Marie says WCMF was never intended to make a profit

Patrons at WCMF 2014

McCarthy Marie, one of the original organizers of the World Creole Music Festival (WCMF), has sought to shed some light on the idea of profits as far as the event is concerned.

In an exclusive interview with DNO, Marie said the original intention of the festival was “to make money” for Dominica not to make a profit for itself.

“The main idea was to make Dominica make money or make a profit but some people thought that would also make a profit at the event itself, which is a thing I knew from the beginning was an impossibility,” he explained.

He pointed out that during the early stages of the festival, he was one of those who said that it was impossible for the festival to make a profit for itself but some people made statements on the media to the effect, “that this is a thing that’s going to make a profit and since then this idea of profit has stuck in people’s minds as a recurring decimal.”

MC Cathy Marie

Marie, who is an economist and the President of the Dominica’s Association of Music Professionals (AMP), went on to say some people thought a profit could be made by getting more money at the gate than the amount of money that was spent to organize the festival but that is not the case.

He said instead the matter has to do with the economic benefits of the event.

“It would be a good thing for the Dominican economy but the organization will not get more money in than they put out,” he stated.

He describes the festival as a bait to bring visitors to the island.

Marie has some ideas for the festival which he believes will benefit the island even more.

He thinks the hours of the festival are too long and should be shortened.

“The fact that the festival goes all night long leaves little time for the patrons who come from abroad to go on site seeing tours and spend more money,” he stated. “Indeed if it could end earlier, I think the country would benefit more from the festival because the people get more than enough from three to four bands a night,”

According to Marie, most people are accustomed to a show or concert as a two-hour event.

He said, for example, it would be ideal if the festival starts at 8:00 p.m and ends at 1:00 a.m.

“It leaves time for people who want to party still to go to party somewhere else, to pay another money and those who want to go home to sleep, go home and sleep so that they can rest and next day they can go on tours and buy souvenirs elsewhere,” he explained.

He noted that most of the benefits of the festival come from hotels rooms and people renting rooms for patrons, adding that “if you rent rooms for 3 nights, that’s good but it would be better if we rented rooms for 6 nights.”

Marie believes that organizers should make a decision that any tourist who comes to Dominica shouldn’t be allowed to go home with money in his or her pocket.

“You should give him things to spend his money on all the time that he is here,” he remarked.

Marie said Dominica benefits tremendously from the festival.

“The grand recognition and respect for the festival outside of Dominica, especially in the Caribbean is extremely high; much higher than people of Dominica think of it,” he said. “Our festival is unique in more ways than one.”

 

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37 Comments

  1. Affa
    August 28, 2017

    Glad I said this on Val’s revelation that ‘WCMF made no profit in 2016’ Aug. 23rd: … “It may be that WCMF is not intended to really make profit, and that’s not a bad thing as long as that’s the PLAN. Do you recall the Reggae Sound Splash 1980′- 90’s? Well it did not make profit for years, subsidised by Jamaican gov’t, was not intended to make profit but I’m sure they would appreciate if it did. But they had a PLAN, to bring Reggae to every corner of the world. And that it did! Until it served its full usefulness then discontinued. WCMF requires thinking outside the box. …bring in and pay big acts but sell it to other prospective musical acts as a great vehicle to SHOWCASE their talents. They will come. .. WCMF is more popular than the organizers think… But with a million dollar budget the DFC should already consult with others around the world that do these festivals, there are lots, …South By SouthWest, others in Europe that manage over 100 thousand PEOPLE at any given time.”

  2. free
    August 27, 2017

    Cut down on the gate tickets..let more people attend. Shortening the hours are OK, organize island tours etc. Open gates really early let persons come in and lime around eating local foods and set up local craft shops, let the visitors shop right there too.

  3. Let The Truth Be Known - Original
    August 26, 2017

    The time to start and end have been determined. However, I suggest that it should commence from 8:00 pm to 12:00 pm. and on the last day, it could run all night as a last lap. Hoping the last day is not on a Sunday.

