calypso” as a business is a colossal waste of time and the nincompoops who run the business are just that..nincompoops.

    • TALK IS CHEAP
      February 23, 2015

      like really….what is observers role? PRO?

      As for Mr. bazil knocking window..president?
      GMAMB ! these fools can’t even perform much less run an organization. in their pocket de money going probably

  15. TALK IS CHEAP
    February 23, 2015

    simple solution.

    Fire everyone in DCA. See how much transparency we will have and profits that will be made.

    DCA like everything else is politically corrupt. I mean WTH does merlin Paul get off criticing Alex and val.

    another year. same old $h!t

    • Me
      February 24, 2015

      Yes Sir, cut out the dead wood.

  16. yu
    February 23, 2015

    what about quarters and elimination? no money?

    • forreal
      February 23, 2015

      you a joker oh what,read again

    • read well
      February 23, 2015

      It was mentioned that they have to pay for those in the quarters but no mention was made of the prelims. So looks like nada for the prelims.

  17. Birds View
    February 23, 2015

    A DCA is a lazy association which lacks vision and innovation and so the result is nothing strange, its time for change.

    • The Facts
      February 23, 2015

      In many matters and on occasion, who is not lazy including yourself? Your comment is not constructive criticism. If you criticize which you appear to be prone to doing, you should come up with a feasible idea on how they could improve. One should not go without the other. So what improvement do you suggest?
      Utilize diplomacy. Offer suggestions and advice; not criticism. The latter is by no means helpful. It is debasing which is something you should avoid whenever you comment. Learn from this.

  18. chowmien
    February 23, 2015

    It was a very foolish move on your part, to RAISE the gate to 80 dollars, after promising fans and patrons that there would be NO INCREASE this year. To you it was only $5.00. To the masses it represented DECEPTION and ABUSE. You are well aware its a tight economy. Where nobody is getting any increase on their salaries, a 6.66% appears like a quantum leap. As small as it may appear to you on the executive who don’t have to fork out anything, this was the proverbial straw which broke the camel’s back.

    So you have only yourself to blame. GREED does not pay. It’s high time the DC A becomes creative in their financing ventures. As one of the more popular shows on the island calypso should seek active partnerships with cooperate concerns for co-financing and seek to bring in more patrons, thus offering more exposure to the cooperate concerns. No matter how much Dominicans like their calypso, there is a limit they will not surpass.

    Moral: don’t bite the hands that feed…

    • forreal
      February 23, 2015

      they want to point a finger don’t you see,the VAT

    • The Facts
      February 23, 2015

      DCA should never have promised no increase. They made a mistake and you should forgive them for that.
      Every year costs escalate which D/cans should be aware of. I will add, it is a worldwide situation for every item, product and entertainment. People must expect such a cost to increase annually. DCA must have stated it to encourage D/cans to attend.
      Prior to purchasing their tickets at the gate, were they not aware of the cost? When at the gate and they found out the cost (if they were not previously aware of it) did they turn away or how many turned away? If they did not mind purchasing the ticket anyway, then DCA should not be admonished for that.
      Probably some people who previously attended the shows simply did not attend. One of the reasons being that as everyone else (worldwide), they may not have been able to afford it, even though it would cost $75.00. This is a lot of money to pay for a show. Consider how many essentials they could purchase with that money.

      • The Facts
        February 23, 2015

        :oops: Two negatives make a positive.
        I meant to state, “D/ca should ‘not’ have promised ‘an’ increase.”

  19. SMh
    February 23, 2015

    yadee yadee yaddah! same ol tune like soul puss.

    What they need to do, is start working from now on improving next year and
    reduce that high price for the final ticket.

    most importantly stop giving complementary tickets to all cats and dogs.

    Each finalist should get 5 extra tkts, the president and PM of Dominica, and thats it.
    2 for each sponsor. not more than 100 Complementary tickets should be dished out.

    and yes. they need to pay the monarch more money.

    • The Facts
      February 23, 2015

      You made a good point about not being generous in giving too many complimentary tickets. This could prove to be expensive
      However, a question, each finalist should get 5 extra tickets? For what and for whom? Probably you could explain why. Who are they who could qualify for those tickets aside from the finalists with a friend or spouse? This makes one for a finalist and one for a preferred person. It should really be two complimentary tickets per person. Oh, would the five be for their manager and mentor, etc.? Those of us who are not familiar with the operations of DCA would be interested to know.

  20. Way papa
    February 23, 2015

    Every year is the same song! Who are the people in charge of our festivals and shows? They are all unfit for the positions because they are all financial failures!