  4. Patience
    August 26, 2017

    Marie, lile the jazz festival in st, lucia we know that tje intent was to promote the island an our local creole products amd services bit there was no intention to make a lost to the extend that the auditef statements camnot ne revealed and the objectives cannot be met. It’s like a birthday party for the boys and family

  5. Concerned
    August 26, 2017

    It might be too late to make a profit.The reason being they pay the acts way too much money.Much more than they would make anywhere else.I,ve heard an act say to another act, “hit dem hard because they pay good”…. Also,McMarie,s comment about ending late,I totally agree with.Not ending at 1am though,but 3.

  6. Marina
    August 26, 2017

    Economist you say? Profit not a focus? What in the world!

  7. Zandoli
    August 26, 2017

    While what McCarthy said is true, does that mean the modus operandi cannot change?

    I still believe if one runs a business one ought to try to maximize revenue and minimize cost while looking at the long term sustainability of the venture. Anything less and you are setting yourself up for mediocrity.

  8. Spectator
    August 26, 2017

    I agree with this article. Governments can fund projects which are not required to make a profit. The bigger picture is that the country benefits and that is good.

  9. badbaje
    August 26, 2017

    McCarthy Marie, has sought to shed some light on the idea of profits as far as the event is concerned.
    I think he meant it to make a profit for the organizers, but was meant as an event to attract people to the island to spend money elsewhere and otherwise, not just on the event iteslf. The hotel industry and others offering places to stay would benefit, the shops, restaurants, tour organizers, places of interests, all other areas would benefit from the influx of visitors at the time of the event.
    If the visitors and others attending the event are too tired the next day to go shopping and visiting other places the next day, potential revenue would be lost, and as someone who visited the island last year at the time this even took place, I fully understand what he is saying.
    I agree, shorten the time, promote businesses such as shops, restaurants, places like falls, trails, hikes, historical buildings. Spread the money around, many more would benefit.

  10. Toujousex
    August 26, 2017

    The same set of peoples come to the WCMF every year. How much site seeing you want us to do. Sunday is already a reap off. ending to early . say is because of work. Leave people festival as it is. or else you alone will go. Sunday is toooooo short. Starts tooooo early.

    • Toujousex
      August 26, 2017

      correction (People)

    • Let The Truth Be Known - Original
      August 26, 2017

      ‘rip-off” you meant?
      For Christians, Sunday is the Lord’s Day – for the Lord – for worship.
      The Third Commandment: “Remember Thou Keep Holy the Sabbath Day.”

  11. shrewd
    August 25, 2017

    That’s a foolish statement. You never start a festival and plan for it, never to make a profit. That’s the most foolish comment for the year, nothing will top that. You’ve won the award.

    • Paul Charles
      August 26, 2017

      It must be hard to explain to some of you. This is a promotional event for tourism not a for-profit festival. Obviously a study would tell the organizers that expenditure would outweigh the revenue. The organizers would then examine the big picture which is the economic benefit to the country.

      • Me
        August 27, 2017

        Paul, it appears to have had little effect in twenty years then. Time to call it a day, or at least revamp?

  12. L power
    August 25, 2017

    marie is right as long as is makes a profit in private pockets of organizers.

    • anonymours
      August 26, 2017

      You are right .I’m sure he makes his money alright just like Val and them.

  13. dasheen
    August 25, 2017

    I agree 100%. I love coming home for festival but when you party all night you sleep all day and this is a loss of revenue for restaurants, tours etc. Everyone in the tourism industry should be working together. Cut the hours, reduce the number of performers per night, create special day tour packages etc.

    • Let The Truth Be Known - Original
      August 26, 2017

      The body can only take so much especially as one gets older. Nights are made for sleeping; not partying all night. :lol: :lol: :lol:
      It will eventually take its toll on the body. It is no fun when one feels tired and sleepy.

  14. The Vulgar Minister
    August 25, 2017

    Mr. Marie you really have me laughing you know. I wonder if you were running this as a private business man if you would run it with profit in mind?

    • The Vulgar Minister
      August 26, 2017

      DNO I don’t know why you deleted part of my comments which were all quotes from articles you put out such as; “Go to hell” “It’s not your damn business” “those bastard” now “pissing me off”. Those were all of his quotes and I am asking if next he will put a spoon and a fork in the sink?

  15. Dominican passports
    August 25, 2017

    Well Idk allu business, but everything in life is to make a profit, look at how the Pm living :roll: Why not give out tickets for free then :-o

  16. Tjebe fort
    August 25, 2017

    Marc I don’t know what kind of economist you are but if you are saying that the intention was for the festival to make money for Dominica you should:
    no. 1 be able to quantify how much profit and by whom.
    no.2 that profit must be offset against the money it costs the government to stage it because that is a cost to the country also.
    I don’t like these woolly arguments and theories, which urtimately come down to the poor taxpayer financing the profits of private enterprise. In any case how far does this honey pot extend beyond Roseau?
    Let private enterprise run it I say and be done with it.

  17. TRUE BUT
    August 25, 2017

    Very Good Mr Marie and your opinion and advise is good. But one concern too many complimentary tickets going out. Business persons who sponsor the festival are looking to grab grab all the complimentary tickets. Sponsor in cash or kind and get your business and products advertised. Government officials spend some money buy your tickets. They want complimentary ticket for son, daughter, sister, brother, nephew, cousin, side chick, the list goes on and on.
    WCMF is not there to make profit all fine but this means there expenses are greater than revenue so that cannot be a good thing for DDA and WCMF accounting.
    The subvention from government is not the government officials money its our money. The should receive at least three or four complimentary tickets each. Stop selling our festival so short and get real.

    • badbaje
      August 26, 2017

      This is a very interesting observation, especially when it comes to the “free tickets” side of the business. If you put out more money than you bring in, someone has to make up the difference, and it should not be poor tax payers, unless they too can get some “free tickets”

  18. Lenovo
    August 25, 2017

    I glad for you Mac Marie!!!

    Some people come down for pure sewo.

    Some people don’t even want to give their hosts (locals or family members) a little something in their hand for hosting them, you talking about don’t make them leave with any money in their pocket?

    Dream on baby!

  19. Concerned Dominican
    August 25, 2017

    Thank you Mr. Marie

  20. August 25, 2017

    “BACCHANALIA”, definition, the ROMAN festival of BACCHUS, main aspects? DRUNKEN REVELRY. this is what dominicans relate to as a festival, no wonder so much controversy is involved.At times i asked myself, what manner of human animals are involve in this sub-par festival, some have titles which doesn’t relate to anything but making themselves look and feel important. The CREOLE festival is a failure to how Dominica look and act, when lack of self knowledge is added, FUTILITY is equated.No profits was intended, nothing to put back into the JAR, because the Gov’t will subsidize, but then again, the leaders knows nothing about culture or their past, but the off day given to them by the SLAVE MASTER to revel, this is what the CREOLE festival is all about, a festival of not knowing our true past as Africans, has this been conjured for a reason? time will be the answer. Bob D.

    • LawieBawie
      August 29, 2017

      So then what is Carnival?

  21. Looking
    August 25, 2017

    Mr. Marie excellent comments and observations.

  22. August 25, 2017

    If it was not to make a profit well; why talk about profit in the first place. What is the need to do something by putting so much effort into it especially in an underdeveloped country and never make a profit from it? Without making a profit the organization cannot improve. The organizers should not spend their time and energy on something that is not fruitful. I honestly believe that we should get a grip.

    • jaded
      August 25, 2017

      Your comments expose you as being very naive. WCMF is all part of the marketing and promotion dollars spent to tell the world about DA. The government spent $12 million on tourism marketing. Should it make a profit? You have to learn to see the big picture.

    • Dominican passports
      August 25, 2017

      Exactly it’s all pointless and the standards of the show will never improve, it’s actually a liability if that’s the case :lol:

  23. The Darkness
    August 25, 2017

    Lets talk about charging less at the gate, to increase your crowd… seeing that it was a non-profit concept, in and of itself.

    The price gets more ridiculous by the year, where our money earned per anum does not increase…

  24. DA girl
    August 25, 2017

    Can’t argue with those points. I agree with you.

  25. Really?
    August 25, 2017

    Man ………….. get real.

  26. Shaka Zulu
    August 25, 2017

    Big picture big picture. Overall economic impact is what the success of the world Creole music festival should be based on. We must learn to measure and track accurately to Know where we are and where we heading. The organizers who talking about profits when they already getting 1.78 million from the government needs to rethink. That’s the narrow minded approach.

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