    Yes, complimentary tickets cannot be avoided BUT the number given out should be limited. Why should a minister be given a number of tickets? Why should sponsors be given so many tickets? Why are there so many passes? Even the calypsonians performing are given too much. This saddens me…

  21. February 23, 2015

    Why didn’t narrin also mention the $5000 each executive members collect whether they are on island or not as contributing to the bad financial status they have been receiving

    • A Doubting Thomas
      February 23, 2015

      You cannot have a show like that and do not want to pay VAT. We all have to pay taxes.

      Have you listened to some of the Calypsos the association allows? Most complain about government and yet the same calypsoians do not want to pay VAT so the government can make money to do the things they sing against? How can people complain about paying taxes and when government gets loans and grants we call them beggars and what have you in their songs and talk shows and print.

      I am confused. You would think the Calypso Association is the one institution that would want to quickly give the government more Tax Dollars instead of asking not to pay VAT so that the Minister of Finance would not have to always go elsewhere looking for money. When we buy our tickets we expect the government to get the contribution to help the economy.

      • The Facts
        February 23, 2015

        This is an interesting topic. Some of us learn from it, the operations of DCA. If the tickets which are bought are not taxable in D/ca, then the onus is on DCA to pay the VAT in addition to, from profits they made.
        Those who reside in countries where taxes are inevitable for everything purchased, will pay tax on all sorts of tickets. We are all taxed to death and even after for those who leave behind estates to settle among their beneficiaries. The government gets a piece of that depending on the value of the estate.
        Higher costs are also inevitable. As someone stated, complimentary tickets should be limited.
        If this is true, DCA members/employees (?) who are not present in D/ca during the Carnival season leading up to Carnival Tuesday should not be paid if, at that time they are not working for DCA.
        Does the government contribute funds to DCA? DCA should operate as a non-profit organization to avoid high taxes or taxes at all. A government audit should be conducted.

      • world peace
        February 24, 2015

        if you had done any social studies you would realize that u are misinformed. No matter how many different kinds of taxes and duties a country has it , especially a developing country, it still has to get loans and grants from friendly governments and world organizations

  22. interested
    February 23, 2015

    Are you stating that $175,000.00 is not a good amount to net, and that is after your expenses. Gate receipts from the semis and finals grossed $ 325,000.00. Well well, what can I say but I would love to run a business that nets that kind of money.

    • The Facts
      February 23, 2015

      This is a lot of money, especially in a few months. It was stated that the amount of $175,000 is not enough considering how much has to be paid out.

  23. Yes yes yes
    February 23, 2015

    Is politic all you want to play , with the Art form so obviously the regular people are turning away from the shows, good for all you . Calypso was so free and enjoyable, now people feel like they are walking on egg shells around calypso.

  24. Zandoli
    February 23, 2015

    DNO, please be careful when you write those stories. You said they netted about $175,000, you cannot then say they have to deduct expenses from that.

    What I think you meant to say was they had grossed (or took in revenue of) $175,000 from which the deduction would result in the net of $xxx.

    • world peace
      February 24, 2015

      No, No zandoli, the gross is the higher figure so lets say maybe the gross was over 350 000, then they should say that after expenses the net was 175 000. something like that.

  25. a re ta did
    February 23, 2015

    all allu man does do is lie
    i willl right a calypso on dat next year
    so de sponsors doe paying nothing den??
    all u doe sell no vip tickets rights???
    only 3800 people purchased tickets right
    all u doe make no money
    none at all
    alll u never make money
    de calypso house ((a gift dat der))
    boy allu kno for sure all u just making stories
    all u have never made money according to all u
    on losses allu running we
    liars liars liars liars
    den if all u doe makeing money laeve it ner

  26. West girl
    February 23, 2015

    well my brave two cents suggestion is that maybe the Association should partner with the Business community as in the case of Montserrat and other islands. Montserrat by the way pays the King much more than here.

  27. DA Girly
    February 23, 2015

    Then file bankruptcy or change owners because year after year, its the same old cry. somehow i don’t believe.

  28. heyyyyyyyyyy
    February 23, 2015

    VAT is a murderer but heyyyyyyyy thats what dominicans voted for right? :wink:

  29. The voice of god?
    February 23, 2015

    What is not bad in Dominica? Can people make money when over 60% are not employed and only get a little $20.00 from the red clinic during an election? Skerrit needs to move the elections to February, so the calypso season does not suffer from lack of finance. Skerrit KILLED EVERYTHING in DA. No money, no love

    • mention
      February 25, 2015

      you are full of crap and that just to tell you that you cant have a decent convo. ur level of topics are very limited. plz go improve urself

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